For the next couple weeks I will be posting the Gratitude Journal prompts that are being given to my students and my response post.

As much as we humans want to imagine that we are pull-ourselves-up-by-our-bootstraps independent creatures, we are highly influenced and effected by everything around us. Emotionally, biologically, our genetics – we are part of an open loop system that we’ve culturally decided to call an “individual.” A small child falls down and will look at the reactions of others, especially trusted adults, to determine in a split second the level of trauma to express. If it’s a minor scrape and the adults are not alarmed but comforting, the child is less likely to scream out, verses the same minor scrape and the adults coming unglued. Same pain receptors, heavily influenced by external social signals. What does this have to do with practicing gratitude?

The value of Gratitude or Thankfulness is having a balanced perspective on ones condition, emotionally and physically. In a culture that values continual movement and achievement, it can be difficult if not impossible to have a useful perspective on ones emotional/physical condition. And it turns out that this is another loop, where ones perspective on ones emotional/physical condition actually influences ones emotional/physical condition. So there’s a need to slow down or pause long enough to reflect and get a perspective on ones condition. We do better when we feel like our needs are being met, but how do we decide if our needs are being met? That’s where reflection and practicing gratitude come in.

That said, all of the positivity in the world does not change the physical trauma of a broken limb, for example. But having recovered from a crippling auto-immune illness, gaining a perspective on the situation that is not entirely self-centered went a long way to contribute to my recovery (having many medical professionals do their jobs might have also helped…). Gratitude begins with an honest assessment, puts things in perspective and context, and then looks for a positive way to move forward. It doesn’t sugar-coat things and it doesn’t collapse into despair. It is difficult to assess ones condition if one is entirely inwardly focused and the same is true if one is entirely outwardly driven. Gratitude looks for the balance with the notion to nudge forward in this balanced reality. Is it just a scrape or should we call 911? And then what do we do after that? Back in 2012-2013 I was grateful for all those who helped me recover and rebalance my life. Taking the time to reflect on that journey, practicing Gratitude, helps pull together whatever trajectory my life might take going forward. Have you taken the time to assess your condition and trajectory?