There are many reasons to be grateful. Just waking up each morning is a reason to be thankful. Thanksgiving should flow into every breath we take. However, our responsibilities, jobs, relationships, and other activities often prevent us from appreciating the countless things for which we should be thankful.
We live life so used to what we have that we easily despise it. We even create false needs and taking everything we have for granted. Furthermore, we believe that we have the right to have. Complaining when we do not have something, making it a great conflict, and at times, we forget the many real needs and problems that other people have, acting in a mean, selfish and ungrateful way. Therefore, we have to be more aware. A good exercise to realize if we are grateful or not is by evaluating ourselves, observing our life and what we have around us. Not only material things, but our family, our co-workers or those around us on a daily basis. What thoughts come to our mind? What emotions invade us? Am I in awe of what I observe that I have, of what surrounds me? Being grateful is healthy for us Being grateful benefits us. According to Richard Gunderson, professor of medicine, liberal arts, and philanthropy at Indiana University, in his article Why is being grateful so good for your health ?, “Research shows that grateful people tend to be healthy and happy. They exhibit lower levels of stress and depression, cope better with adversity, and sleep better. They tend to be happier and more satisfied with life. Even their partners tend to be happier with their relationships.” In such a way that being grateful helps us to change our way of relating to others because it strengthens relationships and changes our perception of life. Our social skills improve because being grateful makes us happier. We go through life with a positive attitude, and of course, it makes us aware of our surroundings. It shows us who we are, what we have, and reminds us of how valuable life is. Being thankful is healthy for others If someone helped us in times of need or anguish or comforted us with words of encouragement in sadness; has visited us in sickness; has opened the doors of their home when we were helpless; has given us a plate of food when we were most hungry, or when he simply called or wrote to say hello, we should never neglect such generous action and acknowledge with love and gratitude. In conclusion, being grateful to others strengthens relationships, makes us happier, allows us to have a positive attitude and makes us aware of our surroundings. When we are grateful to others, the person who receives our gratitude benefits of our recognition of their attitude. Because he consciously knows that he did something good and that you recognize his effort and the value that that effort supposes, no matter how insignificant it may be … That is the power of thankfulness. Exercise Our five senses and our surroundings
Observe each of our senses, think about what each one of them does for us, and meditate on what our life would be like if any of the senses were missing.
Let's observe our thoughts towards ourselves, our work, our family, friends, co-workers …
Take a look at our emotions, feelings, and behaviors towards those same components of our life: us, work, family, friends, co-workers …
Then let's look around us and think: who we are, what we have, what we need, what we want, who is around us, …
Do we or do we not have enough reasons to be grateful?
Which are the 3 wishes of children from Spain and Uganda?
Arnau Griso traveled to Uganda with the Non-Profit Petits Detalls to show the reality of the poorest countries on the planet. This video is the result of a social experiment to find out the desires of the children from Spain and Uganda. Both groups were asked the same question: Which are your 3 wishes? These two opposite worlds invite us to deeply think and reflect on what we have, what we need and what we want. It also encourages us to be grateful.