Gratitude

By Michael Knight

Tuesday 3 February 2009

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What is gratitude?
It's simply being thankful. It's about your perception and choice to be appreciative of something, anything.

If people see or perceive that there has been gain, value or good fortune, not necessarily for themselves, they emotionalise this resulting in a good feeling, allowing a sense of inner happiness, calm or excitement to exist in their day to day life. You too can bring joy, give a smile and all good things into the world for everyone to enjoy.

Why be grateful?
Simply, it makes you feel good — and we all like to feel good. Don't we?

It builds emotional and mental strength helping us to put everything in perspective, allowing small and trivial upsets not to overwhelm us causing negative energy, resulting in negative thoughts, actions, feelings and habits to form, not congenial to a healthy lifestyle.

Is it easy to practice gratitude?
No — I don't think it is easy as most of us are preconditioned and plagued by wanting, either this or that, what's on TV and what Mr & Mrs Jones next door have. It may not be easy at first, but it's my experience and understanding it gets easier the more you practice it — just like walking and riding a bike.

It may take some persistence and self discipline, however practicing gratitude is well worth the effort. If you cease it, come back to it as often as it takes to fully appreciate it — and you will, if you believe it is important for your well-being and growth.

A good exercise may be to think about a living person for whom you are grateful and write a letter to them explaining why you are sincerely appreciative of them. Alternatively, tell them every chance you get.

Be grateful about what?
Anything and everything! It's a purely personal thing. It's not so much a matter about what, it's that you are. Thank the planet for the oxygen you breathe for giving you life — it can be that marvelous and that simple.

Can you be grateful for everything good in your life? I think you can — if you want too, understanding why being grateful is so good for you.

Gratitude is the first and possibly the only step to recovery, full and deep happiness and living a full and abundant life.

So what can we be grateful for?
I for one am grateful for many things, including the fact that I have two beautiful, healthy and loving children who I can love unconditionally, and who in turn love me.

Your life is to be lived to the fullest, every breath, second, minute and hour of every day.

If you can be grateful for the smallest of things, nothing will ever get you down. If you are going through a rough patch, bring gratitude into your life. Your pain and grief will be squeezed out like a splinter in your finger that doesn't belong.

It doesn't matter much what it is that you're grateful for, whether it be a person in your life, or out of your life, an event that turned out well or the fact you are still alive and have the opportunity to make things better.

Look in your heart and find something to be thankful for — even it be one tiny thing that you are grateful for every day. You will be so glad you did.

Decide to be grateful today.

With love, kindness and peace
Michael