I’m sitting in my living room, laptop perched on the coffee table, and I’ve got the fireplace fired up. Finally, after weeks of lots of hard work and commitments, it’s Thanksgiving and it’s time to slow down—the perfect time to be reflective. As I gather my thoughts, I notice my emotional state: content, calm and peaceful. Sitting here preparing to write about gratitude, I realize that is exactly what I am feeling today.
By definition, gratitude is an emotion in which an individual expresses thankfulness, gratefulness, or has a feeling or attitude of appreciation regarding a benefit they have received or are about to receive. My blessings are numerous. I have a career I am passionate about, I have a wonderful family and terrific friends who’ve got my back. I can go on and on, finding things to be grateful for right now, but I don’t always feel this way.
As a matter of fact, I had planned to write this post the other day but I was feeling anything but grateful. I’ve been putting in a lot of hours and I’m so exhausted when I get home, I flop into bed exhausted. I was not returning emails, calls or texts. My temper flared and seemed to linger. And my mind seemed to be in some sort of fog, clinging on to this promised break.
Every day, we have a choice about how we’re going to deal with our circumstances. We can choose to let our circumstances overwhelm us or we can choose to be thankful despite our circumstances. The point of view we choose will affect every part of our day and every part of our attitude.
Today, I’m feeling a lot calmer and reflective. I want to want to begin a daily practice of gratitude – intentionally setting aside time to remind myself of the every day gifts, blessings and joys I’ve had the benefit of enjoying.
Feeling Stuck?
Utilize the meditation technique known as Naikan, which involves reflecting on three questions:
- What have I received from __?
- What have I given to __?
- What troubles and difficulty have I caused __?
The last question may seem puzzling for a gratitude exercise but it really a great one for self-reflection. It helps you exam your impact in every day occurrences. Be grateful for the hardships and trials, for they can provide the impetus for growth. Answering, the third question honestly can help you change your attitude and behavior.
Researchers are finding that individuals who express the most gratitude are happier, healthier, and more energetic. Grateful people report fewer symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and general malaise! And the more a person is inclined towards gratitude, the less lonely, stressed, anxious and depressed they will be.
The state of gratitude is one of the most profound states of mind and being a person can feel. To feel gratitude, we acknowledge those things in our life that are good and are the foundations to orient us in a positive direction. While at times we can easily be enveloped in the storms that life can bring, taking pause to ruminate on those things that we have going for us—as basic and simple as they may be—can hit that refresh button in our soul and we can find our bearings.
So, today I choose gratitude. Will you choose gratitude?
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