Nine ordinary ways to be grateful during hard times.
Gratitude is a tool to energize, restore, and redirect living with hope.
I keep roving my eyes around and express gratefulness for the abundance of things—shelter, well-wishers, fulfilling necessities, supportive health, peace, and many more.
I believe in the natural play of prosperity and adversity in human lives, and I am not an exception.
I can’t get everything as I dream.
At the same time, I also remember that pessimism is always a spoiler of a game.
In the moments of adversity, my abilities to overcome those situations have grown, though many a time with loss ( in my estimate) and scars.
It is easy to express gratitude to systems, makers of things, and, above all, the universe in good times.
Growing with gratitude is a common tendency.
When times are tough, our reactions are different, and we are most likely to feel like a complete loser, and darkness seems all around.
On its face, the formula of expressing gratitude while in turmoil is paradoxical.
I affirm that a challenge becomes threatening only when I give up going forward.
Recalling what happened in my life, I find that nine ordinary ways have helped me to deny succumbing to situations and stick to expressing gratitude.
They are:
1. Not in my control
I can control my inner world but not the functioning of the outer world.
We are required to streamline our inner power and continue expressing gratitude for most of the things still intact.
Winning over "self"" is a precondition to convert troubles into treasures.
I continue to know myself more and more. So, self is partially explored ,as the amount of my fears suggests.
As self grows, the fear diminishes.
2. I am not a lone sufferer.
There are people who have suffered heavily but bounced back with greater internal power.
While suffering , I started talking internally:
"Things have happened to test my abilities. Let me pass this real test."
I start to think about what can be done next to restore the position.
3. I can recover and consolidate.
It is experience. It is time to review what has gone wrong.
"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at." Stephen Hawking
4. It is time to find alternatives.
It is an opportunity to cultivate fresh ideas.
I strongly feel that one brilliant idea can change my world.
5. It is sacrifice.
The situation has destroyed our plans for the future. The realities are what are before us. Nevertheless, there are options in all situations.
There is no glory in life without sacrifice.
Today’s sacrifice is the foundation of tomorrow’s well-being.
All these narratives have helped me a lot.
6. Power of gratitude
Gratitude provides space to readjust and redesign our courses of action.
"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision of tomorrow." Melody Beattie
Remember that gratitude keeps us connected with nature.
We then get a sense of balance and manage the setbacks, getting less harm.
7. A turning point for the better.
We are not aware of what the larger scheme of things is.
We don’t know how to take each moment as a gift and express thankfulness for a new day in life.
Gratitude needs to be a part of habits. And habits are shaped through regular practices.
8. Where is positive energy?
I have been told that gratitude creates a condition of positive energy when neurochemicals like serotonin and dopamine are released that stabilize our emotions.
in no way , bad times can finish the power of gratitude.
9. It is not the end of everything.
There is no end of possibilities.
Going four steps forward and two steps backward gives a gain of two steps ahead every time. A simple math of life.
We all are witnessing progress in all spheres of human lives, but we are less thankful. I think so.
If we are not successful today. Okay. Worry less. We may get another chance.
