As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us remind ourselves of all we have to be grateful for–our health, our families, our work, the freedoms we take for granted and the opportunity to make a difference in the world while we create a happy and fulfilling lifestyle for ourselves and others.

Instead of stressing, see how good you already have it, and appreciate the unlimited potential you have to make it even better.

Choose to be grateful when life treats you well and graceful when it doesn’t.

Make this year’s Thanksgiving a time for you to really feel blessed and then do whatever you can to become infectious and spread that blessing around. Remember that the purpose of this holiday is to be thankful as compared to just being full.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.

If you have a refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold somebody’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch.

By Dr. Bob Hoffman