An Attitude for Gratitude …

An Attitude for Gratitude

 

Let’s be real … life can be tough … very tough!  You only have to watch the nightly news for evidence of the stuff that’s happening, not just in our own backyard but indeed all around the world.   It would be so easy to let fear take hold and to hide in our own safe little homes never going outside but who wants to live like that?  And sometimes, we don’t even have to look outside our own homes to realize that challenges are everywhere.  Some days just feel like an endless rerun of the day before as we all search in vain for this thing called “domestic bliss”.

 

And when times are tough, when we’re struggling, when news is bad and our day has been awful, that’s the very time we need to pause and remind ourselves of our blessings.  And I for one feel very blessed … every second, every minute and every hour of the day because I have my family, I have my health and really nothing else matters.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not immune to bad news, challenges, struggles, disasters and I’ve had my fair share.  But I also happen to subscribe to the theory that no-one has a dream run in this race called life and no-one gets to the finish line without things happening.

 

Stuff happens … bad stuff happens to good people all the time and often for no particular reason.  What separates us all though is, not what happens but, how we choose to deal with it.  And I do believe that a lot of the time, not always, there is that element of choice … a choice to smile, a choice to be positive, a choice to say “whatever” and a choice to let go.  Let go of what … frustration, anger, worry, or whatever it is that’s causing us doubt, stress and fear.

 

For me, it’s about taking those few precious seconds to “smell the roses”, to take a deep breath, to remind myself that “this too shall pass” and to reflect on the things that matter to me the most and the things for which I need to be thankful.

 

I also try to be aware that other people struggle as well.  We all have our own story to tell and we’re all on our own journey.  I do try very hard not to be too judgmental or to jump to conclusions too easily.  I do try but hey, I’m human and I don’t always get it right.  But when I recognize one of those moments, I stop to remember that, despite whatever “happy face” or public façade that people put on, we don’t really know what’s going on in someone else’s life.  That smile could be hiding heartache, uncertainty, doubt, worry, fear or a whole world of pain.  So, I resolve to be kind and cut others some slack.  I try to be gentle and give others the benefit of the doubt … they may not be a horrible person, they could just be having a bad day.

 

So my own personal mantra is this:  be kind, be positive, look for beauty everywhere, be thankful and have “an attitude for gratitude”.

 

So tell me, what are you most grateful for?

 

Comments

  1. I’m most grateful for my little girl. She’s going to be 16 months old soon. Having her in my life has completely changed my life.

    • Hi Michelle, kids certainly have that effect, don’t they? I have three beautiful girls and couldn’t imagine my life without them. They have changed my life in the most wonderful way!

  2. Oh I love this post Sandie. I am grateful for everything really, and it drives me crazy when people around me are negative or ungrateful. Yes, I am grateful that I am positive and do recognise all my blessing.

    • Hi Kate and thanks for visiting! Being positive, no matter what life throws at us, can make all the difference. It won’t change whatever has happened but it can make those things easier to resolve and accept.

  3. Sandie, I’m most grateful for my family 🙂

    • Family really is everything, aren’t they! I feel so blessed to have such a large extended family to whom we’re really close.

  4. I’m grateful to live in a safe place that provides me and my family with opportunity. We are truly lucky here in Australia, yet so many take it all for granted.

    • Sandie says:

      I agree, we are truly blessed to be able to call this incredible country home!

  5. I have started putting up something I am grateful for on Facebook each day (you are welcome to like my page https://www.facebook.com/TakeChargeNow and follow suit).
    It is interesting trying to come up with something new each day as it is so easy to fall into the familiar and rattle off the same list each day. I hope I can keep it up as it really has had a profound effect on how I start my day and continue into it.

    • Sandie says:

      Hi there! I also try to take that little moment each day to be “present”, to take notice and acknowledge at least one thing that makes me thankful. And most days the thing I’m most grateful for isn’t a thing or stuff or something tangible … it’s often something like the warmth of the sun, a smile or hug from one of my girls, my hubby’s phone call through the day just to say hi, the smell from a beautiful flower … it really does make a difference.

  6. I find myself so overwhelmed by all the bad news on TV so I dont watch it any more. I am not naive, I know bad stuff still goes on but I choose to focus on the good things in my world. My family, my friends and the fact that every day has the potential to be amazing xx

    • I have to agree Sonia, I very rarely watch the news any more because, as you say, it’s mostly bad. I would much prefer to watch or read something that’s uplifting … a story where someone has triumphed over a bad situation … turned their negatives into positives either for themselves or those around them. I find that inspiring!

  7. I am thankful for wonderful bloggers who join in with #thankfulthursday

    • Hello Rhianna and thank you for visiting. Thank you also for the opportunity to share my link on your blog. I am always looking for new and wonderful blogs and I was thrilled to find yours!

  8. I’m thankful for finding you via Thankful Thursday with Rhianna 🙂 And I love this post, we’ve had a tough few months but I try to consciously make an effort to look for the good things no matter how small as they’re what makes each day worth getting up for.

    • I’m glad you’ve joined me on the blog, welcome. I agree entirely, some days can be a real struggle and it can be very difficult to be positive but I think if we look for the good, no matter how small, it really can make a difference. It gives us hope that things will get better!