5 on Friday: 5 Things to be grateful for …
Photo credit – John Price via unsplash.com
You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.
~ Anon
Does that ring true for you? Anyone who has had a brush with death, experienced a serious illness or suffered major financial loss, knows. When times are good, we take things for granted. Once that changes, you are brought back to reality with a thud. With the benefit of hindsight we look back on times past, and recognise the value of things lost.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Express your gratitude
You can make an effort to consciously express your appreciation for the things you are grateful for. It is easy to get caught up in the “busy-ness” of life, and forego those moments. But appreciation and gratitude are positive emotions, and by their very nature – are best shared with others.
Martin Seligman (proponent of positive psychology) suggests you keep a gratitude diary. How does it work? You record at least one thing that has happened each day, that you are grateful for. Some people do it at night before going to sleep – ending the day on a positive note. Over time, the gratitude events accumulate and provide a record of the many great things you have going on in your life.
This is my Friday post. I am a going to end the week positively with a gratitude list!
5 things I am grateful for:
- Freedom – I am very grateful that I live in a free country, where I can express my views without punishment and live my life in relative safety. I cannot image what it must be like to live in a war-torn area like those we see on the daily news.
- Positive people – There are many people I work with, socialise with and live with who are positive about life, work and activities. I am grateful for them sharing their positive emotions with me. It’s contagious and I benefit from that.
- Good health – I have enjoyed good health for most of my life, enabling me to do a great variety of things. After my illness and treatment earlier this year, I am pleased to feel well again and not be restricted in my activities. Good health is often not appreciated until it is gone.
- Good red wine – Australia produces some great wine and I do enjoy a glass with dinner, or a tasty soft cheese. I have been in the other side of the world in a restaurant, asking the sommelier for a recommended wine – only to be given the suggestion of something from the Barossa Valley. We knew it well,having a bottle at home in the cupboard!
- Great coffee – Some say the best part of coffee is the smell. It certainly contributes to my pleasure in drinking it. So does a good crema and a smooth taste. My morning ritual includes coffee – it is my happy time, enjoying it and considering the day ahead. I am grateful for a good coffee, which is relatively easy to find in Melbourne.
What about you?
What are you grateful for? Are there things that make a difference to your day – the absence of which – would make a difference?
