Hard Gratitude: Finding Appreciation in Tough Times
We have problems.
I have strong reservations penning an article on gratefulness with strife but it’s true (keep reading though, because it’s not all downhill- I promise!).
These problems have a slew of emotional baggage, piled with daily doses of negative dialogues and crinkling nerves. Things can seem small and dim like the last flicker of a cold nights campfire.
But (now I’ll make good on my promise) we still have goodness, a reservoir of things peering through the turbulence. It’s up to each of us to crawl out of destructive pathways and focus our attention on the softer side of life, the precious.
I consider myself keenly aware of the gifts in my life. I’m a practicing gratitude expressionist. It’s easy to find thanks. That was pre-pandemic. My reality, like yours has shifted. In the Covid-19 and racial unjust reality, in a world of starving children and cheating leaders, things feel hard. Things feel swollen, sour and especially sticky. Toxicity seems nearer than ever before. This is the exact time to seek gratitude. To chisel through the decay of human suffering, uncertainty and find fortitude in the flaws. This is the time to grow in abundance.
With all of this, life’s problems are oozing in the already tightly fisted gaps. Some days just one more thing can leave us cracked and wounded. I have those days too. And while I can not control the misfortune, I can control the deep dive into God’s goodness and proceed not with caution but knowing. Knowing that this too shall pass.
Here’s my personal list of hard things that are happening and ideas on how I reframe them:
19 Expressions of Thanks During Hard Times:
1. I’m not on lockdown, I’m in a spacious/comfortable home that has everything I need.
2. I can’t go to my favorite restaurants, but our pantry is stocked well enough that we can share with others.
3. A friend sent flowers to cheer me up during a really challenging time. The aroma kept me in the present moment, finding bright spots of beauty.
4. I have access to a huge library of videos that keep my brain sharp and my body in shape. YouTube has given me great workouts, meditations, motivation for the day and spa music.
5. I’m grateful I get to spend time indoors, in a safe, calm environment. I can see anyone in the world through this spectacular technology.
6. A friend was in a car accident, she was injured, I’m grateful she survived and is going to be ok.
7. I’m not in lock down or prison, I have dependable running shoes that allow me to hit the pavement for a beautiful a.m. run and back home to a machine that makes smoothies.
8. I’ve reconnected with a friend after ten years. It doesn’t matter what happened, all that matters is that we love each other enough to move on…now. Because love is more powerful than misgivings and misunderstandings.
9. Due to the recent racial injustices, I’ve seen an increase in awareness from my white friends.
10. All of my flight plans have been canceled. We own a car so my travel just looks different.
11. The Drs on YouTube helped me understand the ache in my knee and how to massage and stretch it out. I’m feeling better!
12. The nights when sleep doesn’t come, I’m grateful to have a resting space that is safe and quiet.
13. My dream vacation was scheduled for June 2020, it’s been canceled. I’m grateful I could recreate a space for solace and companionship on my patio, at night.
14. Landscapers hit a rock plunging it into our patio door, leaving behind a beautiful cracked glass door (yes, the entire door). When the sunshine pours in, it leaves a beautiful image over our old wood floors. We have the resources to purchase a new door.
15. The dryer stopped without warning. So grateful for all of the years we’ve had it, it’s been dependable every cycle. Never a problem. Grateful for the resources to purchase another one. Growing up, we didn’t have a washer or dryer, so I’m thankful to have them now.
16. All grocery shopping has changed, I don’t like it. Local farmers help me keep healthy veggies in our kitchen.
17. Someone I know is dying of cancer, I’m grateful for the days I’ve gotten to know him. His smile and soft voice were always a calming gift to me.
18. A tough, hard-headed puppy that challenges my patience and my strength. He is lovable and brings me joy each morning with a big, wet hello.
19. My birthday plans were canceled, but I had a birthday. My life hasn’t been canceled.
If I really sit and think about it, I can find more than 19 expressions of gratitude. They’re literally all round us, all we have to do is pause in the moment, find clarity and announce what’s good or what’s working…even if it’s barely working, you still have progress.
Raquel Eatmon is a Be Bold Accomplice, Keynote Speaker and Author of Beyond Enough How to Lead with Your Whole Self. For over a decade she has produced the Woman of Power Leadership Conference for high potentials. She is challenging audiences to live and lead bolder lives through strategic risk taking rituals. Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn