Before you set out to own what your heart aches for, before you capture your new desire, before you click the “add to cart” button on Amazon, be sure you are grateful for what you have.

Gratitude is having the proper appreciation for each thing. It is a virtue that applies to everything. You ought to be grateful for your house, your job, a beautiful day, the way she loves you. Everything.

Just think. Are you grateful for the things you already have? If not, how can you expect to appreciate a new one? Maybe a new thing isn’t what you need after all. Maybe all you need to fill that spot in your heart is to remember you already have some great things.

If you look around you and find things that you just can’t be grateful for, things that you can’t appreciate properly, get rid of them. Maybe all this clutter has pushed out the things you can be grateful for.

Maybe your heart is aching because it’s too full.

When you have the habit of gratitude, you will be happy.