Raising Cornerstone Daughters–Part 2

Cheerfulness and Gratitude…

They are a choice, aren’t they? Have you ever known someone who was in the habit of griping? Or being negative? Or looking at “what’s wrong” instead of what could be right?

It is so important that when our daughters our young (and sons too, of course!) that we help them develop a spirit of cheerfulness, gratitude and joy! In fact, one’s attitude greatly determines his success and achievement in life!

Ouch.

There again, it starts with us. I want to challenge you (and myself) to monitor what comes out of our mouths–just for today. Notice whether there are words of optimism, gratitude and cheerfulness, or whether we tend toward negative thoughts and words.

So much of our attitude is seeping in to form theirs! While you’re monitoring your words, try to focus on framing them in a positive way.

Instead of, “What a mess! We’re never going to get all this cleaned up!” Say something like, “Wow…OK, hold up your hands…how many hands do we have? That’s a lot of hands so we should be able to clean this up really quickly!”

Just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about 😉

Or when you hear a little one pose a negative statement, help her restate it in a more positive light. And of course, reminding them of our daily blessings can be a real help. (Count your blessings, name them one by one!)

I am often SO guilty of negative words!!! But what a blessing when our mouths become “springs of life” to those around us.

Another tip–if you are in the habit of ungratefulness, sing. Singing is a great way to “bend the heart” in a different direction (if you’re singing the right songs!)

Let our lives be adorned by cheerfulness and gratitude. What a blessing to each other and to the world around us. These are cornerstones that will keep our structure sturdy.