The role of a parent can sometimes be a thankless job. We sacrifice time, money and resources so our children grow up to be men and women of integrity and good character. When they get married, and have their own children, then they recognize the extent to which we gave unconditionally, maybe we get a “thank you”. But we seldom hear it. I’ve realized that it’s the same with all of us. It’s not natural for us to be thankful. Our first instinct is to complain. That a very Singaporean thing right? When it rains, we react by cursing the heavens. Not realizing that we need that same rain for water to survive. You may be wondering, “But how can I be thankful for pain and heartache?” I’m not saying we have to be thankful for everything, but to be grateful IN everything. There’s a difference between thankfulness and gratitude. We’re thankful BECAUSE of something good we experience. We’re grateful IN SPITE OF what happens. One requires something we’re thankful for, the other is a state of being. Let me explain: it’s challenging to be thankful, especially when business is slow, when economy is bad, when our lives take a bad turn, when relationships in our families break down. But having an attitude of gratitude is not dependent on how things turn out – it’s dependent on our attitude NO MATTER how things turn out. There is always something we can be grateful for. Take a deep breath. Go ahead, do it right now. Then breathe out. That’s it. Are you still breathing? Well, that’s one thing to be grateful for. The best time to practice being grateful is when times are bad. So, the next time you can’t see the silver lining in the dark clouds, when you feel out of control, when you don’t see a way out, just because you don’t experience a breakthrough in your life, doesn’t mean you’ll never experience a breakthrough eventually. Remember: In the end, it will be okay. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end. A heart of gratitude must be cultivated, and can be a sacrifice of time and effort. Just like a parent invests their time and effort to cultivate good values and attitudes in their children, in spite of not seeing the “payoff” at the end of the day. But ultimately when our “investment” matures, the feeling that accompanies it is satisfying and fulfilling. I want to say, I’m very grateful to be in this business. It’s may not have been a very good year for Singapore and for businesses in general. But when I get to see the lives that have been changed because of what we do, because of the tools and resources we’ve provided, it all seems worth the effort and time. And I’m thankful to everyone who has had the faith to believe in what we do. Our staff, our customers, our partners, everyone who has believed enough in our vision for the future and in what we hope to achieve together. I want to express my thanks and gratitude to all of you – every single one who has made this year an even more beautiful one for Success Resources. We couldn’t have done it without you. Success Resources: http://www.srpl.net/
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