On Gratitude

What does it mean to be grateful? 

Is it ignoring all that is challenging in our lives? Does it require that we pretend that things do not hurt? That the world is bliss and the grocery store did not run out of our favorite ice-cream?

Is it ignoring the heartbreak? The deception? The passive aggressive jab? The political mess?

Is it naively donning rose colored glasses as our accessory du jour? 

No. It's not. 

Being grateful does not require that you ignore your pain. 

Being grateful is about choosing to notice and acknowledge what is good and useful. 

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie

 Go ahead, try it. We've found that a spirit of gratitude is transformative.

You don't have to be deep or profound. Just be honest. Don't list stuff that you feel you 'should' be grateful for. List the stuff that you are truly grateful for. Somedays it may be family. On other days it could be a burrito bowl. It all matters. 

Start with one or two items. Keep at it and watch the list grow. 

Let us know how it goes. 

-Team WellTemple