Inner Radiance: Gratitude Goes A Long Way
Thoughts which ponder my mind.
In today’s world, we are constantly being bombarded by new information and being pulled in a thousand different directions. Hence, it’s easy to get loss if you don’t have a strong sense of self aka who you are. It’s easy to fixate on that negative self-dialogue: what you don’t have vs what you already have or to focus on the negative rather than the positive going on in your life.
Growing up, my father always told me “life is beautiful”. As trite as the phrase may be, the meaning behind this phrase is one that stays true and strong to my heart. It is a meaningful message that I revisit time and time again in my life.
Our society today rewards a lot of false pride: if you don’t work 60 hrs a week you are not working hard enough, if you don’t make “x” amount of income at “x” age you are not good enough, if you don’t wear certain brands or do certain things you are not “cool” enough. Has modern society become so vain and egotistical that one must always think & act in a self-righteous nature? Has our culture gone awry?
With so much stimuli infiltrating our brains on a daily basis (and sometimes caught off-guard), what are we to do? Let’s take this moment to stop letting societal pressures, people, or things dictate how we should live our life. Ultimately, life isn’t defined by competitive comparisons nor is it determined by the viewpoint of someone else. After all, it is your life, not theirs.
The important things in life can’t be bought with money. Remember that gratitude goes a long way in life. Life is worth appreciating. The fact that you are alive is worth living for. If you’re feeling a little down or sluggish, make a list of all the things in your life you are appreciative of right now in your life. Even just recalling 5 things you are appreciative of at the end of the day can help you create a more positive mindset.
Society works and functions as a group like a seemingly collaborative dance where all the parts function to create a whole. It’s not always about our own needs. Showing an act of kindness by doing something kind for someone else or telling someone important in your life that you appreciate him or her for their efforts can have a significant deep impact when your words and actions come from a genuine, honest place.
In case you were wondering, here’s my gratitude list right now, right here: My loving supportive parents, my awesome friends who accept me for me, my neatly organized room as I sit here typing this right now (aka my multi-functional sanctuary/work space/rest area), the beauty of the sun’s luminous rays day-in-day-out, quiet mornings, the perfect pour of coffee, the feeling after a good workout, and Buddhism which nourishes & grounds my mind.
So, let me know what you are grateful for in your life! (No matter how small or big your reasons are, they are all equally significant and worth appreciating.)
