While it can certainly come off as old fashioned, I think having a strong feeling of gratitude is essential for being happy, regardless of the times. However, I think feelings of gratitude are at an all time low when looking at peers and other people in my life, but it confuses me as to why this is the case. While there are always things to be upset about in our day to day lives, these things are often inconsequential in the long run. And while it may seem almost insensitive to say that things can always be worse, that we should be appreciative of what we have, I have yet to find any error in the claim.
Being grateful for the things that we have and the people in our lives is one of the few things that is entirely contained in our locus of control. Although there are days, weeks, months and even years where it can feel tempting to feel ungrateful for everything, this is never helpful, and will only make things worse. By instead forcing yourself to appreciate the good things, it can often make the bad things far more manageable. If you’re particularly dedicated to this exercise, you may come to find that many of the ‘bad’ things that happen often have good consequences, even if those consequences are only realized well after the actual event.
Don’t be mistaken, there isn’t a path to being grateful other than the one taken one step at a time. It can be as simple as appreciating good food, or a person’s company or pleasant weather. Hopefully, you can expand this sense of appreciation into other areas of your life. It is certainly not easy, and can be unpleasant, as acknowledging the good aspects of horrible events can seem insurmountable, but is doable with enough time.
Sometime this week, try to spend a moment just appreciating some aspect of your life. If you’re a Christian, this could be something as simple as a prayer of thanks, or attending a service. For those not of the religious life, perhaps permitting yourself a moment of peace and contemplation is proper. Regardless of one’s particular theology, there is always some facility that one can use for gratitude. The key is to allow yourself to feel appreciation for the little valley of Creation that you have the fortune of calling your own.
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