*DISCLAIMER:: this is not sponsored or affiliated with Ramsey Solutions, just my personal take.
gratitude leads to humility which leads to contentment. - rachel cruze
this past Saturday we attended the Dave Ramsey SMART Conference. I had attended it before when they came to Dallas a few years back, but you can never attend too many (just saying). they're so motivational... but practical and so much fun! it's like a dance party while learning to grow mentally, spiritually, and finically. it's a God-send.
there were several Ramsey personalities that spoke throughout the day. I enjoyed listening to everyone talk, but there were a few that stuck out to me, and a few that made me cry. gosh, check out Dr. John Delony y'all. he doesn't disappoint. oh, and Ken Coleman's story. I cried. but, despite the controversial opinions, Rachel Cruze... she's my girl. she makes you laugh, super relatable, and just cool. (still waiting to meet her someday...) anyways, she kick started the event with a great talk. I won't rewrite her talk, you'll have to just listen to her podcast, but something she said really struck me. at her last talk I attended in 2019, she mentioned how each morning when she'd grab her phone, she wouldn't scroll Instagram or Facebook, but instead pull up Notes and write down 3 things she was grateful for. her reason for doing so is simple: we scroll through people's perceived lives, filling our minds with comparisons and discontentment. when Millie has that - I want that. the perfect outfit - I want that. abs, toned arms, sculpted legs - I want that. home straight off Magnolia Network - I want that. we lose sight of what we have, and instead are consciously or sub-consciously feed ourselves ideas of what we should have.
I've spoken before on this HERE (check it out). but I was living in the downward spiral of comparisons and dissatisfaction. it was awful. when I heard her talk, I thought I should do that. but how many of us attend talks, conferences, retreats and so on and leave with a book full of steps to take to improve ourselves yet fall asleep and wake up the next day like nothing happened? me. I'm raising my hand. so when I heard that back in 2019, I thought I should do that but to this day haven't done it. I did delete my social media accounts (aside form this and my YouTube.) those are the only two I have. I don't really consider LinkedIn one because... I don't get on it, just share a post and that's that. ok, back to the talk. so as I was sitting there in excitement that Rachel Cruze was speaking about money tips and such, she hit the nail.
gratitude leads to humility which leads to contentment.
umm, yes ma'am. like wow. I was blown away. we talk of being content with where we are, what we have, and such... but how do we get there? the eternal question... we often have the solution to problems, just not necessarily the steps to reach the solution. also, it's a lot easier to give a solution than to live the solution. *mic drop*
no, let's think about it. nothing happens overnight. change takes being persistent and having consistency. if we start each day with listing out 3 things we are grateful for, we will see change over time. we will begin to be grateful for the things we have, no longer wanting what others have, because we will be humbled in all that God has given us. He owes us nothing, yet look at all He has given you. I have been given such wonderful things... and more than just material objects. what good does it avail me to focus on wanting what others have? that creates a heart of selfishness and dissatisfaction. I should be happy for others in what God has given them, and be happy for myself for what God has given me - and that my friends, is contentment.
and so, my resolution. in 2019 she said to begin a gratitude list, writing down 3 things I am grateful for every morning. it's been three years (I didn't do that), but what could change if I began today in 2022? in 3 years, what growth could come.
I speak not as it were for want. for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content therewith.
- Philippians 4:11
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