How To Be Grateful When You're Really Not

It's Thanksgiving month, and if you're one of those people who think "if I see one more post that says 'Give Thanks' I'm gonna choke," you are among others who could care less about it, too. Really, truthfully, you are truly not alone. Many, many people feel the same way at this time of year, and many feel it all the time. 

So, what is there to be so thankful about, you ask? Well, I'm glad you did ask, so don't stop reading.

Life's blows can crush the thankfulness right out of you, I know this. However, I also know that having that perspective can limit life to seeing only disappointment and despair in everything and everybody. In no way do I mean to minimize any challenges that may have brought anyone to places of severe hardship and devastating heartbreak, but by choosing to reject opening your eyes and heart to others, opportunities and surroundings can make you miss the birds and the bees, and the flowers and the trees, and the beauty and wonder of all the simple things that can make you appreciate taking life in daily.

Opening up can be a challenge on several levels. Trying to see hope and happiness is an internal job. Our internal messaging can really mess us up when it comes to seeing life from a better perspective. Make note that I did say "perspective," because what you actually see may not look different, you just start to see and process things differently. The sun coming thru the window looks brighter. The breath you just took in, you felt it on purpose. That stuff that hurts, you are deciding it can't hold your happiness hostage forever. Yes, these are steps toward thankfulness. Each and everyday, you can take another small, but meaningful step toward appreciating life's big and small things. It takes personal effort.

I am not suggesting that you create false illusions about life, because that's certainly not a healthy thing to do on any given day. However, re-adjusting the lenses, adjusting your perspective in a way that clears the way to see more goodness than gloom, helps to inspire gratitude.

Most of us don't get through life with the greatest of ease, and well, it's because it is life, filled with all of it's twists and turns, ups and downs and unexpected roads. Choose to not be defeated by it. Lack of hope is a thief, and so is lack of vision to all of the simple things that can still bring joy to a heart.

Start here. Start now. Can you consider this: perhaps, feeling just a little grateful knowing that someone really cared about how you may be feeling right now, enough to send you some loving encouragement and inspiration? I hope you felt it.

~ S.R.F.