GratitudeI try to give thanks as often as possible, for as many things in life as possible. You can give thanks for your loved ones, for bits of friendly contact that happen with strangers, for trees, for being able to see or to walk, for food, and even in the direst of circumstances, for the ability to draw just one more breath. It doesn’t matter what entity you give thanks to, if any; the point is to put your attention on what is good. The effect of this practice is to increase one’s awareness, to sharpen perceptions, to free up a huge amount of mental space that otherwise would be occupied by worry, blame, urgency, and so on, and to improve one’s mood. Another great thing about a practice of gratitude is the effect that it has on other people when your appreciation comes their way. Many problems between people start to dissolve as soon as they feel that their goodness is simply being seen.Every day we need to re-commit to noticing the million good things that happen around us. We can live every day fully, no matter what we think the future holds.  |