Not long ago I had to pay my business tax to the city. Lack of an on-line system means filling out the form by hand, writing a check and mailing it in. No biggie, except that when I looked for a stamp to put on the envelope, these were the only two types we had:
Something just didn’t seem right about declaring LOVE, or Celebrating that I was paying my taxes. I almost put it off for a day so I could go buy some generic stamps.
After a pause, I decided to reframe the situation through the lens of GRATITUDE. I started thinking about why I should (or could) love paying business property taxes. Is there a reason to celebrate that I’m turning over hard-earned money to the city? Hmmm, it did take some thinking. Here goes…
First of all, I am self-employed! I get to do what I love and call it work. Reflecting on all the blessings that make this possible could fill pages and pages in my journal. That alone is reason enough to Love paying the business tax.
More contemplation reveals other reasons to celebrate or be grateful for paying that tax. We have great schools that provide amazing programs for my kids. The city keeps our public beaches clean and appealing. We have low crime. They are making a greater commitment to art. I really could go on.
The point here is that Gratitude helped to turn a negative into a major positive. No need to go buy more stamps. I’m fine with putting a Celebrate! stamp on the next tax bill because I’m fortunate enough to be able to run a business.
What about you? Do this simple exercise. Think of a bill you have to pay, then list at least 5 reasons to be grateful for it. It could be a medical bill (first-world medical care), the electric bill (you’re not living in a tent) or your daycare fees (great teachers, and you are employed). Take the time right now to do this.
Gratitude is a great tool for maximizing your enjoyment in life. It’s very powerful to be in the habit of seeking a reason to be grateful in the face of negatives.
You can explore ways that Gratitude can help you reframe negative situations, through the Art of Gratitude course.
What were your five reasons to be grateful?
