I always thought I was a grateful person. Life lessons learned early on showed me the importance of many things and I never fell into any type of materialistic trap or had grandiose expectations. I did however have in mind that I deserved somehow a middle class life, a nice husband, a smart, healthy kid or two and a secure job with good pay. Not much to ask for- right? This should be kind of a "given." I was what Bugs Bunny would call an "Ultra Maroon." (Not sure exactly the meaning of that but, you get the idea.)
As I matured on my spiritual journey I realized so much more. I am not deserving of ANYTHING... NOTHING! Good relationships take time, nurturing, caring, respect, etc., they don't just happen. It is so difficult for so many people to have children, let alone healthy, smart ones. A good job needs to be earned and even then, there are no guarantees. Especially today, in this economy so many people are at risk of losing their jobs, pensions, retirement funds, etc.- it is all fleeting. This seems all so depressing- huh? But no; it is all so wonderful and freeing.
You see if we set the "peg" back the furthest it can go, that we come into this world with nothing, deserve nothing... then it's easy to see that everything that we do have in this life is a gift! Every friendship, loved one, sunrise, sunset and what lies in-between- it's ALL icing on the cake of life!
Of course there are many things that are within our control that we can do to change our lives, to make it better, our relationships stronger, etc. If you don't like what's going on between morning and night; do your best to improve that- whatever it may be. What you can't control, learn to accept (AKA- The Serenity Prayer).
Daily doses of gratitute are prescribed to combat depression and anxiety. During meditation, prayer or journaling, take time to be thankful for all that you have. It is a proven technique to help stamp out negative, self-defeating thoughts and to help change your perspective.
Thanks for Reading!
Gigi
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