Even when life gets rough there is always something to be grateful for. We sometimes tend to lose track of those things and keep our focus on what we think is going 'wrong' in our lives. By doing this it keeps us from taking a step back and checking in with what is going 'right' in our lives. Reminding ourselves of the blessings around us can help us stay out of our heads and stay on track so that we can resolve the matter(s) at hand.
I know it's hard not to get angry and frustrated with things, and that's OK! We NEED to sit with our anger and really feel it. We have the right to feel the way we do, but we also need to find our clarity around it so that we can move forward in a positive direction.
So HOW do you do this, you ask? It's a practice, my friend!
Say you're driving to work peacefully, feeling good and then someone aggressively cuts you off when merging onto the highway and doesn't even acknowledge or care what he's done, and then you get to work and a co-worker makes a negative remark (again!) about your performance on a work project. At this point you're just filled with frustration and your whole mood has gone from one extreme to the next in a matter of minutes. I have these days too!
Maybe you've heard the saying, "God would never put anything in front of you that you can't handle"? or "That what does not kill us only makes us stronger"? Well, I'm a firm believer that there is truth in both (cliche or not).
Take for instance the guy who cuts you off on the freeway. Perhaps he was put there to cut you off and slow you down because something horrible or unwarranted was going to happen ahead. Or maybe he received a call that his wife had a bad accident and is in the hospital? It's possible, right? If you can think the negative, you can most definitely think the positive. Why not think what serves you most in your happiness?
The same goes for the co-worker who keeps bad mouthing your work reports and/or performance. Maybe he is being put in front of you to challenge you and your abilities to do an even better job, thus possibly creating a great promotion ahead? Or maybe his challenge is for you to practice your mindfulness and NOT listen to the naysayers around you so that you can grow into your authentic self and succeed?
Overall, my idea here is that your thought patterns can take over you like a bullet train. Changing the way you think and immersing yourself into mindfulness can help you develop a better life in peace and gratitude.
Think about it.
Feel free to contact me with any comments or if you want to discuss how you can implement mindfulness into your life. I'm happy to chat!
With Gratitude x
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