Are you grateful for the life that you have? Or do you take things for granted? Maybe you haven’t thought about it for a while. Did you ever fail to appreciate someone you care about? Was that because you were too busy putting out fires or focusing on other things? Or perhaps you assumed they’d just hang around forever.

The problem is, when you take people or things for granted, you put them in jeopardy. It’s not enough to make up for neglect after they’ve slipped away. It’s important to be grateful every day for the wonderful things in your life. Think of this as a wake-up call.

What Do You Take for Granted?

Choices. We marry the love of our life, pursue the career of our dreams, and vote for the candidate of our choice. Free choice, however, is not a given everywhere.

Loyalty. People remain faithful to us through good times and bad. When was the last time you showed your appreciation?

Customers. We have customers who’ve been with us for years. Do you appreciate their loyalty as much today as when you were chasing their business?

Health. We don’t appreciate good health until we feel lousy. When we get better, we take our health for granted again. (So much for learning from our mistakes.)

Freedom. We have: the right to privacy, the freedom to speak our mind, and the privilege to practice the religion of our choice. It wasn’t always that way. People gave their lives to protect those freedoms.

Love of your life. Your spouse may be the most important person in your life. Do you take his or her love for granted?

Variety. We have so many travel options, food choices, and retail alternatives available to us. Not everyone has that luxury.

Trust. Your faith in those who are close to you enables you to share your deepest secrets with them. Do you realize how special that trust is?

Dedicated employees. We have employees who do everything we ask of them — and more. Do you acknowledge their value —or take it for granted?

Parents. You have parents who offer their unconditional love. They’ve given a lot of themselves to ensure that you have a better life. Show some gratitude. If you’re not one already, you’ll probably be a parent one day.

Security. We have reasonable weather, access to healthy food, and can walk the streets safely at night. Be thankful that we don’t live our life in fear.

Basic necessities. We have three meals a day, a warm bed to sleep in, and a shelter over our head. To some people, that’s a luxury.

Nature. After days of bad weather, we appreciate the sunshine. Maybe we shouldn’t take clean air or water for granted.

Life. Every day is a gift. Do you take that for granted?

Appreciate What You Have Before It Becomes What You Had

One day we should take a moment and listen to ourselves. We complain about not having enough while we lose sight of the wonderful things that we have. That happens because we get restless, things become too routine, or perhaps because we enjoy the hunt for something new.

The problem is, when we take stuff for granted, things eventually go south . . . the relationship goes sour, the employee jumps ship, the customer goes to a competitor. And, of course — then we react with panic. As the saying goes, “People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Truth is, you knew exactly what you had . . . you just never thought you’d lose it.”

So . . . think how you’d react if those things “walked” out of your life. Why wait for that to happen? If you’d care a lot if you lost them, find the time to show appreciation for them today. As the saying goes, “You should appreciate what you have before it becomes what you had.”

Additional Reading:
Be Careful What You Take for Granted
One Day Isn’t Enough to Express Your Gratitude
It’s The Little Things that Count
Who Cares About Customers
Losing Trust: The Warning Signs
Are You Talking to Yourself

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