Gratitude and simplicity: The joys of simple living.

 

Gratitude originated from the Latin word ‘gratus’, meaning thankful or pleasing, and in the hurly–burly of today’s life, we are repeatedly reminded to express our gratitude for the small blessings bestowed on us.

I can gripe about the weather, the traffic jams, the maid, and Oh! I’m spoiled for choice. I could be chasing success, career, money, or glamour or be weighed down by challenges. There are these picture-perfect images on social media that can leave me discontented and dissatisfied with my own life. 

It doesn’t strike me that despite the chase and challenges, I’m still richly blessed, even if they are things that I usually take for granted.  It is these precious moments that make life worth living, especially when life gets overwhelming.

. I’m so caught up with the business of living, I rarely take time to reflect on what I have. When I practice gratitude, I clear my mind of clutter and of negativity and make way for clarity and positivity.

 

Steps to practice gratitude:

 

·       A nightly ritual:

Each night, before you retire, give thanks for all blessings and joys received during the day: sunshine, food, water, the joke you shared with a friend, the chat with your neighbor, the maid coming to work on time, and just about anything that you felt blessed to receive.

 

·       Each morning:

Each morning, give thanks for being alive to live another day.  

 

·       Gratitude journal:

Keep a gratitude journal and write down things that you’re grateful for each day.

 

·       When things go wrong:

Ask yourself, “What is the silver lining in this cloud? If you cannot find it, say thanks anyway. Everything that happens in your journey happens for a reason.

 

Once you understand and accept the importance of practicing gratitude, even for the simplest of things, you are a gratitude warrior, and your life changes for the better.

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