Gratitude is the key
Growing up in European family, it was commonplace to complain and share how depressing life was. I observed as a child that the norm seemed to be that the adults around me shared grievances and sadness, over joy. Don’t get me wrong, of course it’s important to share our grievances, but there seemed to be an unbalanced focus on the negatives, with only a tiny slither on the good things in life. When they would greet each other it would always be warm and welcoming - until they started talking about how they were. And then it became extended conversations about how terribly tough and sad life was.
I guess I took a lot of that on and must admit that gratitude is a tough one for me. So it’s something I work on constantly. I remember once sitting at my kitchen table having half filled a clear glass with water. I kid you not, I literally sat there and repeated “the glass is half full, the glass is half full, the glass is half full”, because as you know the alternative was that the glass was half empty. This was me, trying to overcome my mind.
I believe you can practise gratitude from the mind e.g repeat affirmations, write down things you are grateful for, etc. But to fully embrace gratitude, it must be felt in the heart.
I know when things happen in life, it can be difficult to embrace the concept of gratitude. It can be difficult to find the things that truly fill your heart. But they are there. They are always there. It’s a matter of re-training your habits, and therefore brain, to gain acceptance of your life as it is right now and seeing the good. You need to ask yourself, how do you want to live your life? Glass half-full or glass half-empty? It is up to you to turn yourself around.
Some practical things to turn things around to a state of gratitude can include:
Keeping a journal and writing down at least three things you are grateful for today.
Listening to gratitude affirmations (you can search and download ready made ones from your favourite music store).
Writing your own gratitude affirmations, and saying them out loud.
Recording your own gratitude affirmations (you can do this on Voice memos on your phone) and playing them back. The power of this is your own voice!
Gratitude meditations (search and download ready made ones).
Say thank you to other people for something you appreciate about them. Tell them in person, call them or send them a message.
Start thanking yourself. Become aware of healthy habits you are fostering. Be aware of the good you do for yourself, and give yourself some credit!
Change your perspective. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes, someone who may be experiencing a difficult life. This can inspire gratitude for your own life, rather than taking things for granted.
The key here is to do at least some of these practises DAILY. The more you do this, the more it becomes a habit and then it becomes a way of life. It’s important that you don’t force it, or bypass any pain you may be feeling. Build the practical aspects up slowly, especially if this is a totally new thing for you.
When we live in gratitude, we exude an energy of grace and acceptance in to our lives. No more fighting ourselves. We look at life with an open heart for all that is, instead of focusing on negativity. It feels like a huge weight lifted off you when you live life in this state. Sure, bad things will still happen but instead of plunging in to a deep pain vortex, you are able to combat the negatives with resilience.
Gratitude can literally rewire your brain and brain function. Therefore living in gratitude means an improved mood, optimism, less stress, and an improvement to your overall mental health & emotions. But mostly it means living in your heart space, instead of your head all the time.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly know that I would rather enjoy my life more when the glass is half full and with the spirit of gratitude.
Please feel free to share this blog if it resonates with you. If you have any questions or insights, I welcome them in the comments below. Thank you! 💓
