Finding Gratitude in Struggle and Conflict
“Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence, we must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart,” says Larissa Gomez. This metaphor beautifully encapsulates the effort required to cultivate gratitude, especially when we’re engulfed in challenges. And it’s in this effort that we find our strength and resilience.
Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence, we must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart. Larissa Gomez
During Thanksgiving week, I attended a community event where the conversation prompt was to share about someone you were grateful for having struggled with. I found this to be a beautiful practice of naming a particular struggle and finding gratitude within conflict. Everyone around the circle was able to find a growth opportunity within the challenges they’d experienced, most often with a loved one or family member. Frederick Douglass once remarked, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” These words echo the truth that growth often requires discomfort. Being grateful for a struggle because you realize it has made you stronger is part of a virtuous cycle allowing you to grow and expand.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross observed, “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths.” It’s in the struggle that we unearth our latent strengths, and gratitude is the lens that brings these strengths into focus.
You don’t learn to walk by walking. You learn to walk by falling. And getting back up. And falling. And getting back up. And falling. The same is true in every area of our life. If you want to get better a business, you must be willing to struggle. If you want to get better at relationships, you must be willing to struggle. If you want to get better at music, you must be willing to struggle. So appreciating the process of learning, the process of growth, is the best way to ensure you transform and become the person you most want to be.
Gratitude: The Science Behind the Emotion
Recent studies have revealed that gratitude isn’t just a feel-good emotion but a powerful catalyst for positive change. Gratitude has been hailed as the “parent of all virtues,” and enhances both mental and physical health and may even contribute to a longer, more fulfilled life. It’s not about replacing negative emotions but about enriching our experiences with feelings of thankfulness and hope.
Expressing gratitude has a profound impact on our relationships. It helps to build trust, strengthen bonds, and enhance our overall well-being. In times of stress, gratitude acts as a source of resilience, replenishing our depleted mental and physical resources and serving as an antidote to anxiety.
Gratitude in the face of struggle and conflict is not just an act of emotional defiance but a journey towards personal growth and healing. It requires effort, like strength training for the heart, but the rewards are immeasurable. As we navigate through life’s challenges, let us remember to pause, reflect, and embrace the transformative power of gratitude. We not only enrich our own lives but also touch the lives of those around us in the process.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Gratitude
Writing a Gratitude Letter
One practical application of gratitude is writing a gratitude letter. This exercise involves writing a letter to someone for whom you are grateful, expressing your thanks. This simple act has been shown to provide immense benefits for both the writer and the recipient. You can choose to share the letter, or keep it to yourself.
Keeping a Gratitude Journal
Another effective practice is maintaining a gratitude journal. Writing down things you are grateful for can significantly enhance your well-being. This practice is most effective when done daily, capturing both the small joys and the significant moments of gratitude.
Do a daily gratitude meditation on Vital
Take 5–10 minutes each day to complete a gratitude meditation on Vital. When starting your meditation be specific about where in your life you want to feel gratitude, and be specific. And don’t be afraid to ask for gratitude in an area of struggle or conflict, such as:
“Help me feel gratitude for my boss John, who has been really difficult to work with lately and has been putting me under too much pressure.”
Or, “Help me feel gratitude for my ex, Cindy, appreciating the time we spent together and the lessons I learned in the relationship and how I can learn to be a better partner.”
Try it a www.joinvital.ai
