Today is a day for you to learn a new skill and a new mindset that will touch you deeply. I’m so excited for you, because this is going to touch your mind, your heart, your kids, your spouse (or future spouse), your co-workers, your clients, and every human being in your life.

Today has the potential to change the way you think, act, work, and communicate. It has the potential to set you apart from the majority of the people in the world today.

It’s fairly obvious that everyone wants to be happy and satisfied. Everyone wants to live a fulfilled life. If you look around you today, you’ll see a world full of people who are always searching for satisfaction, but many never quite find it.

But I’m here to tell you that happiness IS possible for everyone, no matter the circumstances. But there could be something that is actually sabotaging your happiness. And today, I want to expose that thing to you.

This particular thing not only affects your happiness, but it bleeds into your work life, killing your productivity and causing stress and procrastination. It causes others to not want to work with you, live with you, or be around you. It will try to creep into your life and take over your emotions, your family, your business or career, your finances, and your relationships.

See, I’ve traveled all over the world, and it’s really interesting what I’ve seen. I’ve spent a lot of time in places like Belize, Jamaica, India, Mexico, all over Europe, Nicaragua, Australia, the UK, and most major cities in the US. And what I can tell you is that people everywhere are searching for satisfaction.

That’s why we eat the foods we eat. It’s why we hang out with the people we hang out with. It’s why some people work endless hours or shop excessively or cheat on their spouses.

But I see more satisfaction when I’m traveling in 3rd world countries than I do in "rich" countries. I see more smiles, more laughter, more affection. Even though some of these countries are so poor, I see so much joy. I see people talking to each other and loving on each other.

When you step into the US or Europe or Australia, on the other hand, you just don’t see that same happiness. We have more cars than drivers; we build houses for our cars; we have more clothes than we could ever wear; we throw food away every day; we are glued to technology; and yet, people are miserable.

So where does satisfaction come from? What makes people truly happy? What makes people feel fulfilled?

Psychologists at the University of Michigan suggest that gratitude has a lot to do with satisfaction in life. In fact, California State University found that as gratitude increases, so does life satisfaction, happiness, positive attitudes, hope, and even academic performance in kids.

Did you catch that? GRATITUDE is the key to happiness!

Here’s something else I find rather interesting: According to CBS News, only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their work. Economists say that a lack of job satisfaction hurts innovation, competitiveness, and productivity. CBS News also reported that 1 in 4 people say they have fewer or worse opportunities today than their parents’ generation did.

But you really have to think and evaluate… How do you feel about the opportunities that are in front of you? Do you feel that your opportunities are limited? Why are people not satisfied with their opportunities today?

The truth is, your perception becomes your reality, whether it is actual reality or not. What you focus on is what you get more of, but you will always be limited by what you cannot see. If you are grumbling and complaining about not having the right opportunities, you are never going to find the right opportunities! Complaining causes you to focus on what is wrong instead of focusing on finding solutions.

Complaining, never being satisfied, carrying unforgiveness, being ungrateful, blaming others, living a stressful life, and waiting for satisfaction and happiness to come to you are all things that sabotage your happiness.

I have to tell you about one more study I came across. Psychologists at California State University conducted a study and compared the results from the least grateful to the most grateful students. They found that the students who were more grateful gained more sense of purpose in their lives and were 15% more satisfied overall. Those who were more grateful had a 13% drop in negative emotions, but the group who was less grateful had a 15% increase in symptoms of depression.

Here’s the reality: Gratitude does not come naturally for any of us.

But this study showed that those who chose gratitude over ungratefulness were more satisfied in life, and their whole lives were impacted by it.

I became homeless when I was 21 years old. But after a month, I decided that I was done being homeless. I told myself to find one thing that I was thankful for. And that was the fact that I lived in Hawaii. I didn’t like Hawaii, but I figured, people spend their life savings just to come to Hawaii for a week. I chose to focus on one thing that was going right for me. And it’s interesting what happened next…

The very next day, I started a business from the trunk of my car and a payphone booth, and within 2 years, I became a millionaire. And it started with simply focusing on what I was grateful for.

I know things are hard for a lot of people right now. I know there are millions of people suffering and struggling, suffocating under debt, hurting in their relationships, desperately searching for answers and seeking relief from hard times. But you MUST find something to be grateful for.

My friend, if what you focus on is what you get more of, then you must start focusing on the right things! Focus on being grateful. Focus on finding satisfaction in your work and in your personal life. Take responsibility for your circumstances, make a decision, and make a change. Focus on helping other people. Focus on building relationships. Focus on reaching your goals. Focus on forgiveness. Focus on what is going right, and you will begin to see more of those things in your life.

Don’t let ungratefulness rob you of your happiness. Don’t let it take over your emotions, your family, your work, your finances, or your relationships. Don’t let it steal your joy and control your life.

Choose gratitude. Choose satisfaction. Choose joy.

Especially today; especially in this season. There are people everywhere who are suffering, and it may even be you, but YOU have a choice. The studies prove it. My own life proves it.

Gratitude is the key to happiness. Ungratefulness sabotages your happiness. It’s your choice.

Other than that, God bless, and I will talk to you soon!

In great faith,