Musings: Gratitude is the Best Practice

A LOOK BACK

Unbelievable how time flies so fast! I can still vividly recall how I spent my birth month on the beach of Camiguin or how impulsive and naive I was for booking a ticket to Osaka for a guy that I terribly miss only to be told that he is not ready to commit and our distance will be an issue. Didn’t see the rejection coming so I wrote a post on Musings: The Anatomy of a Broken Heart.

Despite the heavy heart, I am still grateful that I finally get to visit a European country. Please feel free read our adventures in Scotland and United Kingdom for more.

The trek to the Annapurna Base Camp earlier this month was my best travel experience so far and I can’t wait to share my stories with you!  We started planning for the Annapurna Base Camp trek in Nepal two years ago. I was at a loss for words when we reached the base camp.

NYE

Now the countdown has begun and in few hours we are going to welcome a new year!  As we reflect on the year that is about to end, sometimes it is easier to recall the difficult times.

Don’t get me wrong! I am sure the lessons, triumph or defeat that we have faced  during the trying times has shaped us a lot.

Hi, I AM SADNESS

It is human nature to succumb to our emotions. But how come being unhappy doesn’t require too much effort?

When things are not going as planned, we are easy to throw tantrums, get frustrated, be disappointed, doubt ourselves, feel down and sad. Like Atlas in the Greek Mythology, we can’t help but act as if the world is on our shoulders.

We all have permission to feel disappointed and sad anytime of the day under different circumstances. Heck! Even the weather can dictate our moods. But why is it that we allow the negative feelings to linger for too long that we start blaming ourselves, our fate, our stars and the universe?

GRATITUDE

The simple answer is that we lack gratitude.

I looked up the meaning of gratitude in the dictionary:

grat·i·tude
/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
noun: gratitude
    the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

ME vs. THEM

We are not thankful enough. We lack appreciation of what we already have. We keep comparing ourselves or our achievements with other people not knowing that they are also fighting their own battles and insecurities.

We need to practice being more grateful. We need to inject gratitude in our daily life. We must begin and end our day being thankful. We may not be aware but there are so many things that we should be thankful for every single day.

PERSPECTIVE

Easier said than done? The answer is no. Putting a little perspective in situations will guide us in applying gratitude. My mom got critically ill twice the first quarter of the year. She never had any serious health issues in the past. Her hospital bills were expensive. I am still thankful enough that my brother is graduating from medical school in few months and I no longer have to pay for his enrollment. The money I currently have and will earn can pay for my mother’s hospital bills instead.

You don’t have to be caught in a really bad situation to find a different perspective. Again, I want to emphasize there are so many things to be thankful for everyday.

Busy day at school or work? Be thankful that you are being productive.

Your relationship with someone has ended? Be thankful that you will finally have the peace of mind.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Ever noticed how people who has less seems happier? The key is contentment and appreciation. There is nothing wrong with aspiring for more but we have to prepare ourselves for possible failures as well. If we fail, take it as an opportunity or lesson. Remain to be an optimist.

Every night before I go to bed, I always try to write at least one thing that I am thankful for in my planner. When I do this religiously, it becomes easier to find the silver lining when things go rough.

I highly suggest to put this into writing in your journal or planner. It is nice to read back what you have written down in the past.

I hope this post has shed you some light how important it is to be grateful everyday. So what are you most grateful for the year that is about to end?

Happy New Year everyone and stay safe always!!!