Playing the BUT THANKS Game

Just like the song says, it’s tomorrow and the sun has come out. It did come to pass. I played the “But Thanks . . .” game yesterday. I haven’t written about it for a long time so I thought I’d review it. It’s very simple. When you find yourself thinking something negative, you trump it with a positive—a “But Thanks . . .”
For example, the thought starts to creep into your head that this is a dreadfully, dreary day and as soon as you recognize the thought you think, “BUT THANKS for the beautiful scent of wet autumn leaves that is filling the air.” Or you start to think about how you forgot your umbrella and the rain is ruining your hair and you think, “BUT THANKS for the water that is making everything so green and beautiful.”

This works for many situations. “I have to speak in Church, BUT THANKS for the Spirit that will help me.” “I just spilled milk all over the floor, BUT THANKS for a sense of humor so I can just laugh about it.” “My parents got divorced, BUT THANKS that they both still love me.” “I have attention deficit disorder, BUT THANKS for the energy I have.”

There is always something good even in the midst of horrendous situations. We just have to train ourselves to trump the bad with a BUT THANKS.