Do you ever feel guilty or pressured to be grateful for things that you don’t really appreciate? Do you ever use gratitude as a way to avoid or cover up your negative emotions? If so, you’re not alone. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 78% of Americans feel gratitude at least once a week, but only 37% express it regularly. (Common Sense Media).
In this blog post, I will share with you how to practice gratitude in a healthy and authentic way, without guilt or covering up your emotions.
Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can boost your happiness, health, and well-being. But sometimes, we may feel guilty or pressured to be grateful or use gratitude to avoid our negative feelings. In this blog post, I will share my thoughts and experiences on gratitude and how to practice it healthily and authentically.
Do you feel like you’ve lost touch with who you are? Do you want to rediscover your true self and live a more fulfilling life? If so, you’re not alone. Many women in midlife face the same challenges and questions. That’s why I want to share with you a powerful approach to personal transformation that changed my life: gratitude.
My Recent Stories of Gratitude
80 years of life, 60 years of love, and a family that spans four generations!
My heart is full of warmth and appreciation for all the magical moments life continues to sprinkle over me. I recently took a break from my social media because we were celebrating not one but two significant milestones this month. My Dad turned 80, and my parents will also celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in a few days. Our entire family, from my sisters to our grandkids, came together for a beautiful week-long family reunion. Witnessing every family member prioritizing this moment of connection and spending quality time together is a blessing and a tribute to my parents.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to share the joy and love with my parents as they watched each family member, from their three daughters, nine grandkids, and sixteen great-grandchildren, come together in celebration with singing, laughter, and long conversations, making beautiful memories for a lifetime.
As I continue to evolve on my life’s journey, I am noticing more little moments that profoundly impact my life. So, even though the little one shared the same cold virus with us, every hug and kiss from them was so meaningful and tender we would not change anything.
This is one of the many moments in my life that made me realize the power and importance of gratitude. Gratitude is not something that you should force yourself to feel or use as a band-aid for your negative emotions. Gratitude is something that you should feel from within and express in a way that is honest and genuine.
What is Gratitude?
Gratitude is being aware of and thankful for the good things life and taking the time to express appreciation and return kindness. Being grateful is more than saying thank you. When you express gratitude, it can lead to a stronger sense of well-being. Gratitude differs from other caring emotions, such as empathy and compassion, because gratitude is learned. (Common Sense Media).
Gratitude comes from appreciation which creates a feeling of happiness. A deeper appreciation for someone or something can produce longer-lasting positivity.
Here are some benefits of practicing gratitude in your midlife transformation journey:
- It helps you appreciate what you have and who you are instead of focusing on what you lack or wish to change.
- It boosts your mood and well-being, as gratitude is linked to positive emotions, such as happiness, joy, and satisfaction.
- It strengthens your relationships, as gratitude fosters empathy, kindness, and generosity towards others.
- It enhances your resilience, as gratitude helps you cope with stress, challenges, and setbacks.
Two Thoughts on Gratitude
However, not every day is a happy and grateful day. Sometimes, we may struggle to find gratitude in our lives or feel like we have to be thankful for something we don’t appreciate.
Here are two thoughts on gratitude that I want to share with you:
We do not want to guilt ourselves into feeling gratitude.
Gratitude needs to come from within. Often, we compare ourselves to others, saying, “We are so grateful for what we have” compared to what others don’t have. It is not healthy to compare ourselves to others. It is not healthy to tell yourself you “should” feel grateful. Guilting yourself into gratitude subconsciously creates more feelings of judgment or criticism of yourself.
We do not want to cover up our emotions to seek out gratitude.
If you try to force gratitude, you only cover up your emotions with a band-aid. Life will have the good and the bad, but when we avoid our feelings, the pressure builds. We will have a more challenging time cultivating gratitude and genuinely feeling it. Learning how to handle and work through our emotions, allowing those uncomfortable, painful feelings of disappointment, hurt, upset, and anger, and accepting them, is when the sense of gratitude will be able to wash over you.
When we dismiss the true meaning of gratitude, we miss out on having a fuller and more meaningful life. When you change the lens of how you look at gratitude and put the focus on yourself and your true feelings, that’s where the power lives and your appreciation of gratitude grows.
Studies show that practicing gratitude creates a happy and healthier you. Making us more authentic; we feel more joy, calm, and satisfaction.
Questions to Deepen Your Gratitude Practice
- What have you been given that you are grateful for? Why?
- What is a simple pleasure that you’re grateful for? Why?
- What is an accomplishment you are proud of? Why?
- What’s something you are grateful for outside? Why?
- What trial or challenge has strengthened you that you are grateful for? Why?
There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. The purpose is to help you become more aware of your feelings and thoughts on gratitude and encourage you to be honest with yourself.
Moving Closer to Gratitude
Intentionally focusing on gratitude cultivates authenticity. One small action you might take today? Reflect on one essential step to start or deepen your gratitude practice. Gratitude is an emotion; as we set our minds to be genuinely grateful, we allow authentic gratitude to be present. Let this bring awareness, strengthen your gratitude muscle, and authentically be grateful.
Conclusion
I hope this blog post has inspired you to practice gratitude in a healthy and authentic way. Gratitude is a wonderful emotion that can enrich your life in many ways. But it is important to practice it in a way that is true to yourself, and not to use it as a way to avoid or judge your feelings. When you change the lens of how you look at gratitude and put the focus on yourself and your true feelings, that’s where the power lives and your appreciation of gratitude grows.
I’d love to hear from you: what are you grateful for today? How do you practice gratitude in your daily life?
Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts. And if you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and subscribe to my blog for more tips and insights on midlife transformation.
Thank you for reading!
Teresa
Follow me social media:
If you’re looking for personalized 1-1 support, I invite you to book a free complimentary call with me on Calendly.