Gratitude...
Do we even remember what that one simple word means in the world today?
Here is what the dictionary defines "Gratitude" as being...
grat·i·tude
/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Let's take a second and break that down.
"The quality of being thankful..." - To be completely honest in our society today we don't really see a lot of people being "thankful" for much.
Everywhere we turn it seems that instead of people being thankful they seem to only be more demanding and less tolerant of other people.
How miserable must most people in the world be today if they can't even find something in their life to be "Thankful" for?
But I guess I'd also ask this question...
Do you think that people today can't find something in their life to be thankful for? or do you think that people today don't slow down enough and/or make a conscious effort to actually find something to be thankful for?
What I'm saying with these questions is this. In order to be "Thankful" that requires that people would have to have some self-reflection and actually pay attention to the things going on around them.
It would force them to be pro-active in some cases instead of always reactive.
I think as a society we "react" most of the time. It's like it's our natural default to react to things.
But does that mean that we can't make a conscious choice to be pro-active instead of always just reacting to things?
People who are always set on the default of reacting are people who are very easy to control and manipulate so why would we want to be like that?
Why don't you change the narrative and start having some self-reflection and some pro-active reactions for a change?
Maybe then you might be able to find one thing in your day every day that you can be "Thankful" for.
Next, it mentions...
"Readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness."
In order to do this part, it proves we will have to have some pro-active thoughts and be willing to "Take Action" to be kind to others.
If you watch the media today they would have you believe that random acts of kindness or even just people being kind at all is at an all-time low in our society today.
While it might not be as publicized or as apparent as it used to be I think there are still a lot of random acts of kindness and people out there today who are willing to be kind to other people.
Are you yourself willing to be kind to other people?
Are you yourself willing to "Take Action" to be kind to other people?
Being kind to others is not an easy thing to do my friends.
Especially in a society today where we have so much entitlement and so many people who are all too ready to take but aren't so willing to give back.
With that said I'll ask the question are you yourself willing to Take Action to be kind to other people?
Here is the secret, my friends...
Gratitude isn't about anyone else but "You".
Being "Thankful" isn't about anyone else but "You".
Gratitude isn't something that you do or have for the betterment of other people or for them to do something for you in return.
You are grateful and thankful for what "You" were able to do, not for what you might get in return or what you hope someone else will do for you.
"You" are grateful and thankful because you were able to show kindness to someone else.
Whether they deserved it or not, doesn't matter.
It's the fact that you chose to be kind to them, and that you chose to help them, and that you chose to take action to help them.
That's what you should be grateful and thankful for my friends.
Be thankful and grateful that you were allowed that opportunity to help that person and see that opportunity for exactly what it is.
It was an opportunity for "You" to be able to be Grateful and Thankful and share that experience with someone else.
You will never know how your small acts of gratitude and taking action to be kind have changed someone's life.
But at the end of the day is that what really matters?
No, what matters is that you chose to be grateful and take action to show kindness to someone else regardless of the outcome.
That's the power of Gratitude my friends and it's my hope that "You" will make a conscious decision each and every day to make time to be Grateful and Thankful.
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you're Grateful and Thankful for today.
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