• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bits of Positivity

Inspiration | Quotes | Parenting | Character Education

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy
  • Character Education
    • Best Books for Kids
    • Gratitude
    • Kindness
    • Making a Difference
  • Growth Mindset
  • Mindfulness
  • Best Quotes
  • Freebies

How to Have a Good Day

March 9, 2012 By Deb Chitwood 5 Comments

Previous article: Positive Music Messages and Inspiration from Low Viscosity
Next article: “A Smile Can Brighten the Darkest Day” Word-Art Freebie
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Here’s an inspiring TED Talk on gratitude with Louie Schwartzberg, founder of Blacklight Films. The TED Talk includes some amazing time-lapse photography and a beautiful short film about gratitude and happiness.

The short film combines Schwartzberg’s cinematography with music by Gary Malkin and words and narration by Brother David Steindl-Rast from Gratefulness.org. This is definitely worth 10 minutes of your time!

Here’s a transcription of Brother David Steindl-Rast’s words from the video:

You think this is just another day in your life. It’s not just another day. It’s the one day that is given to you today. It’s given to you. It’s a gift. It’s the only gift that you have right now. And the only appropriate response is gratefulness. If you do nothing else but to cultivate that response to the great gift that this unique day is, if you learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life and the very last day, then you will have spent this day very well.

Begin by opening your eyes and be surprised that you have eyes you can open, that incredible array of colors that is constantly offered to us for our pure enjoyment. Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky. We so rarely note how different it is from moment to moment with clouds coming and going. We just think of the weather and even of the weather we don’t think of all the many nuances of weather. We just think of good weather and bad weather. This day right now is unique weather, maybe a kind that will never exactly in that form come again. The formation of clouds in the sky will never be the same that is right now. Open your eyes. Look at that.

Look at the faces of people whom you meet. Each one has an incredible story behind their face, a story that you could never fully fathom. Not only their own story, but the story of their ancestors. We all go back so far. And in this present moment on this day all the people you meet, all that life from generations and from so many places all over the world flows together and meets you here like a life-giving water if you only open your heart and drink.

Open your heart to the incredible gifts that civilization gives to us. You flip a switch and there is electric light. You turn a faucet and there is warm water and cold water. And drinkable water! It’s a gift that millions and millions in the world will never experience.

So these are just a few of an enormous number of gifts to which we can open your heart. So I wish you that you would open your heart to all these blessings and let them flow through you, that everyone whom you will meet on this day will be blessed by you, just by your eyes, by your smile, by your touch. Just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. Then it will really be a good day.

"Let the Gratefulness Overflow into Blessing All Around You" Word Art Freebie

“Let the Gratefulness Overflow into Blessing All Around You” Word-Art Freebie (without watermark)

Wondering where it’s best to follow me?

If you’re interested in kid-related content, sign up for the Living Montessori Now newsletter. I share my Bits of Positivity parenting and character-education posts in the weekly Living Montessori Now newsletter along with lots of great kids’ activities and Montessori ideas from my Living Montessori Now blog. You’ll get a monthly freebie (and previous monthly freebies) with link and password if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!


If you’re interested in inspiration and motivation, the best place for you will probably be the Bits of Positivity Facebook page. You’ll find lots of inspiration there from the Bits of Positivity blog and from around the Internet. For word art inspiration, be sure to follow me at the Bits of Positivity Facebook page and on Pinterest! And for all my posts in a reader, check out Bloglovin‘! Thanks so much!

Montessori at Home or School - How to Teach Grace and Courtesy eBookLearn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

Related Posts

  • Happiness Word-Art FreebieHappiness Word-Art Freebie
  • “Let the Gratefulness Overflow into Blessing All Around You” Word-Art Freebie {+ Gratitude Resources}“Let the Gratefulness Overflow into Blessing All Around You” Word-Art Freebie {+ Gratitude Resources}
  • How to Help Your Kids Have an Attitude of GratitudeHow to Help Your Kids Have an Attitude of Gratitude
  • Project SmileProject Smile
  • Activities for Kids and Adults on International Day of Peace and World Gratitude DayActivities for Kids and Adults on International Day of Peace and World Gratitude Day
  • Free Mindfulness Resources from CalmFree Mindfulness Resources from Calm
  • November Gratitude Inspiration and ActivitiesNovember Gratitude Inspiration and Activities
  • “ThanksLiving Is Better” Word Art Freebie“ThanksLiving Is Better” Word Art Freebie
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Previous article: Positive Music Messages and Inspiration from Low Viscosity
Next article: “A Smile Can Brighten the Darkest Day” Word-Art Freebie

Filed Under: Gratitude, Happiness, Inspiration Tagged With: Brother David Steindl-Rast, Gary Malkin, Gratefulness.org, gratitude, happiness, Louie Schwartzberg, TED Talk

Previous Post: « Positive Music Messages and Inspiration from Low Viscosity
Next Post: “A Smile Can Brighten the Darkest Day” Word-Art Freebie »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Craig says

    March 11, 2012 at 10:51 am

    … “And be thankful that you have eyes to open” – hearted that – and looked at the faces of those around you – and in this case the words of those I read – and know that there’s a story – we’ll have the story. Thank you for that Deb, I’m glad you found me – so I could find you – so I could read you. God bless and keep you and each and every one of yours.

    Reply
    • Deb says

      March 16, 2012 at 10:52 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind comment, Craig! I LOVE the words of Brother David Steindl-Rast. He has some amazing inspiration at Gratefulness.org, too! God bless and keep you and yours, too! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Pamela says

    March 11, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    I try hard to remember that everyday is a GIFT and even more important to me is that everyday my daughter is on this earth with me is a gift for she truly belongs to the Lord and I cherish every moment that he leaves her on loan with me. My neighbors recently lost their 16 month old son during the night and it has been a serious reminder to me of how blessed we are with every day we have. It makes me sad that so many people do not understand that.

    Reply
    • Deb says

      March 16, 2012 at 10:54 pm

      Thanks so much for your touching comment, Pamela! That is such an important reminder. How terribly sad for your neighbors. Every day with our children is truly a gift.

      Reply
  3. Transcription Company Toronto says

    August 3, 2016 at 3:07 am

    Wow, I feel very much refreshing after reading this post and I am very thankful to you for sharing this post. I am going to follow the idea behind this post from tight now only.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Connect With Me

   

Search

    Translate to:

    Powered by Google Translate.
Montessori at Home or School - How to Teach Grace and Courtesy

Browse Categories

Categories

Archives

Popular Posts

I Recommend:

How to Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling

Shop Pura Vida Bracelets Online

Word Art Information

If you want to share any of my word-art files, please share the link to the blog post the word art is on. If you use my word art on your blog or website, please credit me and link to the original blog post. You’re welcome to share any of my word-art images on sites like Facebook, but use the image with the URL. Thanks! 🙂

Footer

You Can Also Find Me

PreK + K Sharing Spring Snow Publications
Living Montessori Now

Connect With Me

   

Copyright © 2025 Deb Chitwood · Foodie Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress Themes · Design By The Creative Pad