"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart."
- Seneca
We are taught at an early age to say 'please' and 'thank you.' It's part of the 'Good Manners' playbook, along with respecting our elders and chewing with our mouths closed. It's ingrained in us, like a reflex. Of course, we choose our level of politeness depending on our mood and our company. Maybe our 'please' might sound more expectant at times, and our 'thank you' like more of an afterthought. Sometimes gratitude can reflect the wrong attitude when it seems flat or disingenuous.
I remember falling into a period of feeling ungrateful for my life circumstances. I was down on my luck and down on myself. I felt no need to express gratitude toward anyone, including myself. All it did was lead to more darkness. I pushed people away and pushed myself into deeper depression. Only after searching deep inside myself was I able to recognize the error of my ways. I did not find answers as much as I found Love and a renewed outlook on life. This went beyond 'please' and 'thank you.'
It's amazing what a difference the shift in my perspective made. By coming from a place of Love I was eager to express gratitude toward others and myself. It was a gradual process. At first, the gratitude seemed inauthentic to me because weeks earlier I was this ungrateful curmudgeon. Now, I was seeing so much beauty in people, places and things. It was like the windows of my Soul had been squeegeed. Although it felt foreign to me at first, it felt amazing. The inauthentic feeling went away when I realized it did not feel forced. It felt like the right thing to do.
Now that I express gratitude from a place of Love, I show more of it in all areas of my life. It's like this magic elixir that leaves little room for any ill will towards myself or others. I stopped being the judge and jury. I started being more kind to myself and others. Life is much more enjoyable when living it through the lens of gratitude. I am grateful for the darkest days of my past since they helped me grow into the person I have become. When we look at any negative circumstances from different angles, we can find seeds of opportunity and possible solutions to our problems. It's much more effortless when coming from a place of Love and gratitude.
More Wellness!
