Gratitude - The One Thing We All Need

What is something simple yet life-transforming? What can give you the most joyful perspective? What can help you form beautiful, lasting relationships? What can most effectively inspire happiness? And, what can (along with empathy) drastically change our society? You guessed it - Gratitude.

There’s a reason that in therapy, psychologists often recommend keeping a gratitude journal. The feeling and expression of gratitude is something that decorates your life without changing anything.

Regrettably, it’s one of those things that are so underestimated that they’re forgotten or worse, considered unreliable.

Take this blog post as a reminder that at any given time some amount of gratitude will help you as you go through your days. Who knows, it might be what saves you too.

Word of a friend: Keep in mind, that gratitude is not always whole, joyful, and overwhelmingly ecstatic. It’s sometimes just a warm hand to comfort the tears, just a reassurance in an ocean of fears, just a soft nod in the depths of desperate prayers.

You don’t have to have happiness to feel grateful. And, yes, just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. But here’s why we must plow through and latch on to it:

1. It changes everything without changing anything
2. It helps improve your relationships significantly
3. It makes you a better person for the world

Why We Need Gratitude

1. Gratitude changes everything without changing anything

Gratitude is a lens, a perspective, a shift. As soon as we honestly switch it on, there’s a brightness of awareness. Suddenly, your mundane bedroom is noticeably valuable.

You’re grateful for the reliable bed you sleep and rest on, the warm blanket that protects you, and the frames on the wall that tell tales of eternal memories.

The bedside table that carries your diaries, the painting that your friend made of you on your birthday, and the speakers that sing your favorite tunes.

The windows that welcome light in, the balm that softens your lips, and if I promise to write it all, it might not end very soon.

All of this, and it’s only brushing the surface, is what I’m fortunate to have. This sudden awareness of blessings all around you and the warm feeling of gratitude for them is magical.

It’s what all of a sudden makes me realize that even if I spent half of my day worrying about a genuinely important matter, I can take a step back and know that all is not wrong.

Gratitude gives you hope and strength during times of distress. It’s that friend who walks alongside you without saying a word, who squeezes your shoulder when you need it, who reminds you to take a moment and know that it’s okay to relax, that it’s going to get better but they're with you even when it isn’t.

Related: How to Enjoy Life As It Is

2. Gratitude helps ameliorate your relationships significantly

I think one of the main reasons that relationships suffer is that we start taking each other for granted.

That supposed honeymoon phase (in all types of relationships) owes its charm not just to novelty, but heightened patience, appreciation of each characteristic, efforts in ideation, and the fear of loss.

As time passes and we are sure of someone’s presence, we become comfortable and also start slacking. Even people who have good parents tend to not value them in each moment as they should.

Enter Gratitude, the healing light growing plants of taking notice, listening, patience, respect, adoration, and also the knowledge that what we have is precious and could very well be lost if we’re not careful.

Goes without saying, walk away from people that hold you down and harm your health. And, honor the ones that lift your spirits and treat you well.

I saw a video once of a bride and groom writing letters to each other for a time in the future when they would have their first fight.

Gratitude is that perspective. It brings you back to knowing how much you love and want that person and what they mean to you. Today, to everyone that you love, express your gratitude. A small step but with everlasting imprint.

3. Gratitude makes you a better person for the world

As Gratitude heightens your awareness, you acknowledge the infinite ways that the world supports your life. It helps you recognize the things that you might be doing unconsciously that were causing harm to others.

You become grateful for everything that you receive and cherish each drop of water that nourishes you. Grateful people reduce waste, reduce suffering, and commit to making the world a better place in any way that they can.

As our planet now suffers because of countless recurrent mistakes, it is gratitude for our home which will make us protect and replenish it.

As I said in the beginning, gratitude and empathy might be the two things that will help us save our home and build a beautiful society. Let us not take them lightly, but plant their trees in our hearts.

I wish you beautiful days. Also, if you found this helpful, let your friends and family know about it too :) Take care.