Finding the Gratitude in the Grit, Grime & Glum

Finding the Gratitude in the Grit, Grime & Glum

…gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture…Kak Sri

Well it’s that time of year again when the holidays roll around and we make concentrated efforts to be grateful.  It is easy to be grateful from all the abundance that is in our lives, depending on your situation, maybe that is family, friends, opportunities, new home, new car, new job, vacation, etc.  My challenge – using the metaphor of the rose – is to be grateful, really grateful for the thorns.  What have you experienced this year that was down right hard, maybe even unbearable but that you came out the other end?  Think about being grateful for the challenges you had to face. 

A few years back, I had a broken ankle.  At the time I lived on the top floor of a two-story apartment building.   Climbing up and down the stairs was quite a challenge with the cast, crutches, groceries and the like.  I remember catching myself complaining periodically about the number of steps there were to traverse.  Until one day, I realized that I had taken my good health for granted and never expressed gratitude for something as simple as climbing stairs.  Once healed, I never forgot the lesson of how grateful to have full mobility without injury and to be able to get around freely without limitations.

You must have had your fair share of trials and tribulations possibly this year.  So ask yourself – what did I learn and how can I be grateful for the thorns of adversity that I have been blessed enough to receive?  Gratitude is not just meant for the good and sweet things we encounter and experience in our everyday lives but also in the challenges we face.  So what are you grateful for this Thanksgiving Holiday that has helped you grow and become a better you?

Visit my YouTube Channel to view my latest video on living with more gratitude.