We
have all experienced bad circumstances, some more than others. Some days you just wake up and right from
your bed it feels like the whole world is against you. No matter how hard you
try, you just cannot shake the feeling of disappointment that is right there in
your stomach. Well, that’s when people
usually start to forget that amidst all the struggles and troubles, there is a
lot to be grateful for.
Okay,
you are probably wondering what a person who has 3 months to live would want to
be grateful for. Or why someone going through a terrible divorce and is losing
the love of his or her life should feel the need to be thankful. The world is
full of anguish and disappointment and regret but amidst all these turmoil, if
you really sit to think about it, deep down, you will see that you have a lot
to be thankful for.
The fact that you are alive and breathing on your own is enough reason to slow down once in a while and appreciate what you do have. Many of us go through life complaining about the things that do not work. We focus on the negative. You complain about how you missed the bus to work this morning, remember that someone doesn’t even have a job to be late to! One thing I have discovered about gratitude is that those of us who don’t feel grateful for things are actually the ones who have a lot.
The fact that you are alive and breathing on your own is enough reason to slow down once in a while and appreciate what you do have. Many of us go through life complaining about the things that do not work. We focus on the negative. You complain about how you missed the bus to work this morning, remember that someone doesn’t even have a job to be late to! One thing I have discovered about gratitude is that those of us who don’t feel grateful for things are actually the ones who have a lot.
As
humans, we are used to getting our way and when anything happens that we did
not plan for, we get angry and bitter. Of course,
things that we did not plan for will always happen. It’s why they call it life!
Things happen that shake us to the core of our beings but in-between that very
dark cloud, there is always a silver lining if you would just bother to look.
How
to be grateful?
How
about first accepting that not everything is in your control. That way, you
learn to focus on the positives even in the most hopeless situations. The serenity
prayer author, Reinhold Niebuhr definitely has a grip
on this.
“God
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage
to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference”
Once you accept that some things are out of your control, you can move past it and start to focus on things that really do matter. Learn to see the joy in life and stop being one of those people who go through life bitter and complaining and angry. Be grateful for your life, be grateful for your family and your friends. Smile and say thank you more often. Remember, there is something to be grateful for even in bad situations!
No comments:
Post a Comment