Why Having Gratitude Saves Us (Plus a Journal Prompt)

Having gratitude saves me from having a lack mindset. From thinking that I have bad luck or that things don’t go my way. From thinking I don’t have the things I want. Because I have so much. But I don’t always recognize it until I am grateful. 

Like the other day. I woke up at 4:30 and couldn’t fall back asleep. My rib was dislocated, and I couldn’t find a comfortable way to lie. So I got up. I wanted to make a coffee but my husband was sleeping on the couch since my daughter fell asleep in bed with me. So I felt like I had nowhere to go. 

Then my daughter woke up, and we started our day. I was exhausted, but, considering we’re trying to do less screen time, I had to find the energy to play with her. And I was feeling angry. All I wanted was to be alone. I wasn’t up for talking and playing. But I know this time with my daughter won’t last forever, and I started to feel grateful that I get to play with her.

I found myself feeling more gratitude the more things I was grateful for. Like how lucky I am to have time in the morning with her. How grateful I am for my flexible job that allows me to start work later in the day. Grateful for our safe home. Electricity, modern plumbing, running water. And the list goes on. For once you start the gratitude train, it’s hard to stop it. 

And having gratitude changes our mindset. Our outlook on life. For after having gratitude that morning, I started to embrace even the smallest moments with my daughter for the magic that they are. I took pictures. I laughed and smiled and snuggled her. I was present. And I had gratitude to thank for it. 

So if you wish for more gratitude, look around and see all that you have. If you still don’t feel gratitude, think of something that troubles you and find what you can be grateful for. 

For example, if I have to grocery shop, and I’m not up for leaving my house, I can be grateful for the food that nourishes me. I can be grateful for the money I have to buy the groceries. I can be grateful for all the people it took to get the food. I can be grateful for the workers at the store who helped me get what I need. I can be grateful for the transportation that got me to the store and back home. There’s always something to be grateful for (the book, The Magic, by Rhonda Byrne, talks about this in greater detail).

If you have suffered trauma and are struggling with gratitude. I get it. In my darkest moments, I felt no gratitude. But trust me that finding things to be grateful for will help show you the light that you need to get through it. You will get through this. And you deserve to. You are so worth it. 

• Now grab your journal and write down all the things you feel gratitude for. And don’t stop.
• Write until you have 10 things. Then 20. If that feels overwhelming, start with one. 
• Try doing it every day. At the same time every day. Every morning and every night. 
• Write about your gratitude every minute you get a chance to. And watch as you start to feel better. 

I wish you all the joys of feeling gratitude, and I wish you lots of light on your journey. You’ve got this.

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Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash