How Can I Be Grateful When There Is Violence All Around?
Unimaginable tragedy came into our lives last week. The loss of nine lives, nine people who graciously accepted an outsider into their circle, praying together and most-likely thanking God for their blessings together. Tragedies like these can It makes everyday gratitude seem very unimportant. My gratitude is often in the present moment and can be very inconsequential little things like the glow of the moon, efficient meetings and leftovers so I didn’t have to cook. How dare I be grateful for something so small during a time like this?
The same could be said nearly every day of our lives … with wars, genocide, murder, slavery, racism, hunger, rape, and so much more injustice happening all over the world and in our backyards. Why is daily gratitude important? Isn’t it selfish? Isn’t it flaunting our own privilege? No. It is practicing love and peace. It is seeing the world with eyes wide open and still finding the good in it. It is also self-care.
Here are some recommendations for supporting yourself during times of tragedy.
- Take care of yourself. Treat yourself gently and with respect, like you would treat a friend who was grieving.
- Don’t repeatedly check the news and social media.
- Acknowledge your feelings. Name them but you don’t need to explain them to yourself or anyone else.
- Talk to your friends and family or anyone who supports you.
- If you are a parent, utilize this great resource for supporting and talking to your children: Here for Each Other
- Envision the ideal future that you wish for the world.
- Find peace in your own soul today (and every day) by counting your blessings/gratitude. Why is this important? In the words of Martin Luther King: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
In order to make a positive contribution to the world, whether globally or in our own families, it is vital to take care of ourselves. Self-care makes us healthy, well, confident, resilient and focused enough to make a positive impact. A daily gratitude practice has been shown to improve sleep, well-being, attitude, physical symptoms of illness, optimism, and more. The icing on the gratitude cake is that people with a daily gratitude practice are more likely to make progress on their goals. All of these things are vital ingredients for making positive changes in the world.
Taking care of our well-being, including a daily gratitude practice, makes us better equipped to make positive changes in the world … Even if the change we make is only brightening the day of one old lady by smiling and saying, “good day” … Even during a time like this.
[su_quote cite=”Mohammed Fairouz”]I believe that the future is extremely bright. I believe that the future is hopeful. And I think that this generation is absolutely committed to making the world a better place. We have the will, we have the drive, we have the knowledge of the world at our fingertips. I think the resources available to us are unparalleled and light the way to a great future.[/su_quote]
This Week’s Gratitude Question
[su_button url=”http://www.ourgratitudecollective.com/activity/” background=”#178fb3″]What gives you hope when sadness and doubt bring a shadow over you?[/su_button]
My Gratitude Experience Last Week
One day last week I recorded my gratitude. If you listen to the recording you will hear this long pause as I was talking about being grateful to see my girlfriend. I wanted to fess up about what that delay was about. As I was sharing my gratitude I was remembering seeing my girlfriend and as the memory came to me I realized that I couldn’t remember greeting her with a kiss. That really bummed me out. That long pause was full of regret. I’ve never had the experience of recording my gratitude and feeling regret like that. I wanted to be grateful for kissing her but I couldn’t. So after a bit of regret. I found something I was grateful for which was being able to see her earlier in my work day than I normally would.
Forgotten Gratitude
Last week I was also grateful for a beautiful crescent moon aligned with Venus and Jupiter to create a mystical triangle … Having a music project to delve into, playing music never ceases to keep me in the present … A travel coffee mug gifted to me, I have been without my mug for so long but now thanks to Eugene I have one again.
A New eCard
Image by Antonia Montoya
The Gratitude I Shared Last Week
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| Sun | 6/21/2015 | I’m grateful for the love and acceptance that I am showered with by my dad, and a big family of the same … Catching glimpses of the sunset today, this longest day of the year, welcoming summer with a smile and the flutter of a hummingbird … Pool time together, laying in the grass together, just being together. |
| Sat | 6/20/2015 | I’m grateful for my sweet friend Eva, the best brunch host making me my own special guacamole and nonalcoholic beverages … I’m grateful for being able to help my momma … Conversations with new friends and getting a little push to get out on the dance floor … Loving glances. |
| Fri | 6/19/2015 | I’m grateful for getting my AC fixed just in time for the crazy hot weather … Finally getting excited about my upcoming show instead of just being nervous … The feel of soft skin on my fingertips. |
| Thu | 6/18/2015 | I’m grateful for my little family. My love, Nicole and our three dogs: Lita, Jazz, and Surplus … I’m grateful for hope on sad days when tragedy makes the future seem unbearably bleak but light shines through unstoppably … Left overs so I don’t have to cook … Breaking free of resistance and crossing something off my list that’s been there for a long time. I don’t know if it’ll work but now I will actually see instead of making up scenarios in my head. |
| Wed | 6/17/2015 | I’m grateful for living on such a quiet street where I hear crickets and toads and not much else in these summer nights … I’m grateful for efficient meetings that get out earlier with all our work done and then some … I’m grateful for finally learning the pen tool … I’m grateful for morning kisses and connection after I went to bed grumpy and needing to be alone … I’m grateful for a date night movie in full recliners with leg room to spare and no end to the popcorn. #lifeisgood |
| Tue | 6/16/2015 | I’m grateful for risking being vulnerable sharing with a networking group some feelings of insecurity that were alive in me, taking the risk to be real and share something that was so true and was scary … I was grateful that it was received so well, they were encouraging and validated my feelings … I’m also grateful today that my car was in the shop and I had three miles of walking and it was so great to walk in the middle of my work day, moving my body and thinking … I’m also grateful that I was able to be of help to my girlfriend, give her a ride and just see her earlier in my work day than I normally would. |
| Mon | 6/15/2015 | I’m grateful for an amazing home cooked dinner to celebrate Adam’s birthday; steak, crab legs, shrimp, perfectly cooked asparagus, garlic toast and carrot cake; made with love … I’m grateful for having plans so I could put a definitive stop to my work day that was particularly stressful … I’m grateful for so much familial love in every direction … I’m grateful for a great back rub. |
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[su_note note_color=”#e7e7e7″ text_color=”#686767″ radius=”0″] My gratitude journey started in May 2011 and continues to this day. Thank you for being a part of it! A daily gratitude practice is simple. Write down three things you are grateful for each day. Download your free GratitudeGuide. My clients focus on gratitude and learn from their successes to make the positive changes they want in their lives. You can too. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336. [/su_note]