On counting our blessings

We all have things to be grateful for, yet we often fail to remember them. That’s because we don’t value those things the way we value something we don’t have yet. 

Some of us think whatever we’ve achieved, acquired, or been blessed with all along the way was meant to happen, so it doesn’t make sense to celebrate them. However, the bitter truth is that what may seem simple and regular to us could be things people around us might struggle to have.

I’ve often fallen into the trap many times.

I’ve realized that focusing too much on what we lack can create a false sense of misery, even if our reality is far from that. To counter this, we can shift our focus towards embracing what we have, and build a more positive and fulfilling outlook on life.

One effective way to do this is to imagine the pain we’d feel if we suddenly didn’t have certain aspects of our lives. This could include people, experiences, or even small pleasures we often take for granted. The things that make our lives meaningful and fulfilling are unique to each of us.

For instance, it might be our ability to provide for our family, having a supportive partner, a sibling who brings excitement, children who bring joy and meaning, working on an exciting project, or enjoying delicious food from the comfort of our home, etc.

We can then document these in a journal or record them in a voice memo. And whenever we feel overwhelmed by thoughts of what we lack, we can refer to this list as a reminder of the abundance in our lives.

Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals.
If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.
― Roy T. Bennett

It’s important to remember that just going through the list won’t instantly make us happy. We’re humans, not machines, and practicing gratitude doesn’t magically erase our struggles. However, it can help us recognize the value of what we have in order to stay hopeful and resilient through tough times.