If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll find that I often write about gratitude. Let me tell you why I do and why I call gratitude the rock of my life.
Gratitude The Rock Of My Life
I discovered the power of gratitude about 15 years ago. I had read a lot about it when in my teens, but in a more spiritual context — as in giving thanks to God in all circumstances. Then, I found it hard to believe in and even harder to practice.
Then, in my forties, after several bad choices and heartbreak had shattered my self-belief and left me bereft of confidence, I discovered gratitude. At the lowest point in my life, I decided to say ‘Thank you’ for all the pain, real and perceived, circumstantial or self-inflicted. As I awoke every morning, I said this out aloud ‘I give thanks for everything in my life. I am open and receptive to all the good and abundance of the Universe.’
As I began to acknowledge that the Universe was working for my good, my self-esteem started to improve. I realized that despite all my errors of judgement, the Universe was not judging me. There was no excuse for me to be hard on myself.
I began to learn the lessons from my mistakes and give thanks for these lessons. Gratitude turned my mistakes into life lessons.
When I started to practice gratitude, I started learning to take unpleasant things in my stride. Difficulties became challenges. Challenges became blessings. Blessings became another reason to be grateful.
Today, I can safely say that it is the attitude of gratitude that saved me from depression and possibly self-harm.
Totally agree with your observations here, Corinne. Gratitude helps us change our whole attitude toward life. Though I haven’t been working or blogging about gratitude in my early life, I know that I always was a grateful person. In my teen years, when life as we knew it changed suddenly many times I had caught myself counting my blessings and saying thanks to the what little I had in my life at that time. I didn’t know I was being grateful. But I know it helped me to stay sane and move forward.
Thank you for a beautiful post yet again. ❤️
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