How Gratitude Can Change Your Life: Weekly Wisdom

0:00Your sausage McBuffin with egg didn't change. Your receipt did. The sausage McBuffin with egg extra value meal includes a hash brown and a small coffee for just $5. Only at McDonald's for limited time. Price and participation may vary. You've never been one to settle. Stand down or stand still. You're a lifelong learner. Energized by excellence. There's a fire inside you. You can't ignore. You've got competition to outrun, momentum to build on, and your own high standards to meet. Stop now. Not a chance. At Capella University, we help you catch what you're chasing, because you've always had the drive. Now, go earn the degree. Capella University, what can't you do? Visit Capella.edu to learn more. I've never been able to forget this experience, and I wanted to share it with you. I was around nine years old, and I was visiting India with my family. We were stuck in traffic, and we were driving through a slum area. It was the first time I'd seen homes built out of cardboard,

1:02scrap metal, and bricks all at the same time. Growing up in London, I'd never ever seen anything like it before, apart from one TV or in the movies. I saw some children on the streets, probably around the same age as me, but very different. Some of them didn't have clothes. They looked undenourished, and they probably didn't have access to much water to tell by the dryness on their lips and their skin. I noticed this one young girl who had her head inside a trash can. It looked like she was scrambling for something. When she finally came out and looked at me, she smiled. Not knowing what to do, I smiled back. She was obviously trying to look for food, and I could see her scrambling and trying to reach in as far as she could, only then did I realize that she only had arms. She didn't even have hands. I actually looked at me, I could tell she was hungry. But by the time I was just about to do something I caught to cough, and I could only see her now and feel her disappointment that I wasn't able to help. At the time I didn't have any food or money, and before I could ask my parents or the driver to stop, we were too far along on the highway, but I couldn't stop thinking about her.

2:02When we got back to the hotel, I got out of the car, and it was lunchtime. And even though I was really hungry, I couldn't eat, because I couldn't get over the fact that I couldn't have done anything for that young girl that I just saw. Even though I went to the buffet with my parents, it felt as if only me and her had looked at each other in that whole exchange, and the whole city had stopped. I could remember exactly how she looked as I was looking at the food. When we were there at the buffet, I overheard a couple arguing with the hotel staff. Listening into their conversation, I found out that the couple were really upset at the hotel staff because of the number of choices available in the buffet. I looked around, there were so many options. They were complaining about they're not being enough choice, but all I could see was choice. There were at least 30 items just as starters available to everyone there. But it wasn't enough for them. Now I get that everyone has their own standards, has their own expectations in life, and we were allowed to have them. And I know that everyone is fighting their own battle, but that little girl, she didn't even have hands.

3:04She was scraping with whatever was left of her arms. But many years on from that event now, I've learned a lot. One of the things is that I can sit here and be angry at that couple who was complaining, or I could actually do something about it. It reminded me of a quote by Gandhi. He said that I was sad because I didn't have any shoes, and then I saw a man with no feet. For me, this event left a lasting impression in my heart, and two messages that I want to share with you today. The first one is to remain grateful for absolutely anything we have. Robin Roberts said it perfectly. She said that if we threw all our problems into our pile, we would rush to grab our own back. And when we start with gratitude, and see everything as fortune and grace, we're able to receive much more deeply. And number two, let's help those who need it. Let's not be mad that the world isn't helping them. Let's see what we can do. Compassion is key and empathy is essential. And that's one of the reasons that I've focused so much of my life in trying to help those in need. And it may mean that you're in a space in your life

4:05where you feel you can't currently help anyone right now, but I guarantee you that there's this one person out on the street today that you could impact, that you could change their experience at least for a moment. Remember what Gandhi said? I was sad because I didn't have any shoes and then I saw a man with no feet. It puts everything into perspective. I am so grateful that you're watching my videos right now. And I hope that you're going to go on and watch so many more. But before you do that, make sure you subscribe to this channel so that you can find out about the videos as soon as they launch. Press the like button and leave a comment and let's keep making wisdom go viral together.