Gratitude-makes life peaceful
How to use gratitude to lead a fulfilling life
This happened two days back. My wife and me are on the way to my in-laws house which is 25 miles away from the town where we are working. The way to our destination goes through a forest area of 15 miles. Due to heavy work and the delivery commitments, we had to work late on even that weekend(both Saturday & Sunday). As a result we came our home late, freshened up fast and left for my in-laws’ house at 7:30 in the evening. March month is still cold, in contrast to the normal weather conditions of most of the rest of the country during that time and I had my bike to do the transport job. You can imagine the discomfort we were facing by the time we entered the jungle at 8:00 PM. On one side it is dark and on the other side, it is cold. The next day is an important festival for the people in that area, hence I did not want my wife to spend her festival alone in our house. Counting every mile which is crossing us, we were moving gradually towards our destination. So many cars are passing us both from the opposite side and from the same side. I was just floating in my dreams that how comfortable it would have been if I could travel the same trip by it and blaming the circumstances, the country, the government and what not for not letting me have a car to travel in such situation. I felt inferior and failed among so many cars, being the lone biker.
Then this happened. A old man in his 50s probably working in the jungle for cutting wood to make his living has just finished his work, loaded all his hard work on a bicycle and started for his home. It was 8:30 PM in the night and it was so cold in that dark filled forest. He was slowly cycling on the extreme left side of the road as he is not having the privilege of a head light to assist him in this darkness. With cars cruising on that smooth road, he should be extra careful if he wants his family to be surviving. I just processed the imagination of how uncomfortable he must be feeling in this situation and in a second hung my head in shame for blaming everything which did not let me have a car. I realized that at least I have a head light to show me the way and with the help of my engine, I could cross this forest in 30 minutes, where as it will take more than an hour for him in this bone-biting chillness, just after having a day’s full of hard work. After witnessing this, for the rest of my journey, I did not let a word out of my mouth and has been feeling so satisfied with what life has offered to me.
This feeling, the feeling of satisfaction with what life has provided us is called as ‘gratefulness’ or in other words ‘Gratitude’.
Benefits of Gratitude:
According to a research study by Mr.Joel Wong & Mr.Joshua Brown from Indiana university, gratitude has long-lasting benefits on our mental health and overall well-being. Also, gratitude helps us to achieve this well being in the following ways, according to them:
a) By disconnecting us from poisonous emotions
b) By encouraging us to give more
c) By re-wiring our brain to work only through PMA(Positive Mental Attitude)
d) By protecting us from disappointments and depressions that can arise from illogical expectations
e) By incorporating the best financial quality of frugality in us and thereby ensuring better financial position
How to inculcate Gratitude
Now we have noted down the benefits of being grateful to what has been given to us, we will now see some of the remarkable ways to inculcate gratitude in our daily life.
- Maintain a ‘What-if’ journal
Writing a normal journal is usual. But, a ‘What-if’ journal is a tool that drives you to have gratitude by writing down the incidents of the day which you feel could have been more satisfying or rewarding and writing it in a fictitious manner the same incidents if they could have been lesser rewarding that what actually happened. Re-live the entire day with this ‘What-if’ incidents and then you will feel how great your actual day has been.
2. Go on a road trip
Whatever one does and is her work or background, everyone should once in a life time go on a road trip. The trip should be less inclined towards luxury and more towards gaining a fruitful experience. Instead of journeying through busy cities, try to go to country side where people are more penetrated into nature. Spend some time with those people. The way these people survive happily with minimum resources will make you fulfilled and grateful that you no more need any I-pod or Alexa for your survival
3. Help the needy
Once a wise man told that he asked an angel when he needs to stop giving away, then the angel answered that he should stop whenever god stops giving him. One of the best way to feel grateful is to help the needy. By supporting the survival of needy, you will know the value of life you are living and automatically that gives you a feeling of gratitude. Please do not take mobile phones or cameras with you when you do this activity. Service does not need selfies.
4. Read war journals/watch war documentaries
Be it the Sri Lankan civil war, Afghanistan war, Vietnam war or for that matter any of the conflict in the world has imbibed in them countless stories of how the peaceful lives of the inhabitants have been turned into hell because of these conflicts. Most of these victims have nothing to do with the greed of the supreme powers but have been affected. Although it is not easy to read and digest the horrifying incidents of people in war-torn countries, you should read them or watch the documentaries related to them more often to realize how peaceful and free life we are leading.
5. Leave the ‘WW-IG’ attitude in the trash
WW-IG is not an abbreviation for any World War. But it is an attitude which can cause destruction not less than any of the world war. World war destroys world, where WW-IG destroys the person. It is “What Will I Get?” attitude. If we do any activity with an attitude of “What Will I Get?”, then your mind tends to expect something favorable to you in every small activity you do and expectation becomes a habit. The more you get, the more you expect and satisfaction becomes a dream. Satisfaction is mother of gratitude and I need not tell you if there is no mother, there will be no son.
Bottom line
Being grateful will make you focus more on what you have and protects you from going towards distant stars, as a result of which your mind will be free and peaceful. This is nothing but the entrance to a life of mental well being and eternal happiness.
Get in touch at sarath.m.chandra@gmail.com
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