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DAY 5 to Gratefulness, Thankfulness, And Appreciation pt5
Welcome to the final day of the gratefulness challenge. We've been looking into how being more grateful can help us in many different ways, as well as the wonderful effects this positive attitude has on the people we come into contact with every day.
I understand the difficult year we've had, and I've found myself dealing with the feeling of sadness, so to help myself and others in the process, I want to continue looking at how we can focus on subjects like; thankfulness, joy and gratitude to recalibrate our lives, and live again with joy in our lives.
Today we're going to be talking about the power of always being able to find something to be grateful for.
It may seem like a cliché phrase, but there truly is always a silver lining to every situation. In other words, in every situation, there is something to be grateful for. Yes, even the hard, challenging situations.
We can intentionally cultivate thankfulness for life's challenging situations too. Always be on the lookout for good things that are coming into your life. And when you notice these things, you give thanks for them.
The ability to be grateful for things even in the midst of difficult situations is what sets apart the most grateful people from everyone else. And the truth is, when you're constantly looking for the good in every situation, it completely changes how you experience each situation. Suddenly, everything is not doom and gloom, but everything simply seems a lot brighter, we become more optimistic about the future.
We're able to see that, even in the midst of difficulty, there is real good. If you want to grow into a truly, overwhelmingly grateful person, this is the last skill you must master. You must learn the fine art of seeing good things in every situation you encounter.
Rabbi Harold Kushner said:
If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.
Think about a difficult situation you're currently experiencing. Now, sit down with your journal or a piece of paper and answer all the following questions regarding that situation:
● What valuable lesson can I learn from this situation?
● What good thing can come out of this challenge?
● How can this difficulty actually make me a better person?
● In five years, how will I look back on this situation?
Don't gloss over this. Reflect deeply on each question. I think you'll find that the more time you give to answering each question, the more you'll find your heart welling up with gratitude. You'll also begin to see that in every situation, there is something good you can take from it!
Now repeat this process for another difficult situation you're facing. How does walking through these questions change your perspective on the entire situation?
Self-Reflection Questions:
What can I be thankful for today?
How can I be of service to someone today?
In what ways does being helpful to others increase my own gratitude?
If you find you're having difficulty remembering to notice the things that stir your inner thankfulness, perhaps starting a gratitude journal would help. A journal is a tangible visual aid that will trigger you to think about what you're grateful for.
Now briefly in your journal, make comments. Was it hard for you to find good in the midst of your difficulties? What is one good thing you were able to take from your most difficult situation?
If you'd like a free digital copy of my "Happiness Journal" that I've created to help us, as we go through this subject, you can get your copy here.
Roy Clayton