Choosing Gratitude in a Time of Uncertainty

At a time when the world around us seems to be falling apart,
There is something we can do and it’s love with all our heart.

When you get to the moments and life seems so tough,
It’s important to remember that who you are is enough.

There’s good and there’s bad inside every single day.

So what if we choose to smile, determined to say…

Today I am grateful for all that I have,
Tomorrow isn’t promised…it all goes by in a flash.

I choose to be thankful for the life I’ve been given,
Today I will be a light in this world that we live in.

 

Life is full of uncertainties, unwanted surprises, and so much uncertainty.  We turn the television on to see report after report of bad news.  So, we pull out our phones and click on our social media pages in hopes of finding some relief but the negativity is there as well.  It’s hard to put on a happy face for the day when there are so many things around us to be anxious about.  The news, itself, can evoke so much emotion: anger, sadness, confusion and that’s just naming a few.

So how can we choose to have gratitude in a time of uncertainty…a time when minute after minute it seems as if the world is in chaos?  We can focus on what is in front of us instead of what’s going on around us. We can choose to be grateful rather than allowing what’s going on around us to dictate how we feel.

Think about a time when you may have gotten angry at another driver.  Believe it or not, something you saw on television that morning may have set the tone for your day.  You watched a little too long, left the house a little late, maybe slightly aggravated, and now everything needs to fall into place or you won’t make it to work on time.  Then you get upset with the person who pulled out in front of you because they’re going the speed limit and you always push it 5-10mph.  So you ride a little too close, throw up a gesture or two, and, as soon as you can, you speed around them and cut them off just to prove your point.  

Let me ask you a question now.  How did this make you feel?  Did it change your situation?  Were you able to get to work that much earlier or were you there about the same time that you would have been? Now let me ask you another question.  What do you think this did to the other person who didn’t realize they got in front of the wrong person that morning? What kind of emotions could you have caused them that day?  How might this interaction have affected their day? After putting things into perspective and giving you a chance to think about how your actions may have affected someone else, what could you have done differently?  

Now, let’s rewind and start this day over…

You wake up and first, take some time to write three things you’re thankful for in your gratitude journal.  You can’t help but notice that your spouse has already gotten the coffee started, your kids are up for school and you know your car is in the garage, so you don’t have to get wet before you get to the office.  There are three, easy things you can be thankful for to start off your day.  

Instead of checking the news for the weather report, you can already see it’s raining and anticipate that you need to leave a little early because traffic is likely to be heavier than normal.  Rather than complaining about the rain, you remember that your outdoor plants needed watering and your car could use a bath – two more wins for the day and you haven’t even left yet!  See where we’re going with this?

The benefits of gratitude extend beyond simply having a good start to our day.  By being thankful, you will notice an improvement in your mood, your sleep, and even your health.  Studies show that gratitude can even decrease anxiety, reduce difficulties associated with chronic pain, and decrease depression.  However, our brains are wired to solve problems first rather than to show gratitude. What does that mean?  It means that you’re going to have to choose to have an attitude of gratitude despite what the day has in store for you.  

We’ve come up with 50 ways to help you feel and be more grateful.