Something so simple is not always that easy. I haven’t always practised gratitude but I sure do now, and regularly. I think it’s one of the things that has brought me out of the depths of depression and fear of the unknown. Having a positive attitude is another thing entirely and sometimes that’s toxic because there are times in our lives that we don’t want to “Be Positive”. Those times when shit is falling down around our ears, we need to see it and deal with it. That’s where gratitude comes in handy.
The world is a crazy place and things just seem to get crazier by the day. The other morning I made the mistake of watching the news. There had been another shooting and 2 police officers were gunned down answering a call on a domestic dispute. This is so tragic! Also, the fact that it was a 16 year old boy that did the shooting. WHY? We will never really know because that young soul took his own life too.
Today I am in Mexico and feeling very grateful for my life. It’s easy to feel great in a tropical paradise, the trick is to take that attitude of gratitude home to everyday life where things are crazy and bad shit is always being broadcast on the news. And, maybe don’t watch too much news.
I keep a Gratitude Journal and at the end of every day, sometimes at the beginning of the next day, I write down at least three things that I am grateful for. It’s really not that difficult when life is good. The tricky bits are when life isn’t feeling that good. Like when you are fighting with a loved one, or you’re super sick battling cancer with chemo. Those are the times when it’s hard and more important than ever.
When I was sick from chemo I laid in bed at night and before dosing off I tried to think of 3 things to be grateful for. Those three things were, having a comfortable bed and a toilet close. My sister that took time out of her life to stay with me so my kids didn’t have to worry so much. That I was still alive. I changed it up every day. The point being that it’s most important when times are the toughest, and you can just run three things through your mind without writing them down. I do like to write them down though. It gives me something to physically look back on to see that I do have so much to be grateful for.
I challenge you to try it for 21 days and see if it makes a difference in your life. Small steps lead to big change. Think of the things that bring you a feeling of appreciation for the people, events and things in your life. Practising gratitude also brings you back to the here and now. It helps to make us be present in this moment and not looking back at the things we can not change or too far ahead into the unknown. A gratitude practise has so many more psychological benefits. Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude regularly tend to be more optimistic, and more satisfied with life in general. It also tends to amp up resilience and motivation, as well as reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. For me, these are all good reasons to keep going with my gratitude.
The more I look for the good, the more good I can see. It’s like the secret sauce of life.
Maybe it’s something we can teach our youngsters to do too. Let’s get proactive with mental health people. It saddens me to be in a world where 16 year-old is so messed up that they can commit such a heinous act of violence.
