A Reminder To Practice Gratitude & Joy In Hard Times
We quickly lose ourselves in ruminating, solving problems, and other common mental topics in the whirling anxiousness of this intense point in time. Even feeling delighted can sometimes make us feel guilty: How dare I enjoy this candy, the world is ending. Another peaceful moment goes by without any reprieve… This serves as a reminder of how to inject happiness and gratitude into trying situations in our lives.
Life can seem like a constant barrage of issues. However, without sugarcoating anything, we can’t continue to focus solely on the negative. If we lose ourselves in a simple pleasure that keeps us moving, we are not denying whatever needs to be addressed. That clear-eyed sense of appreciation and joy is not a treacle; rather, it is a necessary component of enduring and bouncing back.
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Being Grateful in Everyday Life
It has been demonstrated that a straightforward and practical appreciation of everything deserving of praise benefits our well-being. The difficulty is that being grateful should come naturally.
You have so much to be thankful for, so get your act straight. That is criticism of oneself, or criticism of someone else if it is directed at them. Although we can’t make ourselves feel grateful, we may schedule a recurring reminder.
There are so many nuances to observe even while just stopping for coffee. First of all, I adore coffee. That’s enough; I can now savor my coffee rather than sipping it while surfing the web and hardly taste it. The coffee shop crew is another example; after knowing each other for years, we don’t even know each other’s names. I appreciate that they all appear friendly and bring me my coffee.
Now lower your viewpoint by a couple of levels. The beans were grown, picked, and transported to the roaster by someone, who also drove them to the store. It’s important to note and sort of awesome that all of that happened before I take my first sip without tying myself up in knots.
Simply being grateful makes you happier. There is probably something we like, someone who supports us, or something that provides us with a break every day. Being in the great outdoors or the advantages of city life. Hobbies, pets, a nice book, or a new show to binge-watch. Or perhaps it’s just that my coffee tasted wonderful, in which case I’d want to thank the barista and everyone else who helped, all the way back to the bean farmer.
Read more: Meditation teacher Manoj Dias explores the transformational power of giving thanks for our well-being.
Keeping Self-Joy in Mind
What generally keeps you up at night? Does it really seem like nothing went well? Or did the harder times simply obscure your vision? Life happens on its whole, but a persistent pattern of reactivity or negativity diverts our focus and prevents us from seeing the full scope of our experience.
Read more: Explore these tips if you often have trouble falling asleep because of worrisome thoughts.
I miss a David Bowie song because I’m too busy organizing a hectic workday. hardly noticed it was playing. That’s a few minutes of delight that could have been had already. Not to mention gratitude for a favorite artist who was chosen to be played on the radio just as I was listening to him. How often do we let those fleeting moments slip by?
Life is full of both joys and tragedies. Due in part to the constant effect of our negativity bias, a mental habit that keeps us safe by focusing on what feels dangerous, it may not feel particularly balanced between the two. Small errors, major disasters, and everything in between absorbs the good times. Often, simpler times are liberated by letting go of anxious thoughts and spinning storylines.
What do you currently see in front of you?
Of course, it’s easier said than done.
An old metaphor goes something like this:
A man flees from a tiger by running through the bush. He begins to ascend a cliff via a vine. He notices a mouse eating on the vine above him halfway up. He is underneath the tiger. Then, just in front of him, he notices a lovely strawberry growing along the rock. He, therefore, takes a time to consume it.
the door, where is your homework, where are your shoes, and will I make it to work on time… in addition to the family dog, the clear autumn morning, and the hug before the bus… Everything else is also true.
Where could we focus our attention most effectively right now? We could think there is a lot of work to be done. or a conundrum to solve. Or become sucked into politics, and our happiness won’t arrive until that madness is settled. What is urgent right now, at this precise moment? I’m sitting here enjoying my coffee and some music. Greater enjoyment has been connected with giving our present-moment lives this complete focus.
Share the joy.
Not that we should get fixated on our pleasure. You don’t have it, and I do. I don’t have it, but you do. Living that way is a quick path to feelings of envy, jealousy, and other unhappiness. A more complete and long-lasting practice broadens its reach to include other people.
Consider a kid, either your own or someone else’s. As they tumble around in the mud or get lost in an ice cream cone, it’s simple to be caught up in their contagious joy. We are gladdened by their happiness and wish them a lifetime of it. Real life has a way of muddying even that vicarious pleasure. We might hardly perceive anything outside of our own inner cloud when we are tired and worn out. We could not even recognize their delight since we are so preoccupied within. Perhaps our children find satisfaction in something we’d prefer they didn’t or thought they’d outgrow. We should occasionally remind ourselves of the happiness of our friends and family.
There is also everyone else. Everyone experiences joys and struggles. We can perhaps take some joy in their happiness without knowing anything about them, not even a stranger, and without endorsing their decisions. That is not so simple to experience, but it is a desirable goal that can get rid of any tendency for jealousy and comparison, keeping us closer to happiness.
Read more: Do you practice feeling more joyful and grateful by writing gratitude journals or lists? Take it a step further and move beyond the page to the real world. Discover how to start living a life of gratitude.
How to Develop Joy
We wouldn’t meditate, to paraphrase the Dalai Lama, if it weren’t going to eventually make us happier. However, the act of meditation itself is not intended to bring us happiness or even just a sense of relaxation. We can’t manufacture happiness, yet we may develop attributes that lead to happiness, which is a perplexing paradox. Over time and with skillful effort, our perspective changes for the better.
The next mindfulness exercise should be genuine, just like all meditation. Consider delight as a reminder, not as a must. Focus on clarity rather than trying to force anything or berating yourself if you’re not now experiencing any delight.
Continue reading and put what you learn into practice on your own, or listen to Mark Bertin’s guided meditation on loving-kindness.
Take a couple of deep breaths first. Keep an eye on where your thoughts are going and how you’re feeling. Return to feeling your body twitching with each breath. Nothing to make happen, only a technique to refocus your attention. This is the current state of affairs.
Now think of a friend or family member that you have simple feelings for. Think about their most recent joys and triumphs. Think about their grin, their satisfaction after a job well done, or their relaxation when on vacation.
As you take deep breaths to pace yourself, think about the following expressions or any others that come naturally to you: May I rejoice in your joy. May your happiness never fade.
Now think about yourself. Consider simpler times in your day, the weather, time spent with a friend, or an enjoyable activity: “May I rejoice in my own joy.” May my happiness never end.
After a while, think of a stranger—someone you only know from their face. When they were happy, imagine saying, “May I rejoice in your joy.” May your happiness never fade.
Now think about a more problematic person in your life—perhaps not the most challenging, but someone you find difficult. You might feel pressure to safeguard yourself, make adjustments, or otherwise take care of yourself. Perhaps you can also wish them well at the same moment by saying, “May I rejoice in your joy.” May your happiness never fade.
The rest of the globe followed for a short while. Everyone battling to make ends meet and find moments of happiness: May I rejoice in all your joy. May your joy continue unabated.
Find thousands of free guided loving-kindness meditation techniques that can lessen annoyance, rage, and hostility while enhancing tolerance and the capacity to forgive.
If you want to read more meditation information, the links below here belong to you:
Deeply Breathing: How it reduces your stress
