Gratitude always makes us smile, but happiness doesn't necessarily make us grateful. Some people might say that, but it's not a cliché. The basis is thankfulness. And the precious experience of living with a heart that is sincerely grateful is happiness.
But isn't it so simple to express gratitude? How could it possibly create an impact that big?
Yes, being grateful seems straightforward enough, but when life disappoints us, it is quite difficult to be in a grateful frame of mind. The surprising part is that a dose of thankfulness is most effective when we're feeling dejected and discouraged.
So what strategy works the best?
Being present is the first step towards being appreciative. When you are not paying attention to your life, you cannot appreciate it. The truth is that when we relive traumatic past events in our minds ("How could she possibly have done that to me?") or when we obsess over all the potential future problems ("What if he cheats on me?," for example), we actually make our current circumstances significantly worse. Our actual position right now is rarely as complicated as we make it out to be. If we can fully remain in the present, we may meet this circumstance with grace and thankfulness.
We must try to catch ourselves when our thoughts start to stray into the past or the future and then actively bring our attention back to the present. When we get back, the most important thing is to embrace the present. We may either accept our reality for what it is, be grateful for it, and eventually make the best of it, or we can battle it and deny it, which can wreck us. Of course, practising appreciation is necessary since, when we are disappointed, gratitude tends to desert us. In contrast to a perfect world, this is the real world. And if you want to perceive it, there is always beauty in your world.
Animated GIF made by me @rocsksg
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