Series: Rise & Shine | Thankful
Rise & Shine Confession: I will be thankful for everything I have.
Dear Aspen reader,
It’s easy to be thankful when everything seems to be going right in life. We happily skip on with a pep in our steps, finding happiness and joy in all the things. But what happens when circumstances are less than satisfactory? Is it easy for you to remain grateful or do you find yourself struggling?
Most often, in the United States, we associate being thankful with the season of Thanksgiving. We spend time considering what’s meaningful in our lives and pondering the good that each day holds - counting our blessings as best we can. But do you ever stop and think, throughout other parts of the year, about thankfulness? I think the difficulty, for me, is reminding myself of the difference between being thankful for the stuff/the goods/the things/ the people/ the opportunities and being thankful in all things/circumstances/events that life sends our way. Sometimes it’s difficult to hang onto an attitude of gratitude when life starts to become chaotic or seemingly out of my control.
Just a few tips for remaining thankful in all things and for all things:
Make gratitude a priority.
Tell yourself that being thankful is of the utmost importance. When we remain thankful, we remain positive. When we remain positive, we have a better mental state. When our mental state is healthier, our overall wellness is better. Prioritize thankfulness.
Keep the right perspective.
Often times I find myself becoming ungrateful when I’m overwhelmed. It’s almost like a spiral effect where one small event turns on a negative switch in my brain, causing an avalanche to release. Subsequently, my thoughts turn negative, complaining ensues and it can be hard to pull myself back out of the mess. But try not to go there. Try to keep your situation in perspective of the greater, overarching events in life. Ask yourself, “Is it worth this stress? Will complaining solve any of the problem? Am I becoming ungrateful towards this life that I’ve been blessed to live?” - then redirect onto a more positive path!
Schedule time for gratitude.
The old-school practice of writing “thank you notes” is a powerful activity. Taking time to think of others, above yourself or your task list, can help to brighten someone’s day and also give you a positive boost of energy. Set time aside each week to intentionally thank someone or journal about all of the circumstances for which you can be thankful.
Have an attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude isn’t just about the action of telling someone thank you or writing a note to someone in gratitude for what they’ve done - although that helps! Keeping your motives, attitude and mind open to observe gratefulness can do wonders. Looking for opportunities to turn something that seems negative or irritating into a positive moment of thankfulness will help gratitude to become a habit. Choose to remain in this place.
In whatever you experience this week, choose to be thankful for everything you have.
In health,
Alecia