#17 Be grateful
Being told that we should spend more time being grateful for what we have right now appears in almost all wellbeing blogs, but that’s because it’s actually a very beneficial thing to do! Being grateful sparks more positive emotions, helps us to express more compassion for others and generally makes us happier. This is a fascinating article on a study to explore the effects of practicing gratitude.
We all take such a lot of what we have for granted. Never more so than during the current lockdown where we suddenly realise that the simple pleasures like going out for a meal or spending quality time with friends have been taken away from us. In the words of Joni Mitchell ‘you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’.
Although I don’t maintain a regular gratitude journal, I am taking the opportunity to use this blog to consider some of the things I am grateful for (there is actually a long list so this is just 5 of them):
1. I am grateful for the people in my life
I am SO lucky to have the best group of loyal, funny and crazy friends, a supportive and caring partner and a team of talented and interesting work colleagues who share my vision. You can’t really ask for more than that. This month, I will be making a point of letting each and every one of them know how much they mean to me.
2. I am grateful that I am fit and healthy
The importance of doing whatever we can to stay fit and healthy cannot be underestimated. Even more so when the news is so full of death tolls. I am not an angel 100% of the time (that would be very dull) but I definitely try to follow a healthy lifestyle most of the time. I never underestimate how lucky I am to have a lovely home and all the food I need when there are so many people that can’t even be grateful for basic human needs.
3. I am grateful for the work that I do
Not everyone can say that they really LOVE what they do for a living. One of the teachings which stuck most in my mind when I did my CIM Diploma many years ago was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. His theory suggests that people are motivated to fulfil basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. At the top of the pyramid is self-actualization which is a process of growing and developing as a person in order to achieve individual potential. I wouldn’t call what I do a job - it’s my calling and it is fulfilling, challenging and rewarding.
4. I am grateful for my positive outlook
Things can get to me, don’t get me wrong and I am prone to the occasional stress-fuelled meltdown (cough). BUT on the whole, I am grateful that I am a positive person who can see the best in most situations. Life is just too short and precious to wallow in negativity - it makes me sad when I see someone who can’t see that.
5. I am grateful for bad experiences
That sounds a bit weird but we shouldn’t just be grateful for the good people or experiences. The bad ones can be more of an influence to shape how we act.
If I come across someone who is particularly unpleasant, I strive to never be like them!
If I have personal challenges to overcome, I try to see it from other perspectives or recognise that things need to change
If something does not go as well as expected at work, there are always lessons to be learnt to fuel improvements
So this week’s blog has been somewhat self-indulgent but writing down your thoughts and feelings is very cathartic so I recommend everyone considers what they are grateful for.
