We often focus on negative stories in everyday life, ignoring most of the positive things that are part of our lives. Being able to hear and see, to feel, to live in a relaxed country, to go to school/university/work, to have our parents around, to have fun with friends, to travel freely - all this is given or is something mundane for us?

It turns out that for many people this is not the case - just dump the news of the day. The constant intrusion of murders, catastrophes and daily robberies transmitted by the media leaves us feeling more negativity to the world than positivism. Let's think - our health has not always been as good as it is today, has it?

The moments in which we realize that we cannot always rely on living so healthy and free will inevitably make us grateful for what we have at the moment. The gratitude we feel then should actually be felt every day and in a variety of situations. There are enough things that we can be grateful for. Small and big:

· For our lives;

· For friends who make us laugh;

· For health;

· For the sun that shines in the room, the office;

· For the train arriving on time;

· For the taste of chocolate, beer, lasagne, scrambled eggs, pineapple;

· For all who think of us and love us;

· For the peace in our country;

· For the smile that was given to us today;

· For the aroma of lavender;

· For the music that makes us laugh, we cry, we dream;

· For the mattress that allows us to sleep well;

· For the rose bush on the way that reminds the father's house;

· For unbelieving children's eyes when they see you in the afternoon after school instead of the babysitter;

          Why do we do it, why is it important to feel a sense of gratitude? Grateful people are more satisfied with life, more optimism, vitality and positive emotions. Also, they are less likely to experience envy and depression symptoms. But gratitude can do even more for us: Grateful people help more often, they are perceived as more generous and less materialistic-oriented. It is important to know that we all, at one time or another, are dependent on others and the world which we live in. Nobody achieves anything entirely alone. And the realization that we could not achieve anything without the support of others and a "pinch of luck" is usually accompanied by a sense of gratitude to those people and things that have helped us. We start thinking about them and that makes us feel grateful. All of these factors lead to better social relationships, which in turn contribute to more satisfaction and happiness.

And can we expect gratitude? We will surely feel happy if we see the gratitude for our good deed. If we expect it at any cost, however, and we do not get it, we risk being disappointed. The best way to find happiness is not to give thanks in anticipation of receiving gratitude, but to give it because of the pleasure of it.

Let's recall that appreciation and gratitude are being grown and nourished. If we want our children to be grateful, we need to teach them that. Imagine that our child is a first-grade student, and in the first week it has been praised by the teacher for its good coping in the world of letters. How would we feel? Proud. Even the humble ones will experience it. At this point, it is good to think of who, besides us, played an important role in the success of the child. Teachers in the kindergarten? Grandma or grandfather? It is good to express our gratitude to those people who, with their labour and approach, have awakened the child's interest in pre-school letters. And why did not the child make a drawing for them and thank them together?

What do we learn from this? (What's the lesson?)

We must stop taking everything for granted and begin to appreciate what we have. There are so many things to be grateful for. Even serious problems or development crises often have their positive aspects. However, we do not usually perceive them as lessons for which we are grateful.

As soon as we know the feeling of gratitude, we will feel richer, happier and more relaxed. Sometimes happiness will be quiet, and sometimes so strong that we will want to embrace the whole world ...

Do you want to unlock even more happiness? Then try the "Expression of thanks" exercise, which can be found here: https://www.happinessacademy.eu/uprazhnenia

 

Author: Veneta Aleksandrova Paeva