Over the past few days I have been pondering what I would write about for my blog. I thought about what life events I had faced and how I had coped with them and life events that I had not coped with and felt overwhelmed and chaotic. There have been times when I have felt like I have been drifting out at sea on my own, feeling alone and isolated. There have been times when I felt that the feelings would never end and life would be the same like an endless wheel of everyday monotony. It sounds depressing and scary just reading this.
During a very difficult time for my family and me it got so bad that I thought ?It can?t get any worse, can it?? I was watching the news about hurricane Katrina and it was at this time that I realised that despite what I was experiencing there were people going through worse times than me.
This led me to adopt what I call an ?Attitude of Gratitude?. Now this isn?t about thinking ?glad it?s not me? or ?poor them?, for me it?s about recognising what is here now.
Just after last xmas my boiler broke down and we were left without heating and hot water. My immediate reaction to this was ?why has this happened to me?? and ?this wasn?t in my plan!!?
I resisted what was happening, took it personally, I got irritated and started to worry about the cost and how long it would take to repair the boiler.
I managed to get an engineer and he worked over two days trying to repair it. Patiently we waited, in thick jumpers with hot tea and biscuits. I listened intently for the trickle of water, and the radiators to heat up and the ignition of the boiler, ready to celebrate as if it was the greatest thing that had happened to me!!
Success, hot water & heating!! I had never enjoyed doing the dishes so much in my life, having a bath as if it was the first time and feeling the warmth of a radiator on a cold winters night made me ecstatic.
I realised that when I was on autopilot doing everyday things, I took for granted everyday things like running water, food, shelter and warmth. What else did I take for granted? Family, friends perhaps everyday people?
Whenever life throws you curveballs just stop and consider your present situation, you are not without or lacking. If you are reading this on a phone, say to yourself ?I am grateful for this phone?. Then ?I am grateful for being able to read?, ?I am grateful for friends who text me on the phone?, ?I am grateful for family who ring me on my phone???the list is endless.
Sometimes it?s great to stop and take notice of where we are, what we are doing, what is happening, to observe without judgement. It is a challenge to do this, however, just stop what you are doing and start the process of gratitude by saying:
?I am grateful for????..?
Whenever you think life is going wrong just think of all the things that are here now. The reason it is called the present because it is a gift.
Paul Griffiths
Well Being Course Practitioner
Recent Comments