The Importance of Gratitude

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A great deal of content has been written recently about how difficult the world has become, in light of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing war and strife, frightening uncertainty about climate change, political unrest here in Canada, the US, and abroad, the ever-increasing erosion of personal freedoms and general decency among us humans, the ongoing escalations to the cost of living, snowballing workload and stress in the workplace, additional pressures on the family unit … and probably a few other things (did I forget any big ones?).

Much has also been written about the importance of gratitude. So … do we need another article or post on this topic, from some unknown account holder on Medium? Probably not. But I like to write, I want to improve, I’ve challenged myself to write more often, and this is an idea I had. So here we are. Thanks for sticking around this long.

Adulting is hard. It’s not unreasonable to feel as though things are well and truly out of control and spiralling down the drain. So, what’s a modern grown-up to do? Be grateful. Be really grateful, really often.

What IS there to be grateful for, you wonder? This pandemic has severely damaged the economy; it will leave lasting effects for years to come (and there could be a recession before a recovery). We don’t seem to be getting along with our fellow humans very well, traffic is (probably) bad where you live (and maybe getting worse); investments can be uncertain, theft and violent crime seem to be worse than ever, there’s nothing but pressure at the office and every day it can feel like you’re further behind. The COVID-19 vaccine has started shipping, but there are issues with vaccination logistics, and the virus is mutating.

Wow.

Things have been REALLY weird, and the start of the new year hasn’t meant the end of it. Many of us have been self-medicating with carbs and sugar, and some of us (OK, me) look like h*ll (but I’m really working on it — and — spoiler alert — I’m grateful that I’ve seen change and improvement).

I hear you. I understand. But hear me out. Gratitude is the way (if the Mandalorian were here, he’d agree with me).

Gratitude can instantly turn your day around, if you let it.

Consider this: as modern grown-ups with heat, clean running water, electricity, a safe place to live and sleep, the internet, and coffee, we have a lot to be thankful for (even if you just stop there, and really think about those things on their own — a great many people in the world cannot say the same). But there’s more to it … stop for a moment and think about how those without some of these things might feel if suddenly given a chance to experience them.

- Those who are blind might want to see

- Those who are deaf might want to hear

- Those with serious physical health issues would no doubt choose to be free of them.

- Those who struggle with depression or anxiety would certainly want to be free of those monsters (I have, and I sure did).

- Those who with financial hardship would choose to overcome financial uncertainty and dream of more stability (I’ve been there, and I did)

- those who have lost loved ones would no doubt choose to have them back, if it meant their loved one(s) could live without pain (I have, and I did)

- those who cannot have children might dream of having a family (I’ve been blessed with a family of my own and cannot imagine my life without them).

- Those who live in war-torn areas would likely dream of safety and a way out for their family (and I’m grateful I haven’t personally experienced this).

And the list goes on.

Gratitude has been called the healthiest of emotions, and though I cannot claim to have coined this phrase, I can say that I’ve put it to use in my own life, and I’ve personally felt the powerful healing effects of a gracious attitude. I have a gratitude journal, and I actively practice gratitude in my own life — because it WORKS.

So how does one put this into practice, you wonder? Well … here’s what I do:

- I work to be mindful and make it a priority. I consciously stop and regularly think about things I have to be thankful for — and I try to vary and change these things (I’m endlessly thankful for my family and health — and I hope I always will be — but not always and only these things).

- If I’ve had a tough day or a bit of a setback, I stop for a few moments and think about what I learned, remember it could have been worse, and that I have another shot tomorrow.

- I write things down, and practice truly feeling grateful.

I’ve also consciously worked on trying to rewire my brain to see the positive in all situations (even if some are a little more … difficult to appreciate than others). As the son of an alcoholic father who used brutal honesty and a sense of humour like a well-sharpened sword, I can tell you it’s been very helpful to actively work at finding the positive in all situations. I can now readily see the bright side of various workplace or life challenges and I don’t have to work very hard anymore to get there. But doing that was, not so long ago, a laborious activity that didn’t often bear much fruit. I wasn’t much fun to be around sometimes. I’m sorry, universe.

What else am I thankful for? Well, among other things, my friends, family, my network, my supporters, and so many of the excellent humans I’ve shared workspace, responsibilities, frustration, hard work, and triumph with. Those who have understood me, respected me, and given me the gifts of their presence and support, and the opportunity to respect, learn from, and appreciate them right back.

Lately one of things I’m most thankful for is the resilience of my own health. I wasn’t taking very good care of myself a while back, and as some of us do as we age, I had a couple of super neat-o ‘wake-up calls’ which gave me a somewhat sobering view of my own fragile mortality. And I’m truly grateful that I listened to what my body (and my Doctor) were telling me, because after making some adjustments and a determined commitment to better daily habits, I feel younger, stronger, and better than I have in YEARS.

In the end, your mindset is up to you, and we all have many choices to make. Make one that helps — if not you, then maybe someone else.

Thanks for reading!