Trying to be happy all the time is impossible to achieve. Life is not about being happy all the time. Life is a full range of emotions. Often depression is described as numbness and a lack of emotion or feeling. Instead of fighting your sadness and pain, be present and let it wash over and move through you. In doing this, you can release the sadness and make room for hope and peace. Soon those depressed feelings will come less and less often. If you’ve experienced hardship and life hasn’t worked out the way you wanted, it’s easy to feel as if you have nothing to be grateful for.
A beautiful life begins with a sense of gratitude. From experience, I have found that choosing to make gratitude a way of life helps me find the good in the worst experiences, which has the power to change a life.
Every night without fail, I list all the things I am grateful for that day, and I think deeply about them. If you find it hard to think of things to be grateful for, persevere. There is always something to give thanks for, even in the toughest times. You could start by being grateful for the job that puts food on the table and a roof over your head, a warm hug from your child, a loving smile and a kind word from a friend, or a beautiful sunny day. It’s amazing how this simple practice of gratitude shifts your perspective. You will find that you feel at peace and more appreciative of the people in your life. Gratitude helps you shift your energy into focusing on the good things, and in doing so, you will find that more good things will come your way.
Here are some ways to help your gratitude journey:
Accept the Truth
Let go of the image in your head of how things are supposed to be. Sometimes life just doesn’t want to give you what you want because it has something else in store for you. It will get better. Accept the truth and let go of the life that you expected so you can make the most of the life that’s happening right now. Practice being grateful for what is. To let go is to be grateful for the experiences that have helped you learn and grow and the possibilities that lie ahead. Every experience has value, even depression. You are strong, so keep going and take a positive step forward each day. Be fully present and focus on being grateful for what you have. In turn, you will attract what you want.
Forgive with All Your Heart
In forgiveness, we choose happiness over pain and accept others as they are. Acknowledge that what people do has nothing to do with you but more to do with them. The hurt they inflict is because of the hurt they have inside. Forgive them, but in saying that, if it is healthier and safer for you, limit time with them or have no contact. If people are unsupportive of your dreams or they have wronged you, they are allowing you to practice forgiveness and have given you room to believe in yourself even more. Remember, there are wonderful people in the world who will love and support you in both good times and bad.
Live in the Present
In depression, we can tend to dwell on the past. Make now the focus of your life. This is the moment; be present. The past is a memory, and the future is a thought. You can think about the past for happy memories and learning, and you can look to the future for purpose and planning, but keep your mind from negatively thinking of the future or the past. The only moment you have is now. This is it. Don’t waste it.
Appreciate
Stop and appreciate the little things that bring joy to your life. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Start your gratitude practice with three things to be grateful for each day. You can stay with the three or build up from there. The simple act of being grateful for small things will distance you from negative thoughts, and you will feel less anxious and more relaxed. I always end my meditation with, “I love my life. I am truly blessed.” And I believe I am.
Trust the Journey
Everything you learn through mistakes, failures, and life’s tough times is a part of your perfect future. You don’t have to know how things are going to work out. Just know that they will. You are learning skills that will make you stronger and more at ease with life. What I went through helped prepare me to coach and help others through tough times. You may feel as if everything is wrong, but where you are now is exactly where you need to be. This situation was designed to align you with your truth and discover your authentic self. Trust the journey and let yourself move through the pain to come out on the other side.
When we focus on what we don’t have, we lose our joy and then search for it in the wrong places. What we have now is enough. Don’t let everything you want make you forget about everything you already have. Count those blessings every day, and I know that it’s hard, but remember that without your struggles, you wouldn’t have found the strength you have now. The greatest possible healing experience lies in gratitude, and with gratitude comes freedom. X
