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What is the secret of gratitude? How do you learn to be thankful?
One of the most revered and anticipated holidays for Americans is Thanksgiving. The history of the holiday is related to the first settlers of America, when after a cold winter almost half of the people died and Native Americans came to the aid of the settlers. In 1621 the colonists harvested a rich crop. Afterwards, in gratitude to nature for showing mercy to the settlers and to the Indians for their help, the first governor of the colony offered a communal feast. Over time, the celebration became a national civic celebration.
What is gratitude? Is it a virtue or a tool? Usually we thank people for doing something good for us, that is, we feel gratitude for enjoying it. We often say “thank you” either automatically or to seem like polite and courteous people. The word gratitude itself has a deep meaning. It consists of two words “good” + “give,” that is, the balance between the concepts of “give” and “take.
The tradition of exchanging gifts has always implied a reciprocal offering. For example, the Greek philosopher Aristotle emphasized that thanksgiving manifests itself in “answering the one who has pleased, a favor for a favor.
Let’s talk about sincere gratitude. It’s a deeper feeling than the ritual of politeness when we say “thank you” and give a thank-you gift. The more occasions for joy we notice in life, the more often we discover what we can truly be thankful for. The more gratitude we give, the more joy we receive in return.
What prevents us from developing the habit of thanking fate for everything? It’s hard for us to thank the world for what we don’t consider valuable, because we take everything around us for granted.
Our ancestors struggled to survive, wariness in anticipation of danger became a human genetic trait. In our spiritual memory, we are left with this record of looking for the negative in everything. To overcome the information embedded in the subcortex of the brain, which destroys our lives, is only possible by working on ourselves. Everything we feel comes from us. Any condition in which we feel suffering is a signal to us that it must be corrected and come into harmony with nature. After all, nature strives for balance. This means that we need to strike a balance in our relationships with each other because we are part of nature.
You can’t do it by yourself. It is necessary to enter into an environment of like-minded people who strive for the same spiritual goal. Fix relationships to live in a harmonious world.
It’s the people around you that determine how a person’s life turns out. The environment influences a person’s outlook, habits, attitudes, priorities, even his state of health.
How can one be thankful for trials? That’s the way most people reason. In so doing, you are driving yourself more and more into your disgusting life. To begin with, you need to tune in to a positive perception of the world. Take everything as an experience for your own development. You can come to this through inner work, by changing your perception to see the world as good instead of evil.
The stories of famous personalities tell of how their lives changed when they accepted the trials given to them by fate with gratitude. For example, many admire Viktor Frankl. But his books were written because there was a concentration camp in his life. The paintings of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo are exhibited in the world’s most famous galleries. But her extraordinary talent was revealed after an illness and a terrible accident. These are exactly the cases when scars adorn a person.
To thank fate for everything, for all joys and trials – this is the quality of a mature spiritual person, who develops this feeling as self-giving – when we do something for others, without expecting a reward and without blaming others for ingratitude. The ability to sympathize and empathize with those around us, have compassion for those who are having a hard time – all this blurs the boundaries between us and helps build good relationships. Even the little things, if you don’t miss the opportunity to say thank you to everyone who helps us cope with household or work matters, motivates the environment to help again and participate in our lives.
Praise and approval of the actions of our environment will satisfy a person’s need to feel needed. A good compliment brings people’s emotional centers together. And admiring what is most valuable to a person is a great way to bring a smile to their face and a new opportunity to bond.
The degree of trust between us will increase if we listen carefully, without interrupting or expressing our opinions. Feeling gratitude makes us more receptive and helps us get to know the people around us. You can write a thank-you letter to someone who had a positive impact on your life – a teacher who gave us a second chance, or a friend who happened to be around. The main thing is not to hold back, generously expressing gratitude. Even an unsent letter will reduce anxiety and add optimism.
The energy of gratitude creates a source of deep peace within us, healing, and improving relationships with others. Gratitude is what makes us human. It’s also a powerful tool that can transform our lives. Scientifically proven: experiencing gratitude, we improve our psychological and physical health, reduce stress levels, recover faster from injuries, increase self-esteem. The feeling of gratitude helps you to get away from negative emotions, envy and anger, immerses you in a state of peace and gives you freedom from resentment.
Neurobiologists have concluded that the habit of gratitude changes the structure of the brain, stimulates its work. So without gratitude for everything that happens in life, it is impossible to move forward. Otherwise, we will constantly return with our thoughts to the past or to the future, where we mentally create retribution.
Let’s try to give thanks for significant and unimportant things – the morning sun, the health of loved ones, the food on the table, the smiles of children. All this deserves the most sincere “thank you.” And life will begin to change for the better.
