This is a truly worthwhile exercise; it takes me back.
About a decade ago, I ran an experiment where I journalled five things I was grateful for every day for a while. It felt a bit artificial at the start, but by the end, I’d become much more genuine about it, and my spirits were lifted in a way I hadn’t thought possible.
You see, it’s very easy to fixate on the things we want that haven’t yet materialised, and before you know it, you can feel as though your whole life is nothing but a heap of disappointment. And unsurprisingly, such thinking colours everything you say and do.
But, if you flip the script and try to focus on the positive things in your life, it invariably helps lift your mood, and that also affects everything you say and do.
So, first of all, thank you Long And Short Reviews for the great reminder.(Check them out!)
I do have a lot more to be thankful for; I’ll just mention a few points, otherwise, this could easily become a novella!
I’m grateful for the time and place I’m living in. It’s not perfect, but I live in relative peace and freedom, I have food on the table, clothes on my back, and a decent life expectancy.I’m glad I’m not living in Victorian England, or in a place like 17th-century, slavery-ridden Guadeloupe.
I’m grateful for my faith, because without it, I don’t see how I would have avoided becoming a very grumpy, bitter old man.
I’m grateful for my interests; they make life so much richer. With writing, music, psychology, and languages, I have more than enough to banish any justified feeling of boredom.
I’m grateful for a lot of people in my life, but my mum has to be the main one. Not just because she gave me life, but because she is a truly genuine mother. A head firmly on her shoulders and yet she wears her heart on her sleeve. She is fiercely loyal and self-sacrificing for her loved ones. A true hero.
Lastly, I’m grateful for the writing community. For more than a decade, it’s been the reason why I’m on Twitter (sorry, can’t call it X) more than any other social media. A lot of people comment on how toxic Twitter is, but if you’re active in this community, I feel it cleanses your timeline!
What about you? Can you list at least five things you’re grateful for today?
Agape.
R.
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