Living in gratitude

Just when we thought the pandemic couldn’t get any worse, it mutates and regains control of our reality. It’s easy to get consumed by fear right now. It’s easy to crumble. It’s easy to just be depressed about it all and you know what, no one would blame you. Things are not looking great. But I implore you to take caution and not choose what’s easy.

What else is there then? We can’t pretend like we have a cooking clue of what’s next and feigning positivity is exhausting in itself so what can we do? Well, I think we can be grateful.

Grateful every time we return home safe and sound.

Grateful every time we sit on the couch with our people and enjoy a movie together.

Grateful every time we have those deep belly laughs until our eyes start to well up.

Grateful every time we complete we find a moment to take stock of our lives.

Grateful every time we wake up and end the day without receiving news of a loved one passing away.

Gratitude is such a powerful tool in the face of fear and despair. Fear makes us think “what if?” in the worst way, despair makes us think “what’s the use?” but gratitude isn’t based on hypotheticals and unanswered questions. Gratitude is grounding because it’s all about the here and now. It allows us to bring back our focus to what we have right now not what we could lose.

Gratitude is the gift that keeps giving because when we appreciate what we have, we also begin to show it more love and appreciation. Through gratitude, we refocus our energy and raise our vibrations. We rise, if you will, from the low energies that are all around us and start seeing over the clouds.

The great trials we face, I believe, aren’t intended to break us. I don’t believe this very difficult time we’re living through is our end but perhaps, our rebirth. Perhaps we are meant to truly open our eyes to the things we’ve been taking for granted or even, the time to stop ignoring things that are crippling us as a people.

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, it’s also a state of mind and a way of life. When we live in gratitude then we are more likely to live a just life and be moved to act against injustices. When we choose gratitude then we will also be able to live in contentment and turn away from greed.

We need to remember that, everything that happens on the outside, is temporary. But what we then internalize and let manifest on the inside, can become a more fixed state of being.

If we choose to stay stuck and scared right now, we will succeed. But if we use this time to rise, to act with purpose and to be truly grateful, then rise we will. 

By Phemelo Segoe