Most of us know there are several benefits to maintaining an attitude of gratitude generally in life. The more we can remind ourselves of the things we have to be thankful for, the more uplifted we often feel. I sadly need this reminder more often than I would like to admit. Even when I'm intentionally practicing thankfulness, I have to be careful not to get sucked into focusing on the negative aspects of the situation or looking at what could still use improvement instead of celebrating the progress that's been made.
I have a tendency to have a critical eye (most often directed at myself). It isn't always bad because, for the most part, it is because I have an interest in trying to help make things better. However, if I let this be my motivation, I find my internal self talk can get pretty negative sounding. I wish I were less motivated by the fear of a poor outcome and more heavily influenced by the joys in the journey regardless of the outcome. Thankfully, this is something I have time to change about myself and is a skill that can be learned and practiced with gradual implementation over time. The longer I can be consistent with it, the more natural of a habit it becomes.
As the name of the holiday "Thanksgiving" suggests, this time of year presents a great opportunity to reflect on the things in life we have to be thankful for and to count our blessings! Part of the reason I enjoy going oversees or even working in an environment like the ED on a regular basis is it provides ample reminders of how grateful I should be for what I have in my life. I'm frequently presented with the reality of how much more unfortunate many others have it than I do. There are so many comforts and regular commodities we have in the US that we totally take for granted that are really apparent when spending even just a short time in another country (like being able to flush the toilet paper for example.) That's a silly example, but it does make a point.
Air conditioning and running hot water are a couple other examples of things I missed quickly when I spent time in Nicaragua on medical missions. I've missed being able to go with the team the past several years because of having small babies and, of course, more recently, COVID. I usually return to the States feeling refreshed, with a much more positive outlook on the future, at least temporarily. Unfortunately, the sentiment fades with time because when you return to environments plagued with entitlement and a lack of appreciation for the privileges we have in our country, you can easily get jaded and worn out.
It is also hard to remember to give thanks when faced with dark or challenging circumstances. Losing loved ones or just dealing with daily life stressors that naturally exist because we are humans could be reason enough to distract our attention and focus from the things in life for which we should have gratitude. Uncertainty of the future can cloud our judgement as well, and there as been plenty of that to go around lately!
We can all relate to life being quite a bit less than ideal since the onset of the pandemic. Nonetheless, I refuse to let the uncontrollable things in life direct my thoughts or steal my ability to see the many things that I still have worth expressing thanks for. I think the pandemic has provided an opportunity for some of us to further evaluate which things in our life hold the greatest value. We may have learned to cherish the preciousness of life in a deeper way or go out of our way to ensure that the ones we love in our life really know it by expressing in more directly to them!
Practicing thankfulness is something that I have had a value for most of my life, whether I called it that or not the whole time. However, I've found a much more significant value in it since going through some pretty dark and challenging seasons in my adult life. I was encouraged by counselors and many others to count my blessings and name the things I am thankful for on a daily basis to form the behavior as a habit. I will say, I did this very begrudgingly at first, mostly because that's how I felt about everything at the time, and despite my many efforts to overcome my depression, I was unimpressed by the slow progress I was seeing.
Albeit slow progress, I cannot say that these efforts were wasted. It was no immediate fix (there usually isn't one), but I can say definitively that disciplining myself to spend time thinking and communicating about the things I appreciate in life was extremely instrumental in the process of gradual improvement for me. It certainly can't hurt anything! Even from a young age, I strived for the first thoughts to come from my mind every morning after opening my eyes and before getting out of bed to be "Lord, I thank you for this day." Prayer is another powerful tool I use regularly, but more on that another time.
This phrase/prayer has developed to include more specific things I want to express thanks for like my family, a good night's sleep, big things I'm looking forward to, and, more often, the little things that otherwise go unnoticed and unappreciated if I hurry through my day. This task felt like quite a chore to do in the beginning when I was feeling very poorly. Over time, I've noticed a significant shift in my countenance. And now, I rather look forward to the reflection because it sets me up for a great start for the day ahead. I have a plaque by my bedside that serves as a constant reminder. It says, "Start the day with a grateful heart." I feel much more able to face whatever might be ahead when I've focused on the things that can't be robbed from me by any other negative circumstance I might encounter.
This is the concept that contributed to the title of this post. I believe that choosing to focus on what you have to be grateful for, whether you feel like your life is full of abundant blessing, or it feels like it takes all the energy you have to identify even just one or two things you are genuinely thankful for, it is one of the most powerful and beneficial practices you can choose to participate in...in all things!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! May you enjoy your time spent with loved ones or your shift at work (for many of my colleagues), and be reminded of your many blessings, regardless of what circumstance or season you find yourself in!
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