Aging Backwards Tuesday Tips #5: Count Your Blessings

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer

We're constantly being bombarded with stories of grief, war and natural disasters, to name a few. It's important to keep up with current events, but sometimes it can be depressing. I like to turn the negative into a positive by being grateful for all of my blessings. My life isn't perfect, but I'm much better off than so many people in the world who live with famine, strife and upheaval daily. With the hustle and bustle of juggling work, children, spouse, an aging parent, bills to pay and other obligations, there are never enough hours in the day. It's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind and forget to appreciate all that we have.

Here are today's Aging Backwards Tips for Practicing Gratitude

1) Make a list, check it twice. Write down a list of the people in your life who love you and whom you love (it may or may not be the same people). Reread that list often and appreciate that you matter to these people.

2) Give back to the community. It may be something as small as putting a dollar in a charity box or as big as making an endowment to a university or committing to weekly or monthly community service, but studies have shown that people who "give back" feel good about themselves and become more charitable to others.

3) Appreciate your "treasures." We all have "treasures" that are precious to us. Maybe it's a piece of fine jewelry with sentimental value or a beautiful vase acquired during an exotic vacation. Once we put these items away, they can be forgotten until one day we rediscover them at the bottom of a drawer or in a closet. Take time to pull out your special treasures, dust them off and remember what made them special to you in the first place.

4) Pick or buy some flowers. Show your appreciation for earth's gifts by picking some wildflowers or buying a colorful bouquet.

5) Thank someone for a job well done. It could be a co-worker, an employee, your spouse, even your child - everyone likes to be appreciated and acknowledged for their efforts.

At the end of the day, I like to meditate and give thanks for all of my blessings. I keep a pen and paper handy and I write down: "Today, I am grateful for _______ " (fill in the blank). Focusing on that gratitude helps heal hurt.