Finding Gratitude

Lately there has been a lot of things to complain about. It seems like just about everyone’s lives have been disrupted due to a multiple number of causes. One of them is this current pandemic going on that has impacted everyone on the planet. Some have lost loved ones to the virus, some have been crippled by illness from the virus, some have lost jobs and their financial situation has been drastically impacted by the virus and everyone has has been inconvenienced by having their social and leisure experiences limited. These days it seems people have very little to be happy about. That is my motivation for writing this blog topic today. Finding gratitude in the most challenging times may be the answer to why some people thrive during difficult times and others completely fall apart. When you are feeling like you have very little to be grateful for is when you need to practice gratitude the most. I am willing to bet that even during your most absolute worst day you could find at least one thing to be grateful for if you had to.

When I am feeling at my worst I have an exercise that I complete that I would like to share with you. I think back to the start of my day (or the previous day if I wake up miserable). I start at the beginning and take note of all of the things I can be grateful for, even the very little ones. Jotting them down on paper helps keep track of how many of them there are and believe me you will be amazed at how much you can be grateful for if you give this a try.

Here is a sample of the things I come up with…

• woke up this morning (the alternative is non waking up/ death)
• in a bed ( not on the street)
• able to get out of bed on my own (many people can’t)
• have running water to wash up with, (heated running water at that, Google says that only 57% of the world has running water)
• have clothes to put on (maybe they are a little outdated or worn but I actually have multiple outfits to choose from)
• have hair to brush ( even on bad hair days at least I still have my hair)
• able to take my dog for a walk (the ability to go for a walk and the love of my dog is priceless)
• COFFEE! I am a big fan of coffee and my coffee maker almost always has it prepared and ready for me when I want it.
• Have a chair to sit in while I drink my coffee (again grateful for the fact I am not out on the street yet)
• Breakfast ( there may not be many options but there is always something to eat in my house)
• Saying good morning to whomever I am with that morning. (Sometimes it is my Mother and sometimes it is my fiancé, but even if I didn’t have either with me in the morning I bet I could find someone to wish a good morning to, even if it was only on social media)

That was just a few of the things I could think of at the start of my day. The list goes on from there and can get quite large if I accounted for my entire day but you get the point.

I also use gratitude when I am very frustrated about something. For example…

• stuck in traffic ( have a car, and someplace to go)
• long lines in the grocery store ( have the ability to buy food)
• bad weather ( a little rain or humidity is nothing compared to tornadoes, tsunamis, or wild fires)

Another time gratitude can be a life saver is when you are hit with some real devastation…

• lost a loved one ( at least I had a loved one to lose and the memories to cherish)
• major illness ( there are many great doctor’s out there and medical advances everyday, plus I bet you can think of at least one person who is much more ill then you are)
• loss of a job/career ( new opportunity to thrive and discover something else I can excel at)

After completing these exercises you may find yourself wondering why you were complaining in the first place. That is the tremendous power of gratitude. I really challenge you to practice gratitude on a daily basis. Take a few moments each day and start coming up with lists (even if they are only in your mind). I bet you can find gratitude even on your worst day.