Thankful For The Not-So-Good Things
Nov 24, 2022
Tis the season of gratitude. There are so many things I am thankful for every day. I am thankful for the gift of life. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the opportunity to help my patients. I am thankful for the privilege to serve other physicians with coaching.
It is not difficult to be thankful for people we love or things we enjoy. What about the people we do not get along with but are in our lives? Or things which do not go as we please?
How do we thank for the people or the things we do not like, or even despise?
You may think, why bother to thank for those things you do not even want to think about. Everything in our lives help shape who you are today. The obstacles you have, the challenges you do not welcome. The nasty comments, the bad attitude, the annoying personality. You name it, we all have most, if not all, of those things at some point in our lives.
It is possible to tease out something to be thankful for in all circumstances. It may take an open mind and a curious heart. That certainly beats a stubborn mind or a heavy heart which focuses on all the reasons you do not like that person or situation.
I challenge you to think of five people you do not get along with. Think of their characteristics or things they have done. What are you thankful for about them? What did you learn from them? Write them down.
Think of five things which happened in your life which you wish for a different outcome. What are you thankful for about them? What did you learn from them? Write them down.
How have you grown because of those people and situations in your life?
There is always something good and something we can be thankful for even in a bad situation. Yes, even in someone we do not like.
What was the lesson learned?
What did you gain from it?
How are you different because of that person or incident?
Gratitude reminds us to be content with what we have. A heart of gratitude experiences abundance. We are capable of many things. With more gratitude, more content and abundance, we are capable of even more extraordinary things.
Are you ready to stop feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Are you ready to have more time to do what you want?
