Let’s choose today to quench our thirst for the ‘good life’ we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our lives. We can then offer the universe the gift of our grateful hearts.
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach, author
If you’ve been out-of-sorts lately, stressed by all the uncertainties, and feeling powerless to change circumstances in the outer world. You are not alone.
Realistically, the only way you could be immune from despair from outer circumstances would be to have never looked at or listened to the news. But denial and avoidance are only superficially effective when you realize that we are energetically connected to everyone and everything.
Long ago I came to the realization that darkness in the human experience is overcome, not by avoidance, but through shining the light of awareness on it and choosing otherwise.
Choosing otherwise includes focusing on what is good, loving, joyful and fulfilling in your life, even if at this moment you feel completely discouraged and disheartened. In the midst of what is not working, is painful or seemingly impossible, surely you have many things to be thankful for that you are not noticing. You may be so focused on the problems that you miss recognizing the gifts in your life.
From my own experience, it is the very moment when I am feeling unhappy (yes, I feel blue at times) that I need to remember to do my “Simple Five-Part Daily Mood Enhancer” process. What is that you ask?
When I feel down, I am likely to be looking only at what ISN’T working. To change my focus to what IS working I sit down and write out five reasons to be thankful. That’s right. Sounds too simple, but when I get up from that process, I always feel my energy elevated and I am recharged for my day.
Why not give it a try? You can do it in the morning, in the evening before bed or whenever you find yourself feeling down. See what happens when you take you mind off problems to recognize the many things that ARE going right in your life.
In fact, make it a regular part of each day. I have. Some days it is a little harder to write them and that’s the very day I know I MUST do it to get refocused and renewed.
Gratitude primes the pump enabling life to present you with more. Without an eye on gratitude, you are missing the myriad of daily gifts that make your life worth living.
Meanwhile, the world will still show us what isn’t working, but it doesn’t have to drain us because we are thriving on the miracles and gifts that we do notice and give thanks for them every day.