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Sugar and Spice… Gratitude as a Default Setting

If I asked you when the last time you said “please” or “thank you” was, chances are you’d be able to tell me in an instant, right? You might even give me answers like “when my colleague handed me the stapler” or “when I bought a newspaper at the traffic light” or perhaps even “when the cashier at the shop gave me my change”.

If you’re a decent human being (which I certainly hope you are), chances are that words like “please” and “thank you” make up a big part of your daily vocabulary. How many times have you said “please” today? How about “thank you”? Twenty times? Maybe 50? A hundred, even? How many times will you say “please” this year? How many people will you have said “thanks” to by the time you turn 40? Impossible to count, right?

Pleases and thank yous are a dime a dozen (as they should be), but here’s the thing – are you really thankful when the cashier at Checkers hands you your change? Or when the cab driver drops you where you wanted to be? Or do you say “please” and “thank you” simply because that’s what your mother taught you? Because that’s what’s polite? Because that’s what’s expected of you?

More often than not, gratitude is not our default setting. We do not wake up in the morning thinking “Thank you God for a new day!” Most of the time, the first thing you think when you wake up is “crap, I need to pee”. Or “damn! Is it morning already?!” As much as we like to pretend – often in early morning Facebook statuses about how #blessed we are – we’re not as grateful as we should be. Because let’s be real, most days we’re too tired, stressed or worried about the million and one curve balls life throws at us to truly sit down and think about everything we’re grateful for.

But every now and then, we should. Every now and then, you should send that “I appreciate you” text to your person. And don’t just tell them. Show them. Go out of your way to show the people you’re thankful for just how happy you are that they’re a part of your life. Don’t just say thank you. Don’t just throw a strategic please in when you want something. Do. Be.

Don’t get me wrong, being polite will never go out of style. By all means, say your “pleases” and “thank yous” every day. Be polite. Be kind. Be a nice person, for goodness sakes! And every now and then, take time out to think of the things you’re truly grateful for. Make lists. Thank whoever you believe in. And don’t forget to thank – properly thank – whoever believed in you.

-Email me at cindy@namibian.com.na, follow me on Twitter at @SugaryOblivion or like my page ‘Sugary Oblivion’ on Facebook.

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