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Episode #62 The Importance of Showing Gratitude (even for the hard stuff):
Yes, you read that right. After listening to last week's episode again, I realized that being grateful isn't always about the good stuff.
It's also important to be grateful for the negative events and situations we face in life.
When we experience negative things in life, we can come out on the other side with an appreciation for the struggle.
This episode is being released just the day before Thanksgiving and so I thought what better of a time to show gratitude than Thanksgiving. I feel as though the majority of us don’t show gratitude enough and by going back through Paul's words from last week's episode, it has definitely helped open my mind that showing gratitude and feeling gratitude for the things in your life is an amazing way to cleanse your brain from all the negative energy that just comes from being a human being.
So what is gratitude??
Gratitude is a choice. It’s a choice that we get to make over and over again on where we put our focus. As a content creator for special educators, I focus a lot on mindset and getting back the energy you put into the world and the same thing goes for gratitude. Gratitude is a healthy mindset choice that is not only good for you, but for others, too. When you experience gratitude and express appreciation, you are taking the opportunity to relate with others, to practice empathy, and to demonstrate kindness to yourself and others.
But being grateful doesn’t always have to be about something positive in our lives. We can feel grateful for tough situations or challenging things in our life! Now don’t get me wrong, I understand that trying to be grateful for these trials in your life requires effort especially in really difficult times. But the more we choose to live in the discipline of conscious thanksgiving, the more natural it becomes, and the more our eyes are opened to the little things throughout the day that were previously overlooked.
When we experience negative things in life and can come out on the other side with an appreciation for the struggle we went through, we can then have gratitude for those experiences because they taught us valuable lessons (of course we couldn’t see it at the time) but they did. And by looking back and reflecting on them, we can use them to help others.
My goal for this episode is that you find those things in life that you are grateful for and write them down. Put them on sticky notes around your desk or around your mirror...write them in a journal...speak them into a voice memo…however you want to handle it...just do it.
Here are some tips to help you make it happen:
- Set time aside each day to make a list of what you are thankful for. Start with the tiniest details, and write down even just one thing. On days when you’re feeling empty – or just wanting an excuse to smile – go back and read some of your list.
- Tell other people “thank you” when they do something kind for you, no matter how small the deed...and mean it. Be intentional in your delivery instead of just saying thank you out of habit.
- Don’t allow other people’s bitterness or negativity, or any other outward circumstance, to influence your inner peace. Look for the best in everyone, and believe and say the best about them.
- Anger, disappointment, failure, and frustration are parts of life, but don’t let them become your default emotions. Don’t be complacent and resign yourself to victimhood. Choosing to live from a place of gratitude brings peace.
- Build gratitude around you with small, daily, unexpected, undeserved acts of love, compassion, grace, and forgiveness.
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