How Do I Become Genuinely Grateful?

Previous articles in this series: article 1   article 2 

Gratitude is an essential key to a wonderful life.  Unfortunately, most people don’t understand that gratitude is what creates a better life. We want to have the wonderful life first, so we have something to be grateful for! You might think “I promise I’ll be grateful when I eventually have something to be grateful for.”

It is easy to slip into this trap.  The truth, however, is that precisely the opposite is true. Your decision to be grateful actually creates more experiences and things to be grateful for.

Gratitude is a choice.  It is a decision. Gratitude is not something that happens to you. If you are to be grateful, you must first decide to be grateful. Your toys, your spouse, your boss, your body, your environment are not the origin of gratitude– they do not make you grateful.  You must decide to be grateful.

Let me give you an example. You might think it would be impossible to find gratitude in a Nazi death camp.  Finding gratitude, however, was the very thing that helped people survive and even thrive in that environment. Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsy, were placed in Ravensbruck, which was one of the worst German prison camps. Betsy and Corrie taught the world that we can be grateful for absolutely anything.  They were able to feel genuine gratitude for abusive guards, moldy bread, disease, extreme hardship, and even death.  They found a way to be grateful for everything—that is, everything except for the fleas in their crowded living quarters.  Their beds were infested with terrible fleas.  Even though for many weeks they could not find a reason to be grateful for the fleas, they decided to just choose to be grateful, so in their constant prayers they thanked God for all their many hardships—including the fleas.  They understood that no event is either good or bad, until you attach a meaning to it.  They decided to be grateful for everything in their lives, even though it was sometimes difficult to do so.  After a few months in their flea-infested quarters, they realized that no guards ever entered the front door to their dorms.  No women in their quarters were ever raped or abused at night.  When the torture of each day ended, they didn’t have to worry about surprise visits from the guards during the night, all because of the fleas!

The miracle of life, by itself, is enough to be overwhelmed with gratitude.  Take 20 minutes each morning to thank each body part, to thank the beauty in nature all around you, and the fact that you have the senses to observe that beauty.  Allow yourself to be overcome by gratitude.  If tears come, let them flow.  When you recognize all there is around you for which to be grateful, you will know very clearly that you are loved.  Accept this truth, and allow gratitude to fill your soul.