“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” – Henry Ward Beecher.

Starting the day with a grateful heart takes practice, and discipline. We all get caught up in the rat race. Working nonstop, wanting bigger and better things; more money, a better job, more and better trips, a better car, a better life. We all want those things. But stop and look at what you do have.

I’m not saying that wanting better for yourself is bad, or that ambition is bad. It’s the intention driving that ambition that can be. I have learned, life doesn’t begin until you understand and appreciate how lucky one is for being alive, to have health, a job, a roof over your head, a warm cozy bed, food on your table, and loved ones.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous

For a long time, I was unhappy, ungrateful, angry even with the way life was, for allowing it to get to the way it was. I preached to be happy, to be grateful to friends, to patients, and coworkers. But for myself, It was easier to put up a front than dealing with the frustration, stress, pain, resentment, and betrayal that lived deep inside. The daily turmoil, like the ocean’s tide, in and out, high and lows. Feeling mediocre, unhappy, unaccomplished, watching everyone around me live fulfilling happy lives, achieving goals. I sat back and stayed stagnant, in some ways more than others. Happiness seemed like a far fetched idea, let alone a far far away place I could live in.

Letting others dictate life choices, good or bad, clouded my own journey to gratefulness and happiness. It was me who allowed that, it was me who regardless of the situation, allowed things to go as far as they did for as long as they did. 

Time flew by, with months turning into years and no change in sight. Then, last summer it all clicked, I’ve had enough. Life is too short and too sweet to just let it go by. I was in charge, I always had been. Wasting one more day, another week, or month seemed like an ungrateful thing to do. I couldn’t wait for someone else to make it better, to change, to grow up, to open their eyes and see what they had in front of them. I had to make the dark stormy rainy days go back to clear blue sunny skies. I realized how grateful and thankful I am to be alive, to have health, family, friends, a career, a job, a roof over my head and food on the table and most importantly God. It was a rush, a high, full of gratefulness, joy and gratitude for everything that had happened in the last decade, and for all of the unknowns to come. For the first time in a long time I spoke with God. I thanked him for all he has blessed me with. And I knew then, that no matter what was to come in this life it was ok with my soul.

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette

Since then, I remind myself to be grateful each and every single day. No matter the circumstances, situation, stressors, pain, people, I’m grateful. Because I’m alive, with an able body moving through life making the best of everything. That’s it. Easier said than done but life just gets sweeter each day.

I challenge you to practice every morning. That will be the start to your own road to gratefulness. 

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

Author: Karen Estrada