As I lay down on the couch, stuffed from thanksgiving dinner. These are some thoughts that entered my mind.

“I am grateful” when we are grateful we are full of great. What is great? Great is a measurement of quality, quality or both. Another word for great is excellent or very well.

“I appreciate you” is to tell someone that I recognize that you are full of worth. That I understand that you have value. Appreciate is to appraise or to indicate that someone or something is praiseworthy.

“Thank you” is a way to express gratitude, which is the quality of being thankful and having the readiness to show appreciation for kindness.

The words that we use matter. When we are grateful, we recognize greatness. When we are appreciative we are openly praising. When we express thanks, we are focusing on the kindness and love.

Using these words, expressing these emotions, having these thoughts actually change the molecules in our bodies. Gratitude is an attitude of thanks and that attitude heals.

The only thing that stops people from being thankful, appreciative and grateful is fear. People are afraid that if they point out what is working, it might stop working. They might stop getting lucky if someone notices. They fear they do not deserve all this good in their life. That somehow they are not praiseworthy.

Where does this come from? Why would anyone not feel great! Why would anyone how have this amazing feeling of excellence. Some of it has to do with our past experiences, most of it has to do with our current beliefs that were shaped my past experiences and associations we make without effort.

The way that you think is programmed in your subconscious. You don’t really have a choice. If you are always negative, its not because you like it. It’s because that is your programming. You are programmed to fear, to hate, to hold back praise.

It feels weird when you start to go against your programming so you continue to live this way. Some people call it tough love. I call it insanity. I call it suffering for all those involved. Its a shame that people are not aware and that they do not have the great tools they need in order to get themselves out of this mess.

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” — Albert Schweitzer

How do we change this? How do we live in a state of greatness? It starts with us. We need to become more aware. Not try to change anyone but be thankful that we are aware. Be thankful that we are praiseworthy and we have the capacity to praise and appreciate others.

We need to give love to all those around us and not fear that if we give love to others when they misbehave that they will take it as a reward and continue that behavior. We need to give love openly and honestly. To be thankful, fill of praise and full of great gratitude.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein

Each day, you must ask yourself empowering questions.

• What am I grateful for?
• What is great in my life right now?
• Who am I thankful for?
• Who would I like to praise today?
• What happened to me yesterday, this past week that I appreciate with all my heart?
• What was done for me today that I can appreciate and give thanks for?
• How will I be more grateful today?
• How will I express my love and gratitude to the people I interact with today?

Think about the wonders in your life, like running water. Like the internet. Like the fact that we woke up in a bed and we can read!

Yes, you can read this right now and make your life even better than it is. A very large population in this world, cannot read right now. I appreciate that I can write and communicate and share my thoughts with the world.

I am grateful that I can add value to your life.

I am thankful for those that are reading this and loving it and I am also thankful for those that have gotten to this point and have rolled their eyes a thousand times, I love you too.

Happy Thanksgiving, make your day great, everyday!

Joe Apfelbaum is the CEO of digital marketing agency Ajax Union. He is a public speaker, certified Google Trainer, and published business author. Joe enjoys speaking and writing about a broad range of business topics in his seminars, webinars and articles. Joe is the host of the popular podcast CEO Mojo and the producer of GrowTime.tv. Joe is a member of the Board of Directors of the Entrepreneurs Organization in Brooklyn, a group with over 12,000 CEO’s and a contributing member of the INC Business Owners Council, a community of the fastest growing companies in the United States. In 2016 Joe was named the King of Kings County Brooklyn for his contribution to the business community in Brooklyn. Joe is proud of all his accomplishments, but most of all he is proud of his beautiful amazing kids.

For more about Joe, follow Joe Apfelbaum on social media @joeapfelbaum