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A really interesting conversation derived out of a shared meditation this morning. Someone has mentioned how sad it is to be isolated and deprived from positive attention of a loved one.
It is sad when we feel hurt, exhausted from giving and not receiving, hardly moving forward, or even feeling as if we are actually going downwards… |
Do you remember how many times you had your mind sadly focused on what you haven’t got while the good people and positive things in your life at the time didn’t seem to have any value for you? I definitely do remember mine.
The studies of positive psychology confirm that gratitude brings many benefits into our lives. Those benefits are shown in less physical pain, a healthier body, mind, a more optimistic view on life, and further more, in a better quality relationships.
When a person opens up for more in life, and accepts to simply give it a try, there is a whole new world of opportunity waiting for her. Our attitude of gratitude permits us to become more thoughtful, more accepting towards ourselves and others. Others perceive us as more friendly, and open, which leads us to experience more positive social interactions, more closeness in our relationships, and with all this, even to a modified sense of Self. We begin accepting and seeing ourselves as worthy of receiving attention of other people and experiencing all the positive and good that life can offer.
I have received a Gratitude Jar from my friend Kamy a few weeks ago. This is my second year of collecting my own daily gratitude in a jar. It takes a while to get used to it and to really use the jar by simply collecting small notes about a few things that made your day brighter….every single day of the year.
This jar, in combination with meditation, and mindful living is making a huge difference in my life. I see details through out each day that really make me a happier person. Sometime it is a smile, sharing, an event, … sometimes it is a thought, an experience of its own, an interesting debate, a successful intervention, a beautiful moment in nature, or a simple flower that started to make its way out from the ground.
I am writing this post because I realize more and more how many people still live with a perception of: ‘the grass is greener in the neighbor’s garden,’… and how much time, and energy, is wasted on comparing ourselves to others. While our attention is focused on what we still haven’t got, we cease to live and appreciate those shiny details about our selves, about our lives, relationships, our significant others,… that make our days bearable, moments memorable, fun and exciting, and people around us happier.
I encourage you to look for things that currently function well in your life, details in your relationships and work situations that you enjoy. Pay attention through out your day to discover what those are. Appreciate them.
You don’t loose time or money by doing just that, but you do gain bits of yourself that you thought were lost, or have never existed.
By taking this gratitude exercise when you remember – possibly every day – you will eventually find out that your happiness and your well-being largely depend on yourself and your own perception of the world around you. Once you step out of comparison and complaining about how others are responsible for your suffering, and you start collecting the newly uncovered positive points about yourself and your situation, you are taking back the power to live your life on your own terms. You open yourself to new possibilities, you become more energized, and your life gets to be more colorful. Isn’t that worth trying?