“Value your mistakes; you may not need to repeat the experience”. Dowrick, S., (2000)

 Almost everyone appreciates the genuine sense of value discovered in a daily ritual of sincere gratitude. On the other hand, how is it possible to feel grateful when at times our life appears to be completely upside down? In this ever-changing environment, our minds may ponder the thought that we live in constant and complete chaos. Generating the wisdom to keep gratefulness alive may be the very essence of hope.

In my therapy sessions I often observe people who go to great lengths to dodge a commitment or an action. As humans, we forget that in every struggle, there is enormous capacity for personal growth and transformation. Each day a new and different scenario becomes available; we can choose to see this with positivity, or not. Feeling grateful is indeed a gift. Expressing and living with gratitude, is a necessity. “Real, serious, lifelong fulfilment and meaning have to be earned through the choosing and managing of our struggles” Manson, M., (2016).

Consider a time when your thoughts lead you down a path of sadness or despair. Reflecting on its context, was the issue you were contemplating in the past, or something you feared might happen in the future?  Then again, was the concern simply imagined? Many and most of the things we worry about never happen. A great deal depends on our capacity to be truly honest. Each of us faces moments that define our ability to hold onto and guard a miserable thought, or choose to look for the lesson and give thanks for the skill to do so. With commitment, gratitude, patience and practice, we can change the way we view things.

Many of us record our daily experiences in a gratitude journal. Do you still use your journal? Small, positive habits applied on a day-to-day basis will deliver amazing results. When we are in complete alignment with our true self, and genuinely expressing the creativity that is within us, doors open and the pathway to happiness becomes more visible and within our reach.

Using your journal to answer questions such as: Am I expressing gratitude to the people who enthusiastically showed their support for me today? How could I have moved a little closer to integrity? In what way could gratefulness have helped me to appreciate a truth I was avoiding? What part of joy did I overlook today? How could being continually grateful help to remind me what in my life needs more attention? Placing context around these questions could convey much awareness.  Accepting reality as it is can be both mystifying and extremely perplexing.

Furthermore, questioning false impressions and excluding assumptions may be quite liberating and healing. Choosing to be grateful helps us to look for the upside.  Stay centered and accept the fact that things may not be as bad as they seem.

What were you grateful for today? Take a moment to reflect. Constructive concepts and optimistic mental ideas can change the outer circumstances of our life. Undertaken skillfully, this practice can produce miraculous results. Do you have a sense that we, as humans, manifest things according to our intentions? If so, staying close to gratitude and giving thanks for our lives, will help us to identify and preserve a truly peaceful heart. Can you feel its tug?

Yours in therapy,

Jill Bayly

References.

Dowrick,S., (2000) The Universal Heart. Penguin Books: Australia.