Having a hard time hearing about gratitude?
I hear you. Gratitude gets thrown around ad nauseum these days. Right alongside those fluffy inspirational quotes.
Much of my generation grew up hearing we should be grateful for the food on our plates,as there were starving children in Africa.
It’s true. We should.
But as little kids we were likely confused thinking, “Where is Africa?”
As a young adult, we are so consumed with figuring out who we are in the world, finding our place in our careers, while navigating relationships, moves, marriages, and kids. Then comes another decade of divorce, another move, health issues, another marriage, and a career change. Life moves too fast.
Gratitude can feel elusive.
Throw in some additional curve balls plus a healthy dose of trauma, new and/or unrealized old, that arises seemingly out of the blue. Life itself can make gratitude and inspirational quotes feel oh so far away, unrelatable, and essentially out of reach for so many people.
In fact, in the era of positive thinking, telling people to, “Just find gratitude.” does not usually support them in the least. It can drop people into noticing more of what they do not have versus what they do.
In searching for solutions, I found ways to drop into gratitude that worked for me. We are all individual so I’ve found with my clients that this process can look different for everyone.
One way I found is to surround myself with inspirational people including those who also paved their own way. These self-sufficient people understand how much longer it takes to get to where others are born into, greatly supported in reaching their dreams. It is difficult not to compare ourselves to those around us. Comparison – the thief of joy! Surrounding myself with friends and peers whose grit, determination and courage rewarded them with their success feels necessary for sanity.
Another way is to go outside. Breathe deep. Soak up the sun. Gaze at the stars. This reverence for deep nature can put things in perspective. We realize how tiny we are which somehow melts drama and highlights appreciation.
Finally, drop into trust. Trust that life is working for us. Deep trust in that everything is going to work out just fine. Know that there is no controlling timing. This “knowing” allows us to relax. Relaxing allows for much more flow and trust, eventually finding our way to gratitude.
Thank yourself for the little things, the big things, and, yes, the food on our plates. It costs nothing… Gratitude.