Humans have perfected the trait of cribbing to an art form. The ways in which find subjects to feel unhappy about on any given day can far outnumber the hairs on your head. Statements like ‘Life is so hard and unfair’ or ‘Why does it have to be me?’ or much worse ‘I am so unlucky’ creeps in our conversation at the slightest opportunity. Open the newspapers we read about someone going on about how inefficient the political system is or is raising concerns about the imminent third world war!
Just imagine – what if we are being observed by aliens right now? What reports would they beam back home? We’d probably talk them out of invading Earth and tell them what a waste of time it would be as life on Earth is full of misery and pain. Why is it that most people feel that their journey through planet Earth is one strewn with thorns, tears, and horrors untold!
Probably, because from the moment we wake up, our mind only ponders upon the negative side of things. We are in a hurry to go somewhere, reach somewhere and fast. We only see the worst in ourselves and the people around us. To use a metaphor- Just take a look at our accounting systems – we even have the right side dedicated to liabilities with assets on the left. That’s exactly how we are as human beings. We don’t easily see what is going right for us; things that we really need to be grateful. Maybe if we were to be thankful enough, things might start changing for us.
The power of gratitude
Whenever you feel a negative thought arising about anything, find yourself at least 3 positive things that are going right for you.
Maybe I can never experience your pain or even begin to understand your situation, but what I can promise you is that when you teach yourself to look for the ‘sunshine through the rain’ by being grateful for what you have, you will soon see the rainbow’s end! “What a load of trollop and hokum” is what you are probably thinking, but this is something that you need to see for yourself.
It could be completely unrelated to your situation, but think of hundreds of things that could have been worse for you and you will begin to see the light and even a way around your current troubles.
You don’t have to be in a church or temple to send out a little prayer for someone who might be in need of a prayer and a little divine intervention. Think of a situation and send out a ‘small helping hand’ to that someone and a quick thanks whoever it is you believe in – God or an invisible power that you are alive enough to be unhappy! And if you are alive which means there is still a fight left in you. Complaining about life and other things becomes such a habit that we actually start realizing our fears. We program ourselves to fail and under-achieve. It then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy to expect the worst from ourselves and others.
No Man is an Island
Isn’t it rightly said – ‘No man is an island!’ As humans, we are all interdependent. To put it rather fundamentally – I wouldn’t have been on the earthly plane without the help of my parents’ actions! So starting from there, one can’t really take pride in being self-made as we develop either consciously or unconsciously by our own choices and the choices made by others along the way. Imagine if the trash people didn’t come to collect the trash, wouldn’t the city suffer from a serious ‘Bin Crisis”?
So nobody ever plays an insignificant role in our lives. If only we could somehow recognize that fact and be humble and grateful for it, we would be far kinder and sympathetic towards one another. Look for examples closer to home and you will see just how many people you could be grateful for who lent you unconditional support and love.
Even if you don’t actually thank them by word, at least acknowledge it by deed and your world will be a better place and it surely will have a ripple effect on other’s lives too.
Forget gratitude, but how many people actually bother to even smile at the janitor or wave out at the postman and dozens of other people whose efficiency we take for granted.
We prefer to thank God or the stars, but we never acknowledge or thank our human angels enough! If you can’t find anybody to be thankful to, then best thing yet, be thankful to yourself for having seen the light.
