Birthing Some Gratitude
Today I am grateful for the cooling breeze that pushed out the oppressive humidity as the day wore on yesterday. I am also grateful for a working washing machine and dryer to give us fresh, clean clothes.
The www.gratefulness.org website emails a "Word of the Day" each day and a few days ago it was:
"Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth." (attributed to Sophocles)
Positive breeds positive. Negative breeds negative. It is why gratitude practice works and why other "strengths-based" approaches studied by researchers in the fields of positive psychology and resilience are shown to be effective. They get people well. They keep people well. (Read more at The Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania here or the Greater Good Science Center at UC-Berkeley here.)
I agree with the research and I am grateful it is growing, but I had proof before the research became more prevalent. My own experience was all the proof I needed. When I was not well, stuck, ill; I was driven by negative emotions like self-pity, fear, self-hatred, and perfectionism. They kept birthing more of the same and I kept drinking, beating myself up, spinning my wheels.
When my good friend Terrie gave me my first gratitude journal nearly two decades ago, she knew someone like me could use something like that. She had listened to the negative more than enough. When I actually started using the journal and becoming more aware of what I do have instead of focusing on what I don't, little amazing things started happening. I started accepting myself a little more and hating myself a little less. I started seeing that the world wasn't picking on me anymore than anyone else was getting picked on by life.
Gratitude started birthing more gratitude. The foundation of a more positive perception of myself and the world around me was built. I continue to build on that foundation today. Building a life with far more contentment and peace than I ever thought possible. And creating a reserve of strength and positive emotions to put to work when the tough days and moments come along, because they always do.
My eternal gratitude to my dear friend Terrie who passed away in 2003. My ongoing gratitude to gratitude practice because it works. Gratitude births more gratitude and is shared with others. A true win-win.
The www.gratefulness.org website emails a "Word of the Day" each day and a few days ago it was:
"Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth." (attributed to Sophocles)
Positive breeds positive. Negative breeds negative. It is why gratitude practice works and why other "strengths-based" approaches studied by researchers in the fields of positive psychology and resilience are shown to be effective. They get people well. They keep people well. (Read more at The Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania here or the Greater Good Science Center at UC-Berkeley here.)
I agree with the research and I am grateful it is growing, but I had proof before the research became more prevalent. My own experience was all the proof I needed. When I was not well, stuck, ill; I was driven by negative emotions like self-pity, fear, self-hatred, and perfectionism. They kept birthing more of the same and I kept drinking, beating myself up, spinning my wheels.
When my good friend Terrie gave me my first gratitude journal nearly two decades ago, she knew someone like me could use something like that. She had listened to the negative more than enough. When I actually started using the journal and becoming more aware of what I do have instead of focusing on what I don't, little amazing things started happening. I started accepting myself a little more and hating myself a little less. I started seeing that the world wasn't picking on me anymore than anyone else was getting picked on by life.
Gratitude started birthing more gratitude. The foundation of a more positive perception of myself and the world around me was built. I continue to build on that foundation today. Building a life with far more contentment and peace than I ever thought possible. And creating a reserve of strength and positive emotions to put to work when the tough days and moments come along, because they always do.
My eternal gratitude to my dear friend Terrie who passed away in 2003. My ongoing gratitude to gratitude practice because it works. Gratitude births more gratitude and is shared with others. A true win-win.
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