Life can be hectic at times, one can be sure. Regardless of how dark things may seem, there is so much to be grateful for. Even with this ideal in mind, when I sat down to write a list of elements I was grateful for, the process was slow going. This baffled me as I am a young adult living in America, there are tons of things I take for granted and appreciate more than I’ve ever admitted. I wanted to call attention to some of the general elements most people have to be grateful for. Maybe after you read this, sit down and write your own ‘grateful list’. Try to get to twenty, though if you have more write more. It’s interesting seeing what our minds actually prioritize.
Your Life Is A Gift
Your existence is a multifaceted focal point of the universe. You are not ‘in’ the universe, you are the universe. As you breathe, you accumulate life and as you breathe out you give back life. Infinite potential and growth can not be personified in our current mortal forms with out hang ups. I mean to say that, we get cut so we can understand how we heal. We are blessed to have the ability to understand the wealth of experience the universe offers. Sometimes it is easy to lose track of this.
When I’m stuck in a rut or depressed, I relate my emotions and mindset to that of an unknown alien parsecs away. I think about how a culture may revel in the state I am currently not content with. I figure out how their culture evolved this way and draw parallels. Just a thought.
Don’t Let The Man Get You Down
Jobs can suck if you let them. But only if you let them! I personally never fully enjoyed much of my time spent waiting or in retail. But I did always try my best and set my own objectives. Since you’ve agreed to society’s money game you can lift up the spirits of those around you.
Health Is Always a Balancing Act
Our health is something we take for granted until some event takes it from us. Don’t wait till you can’t do something to appreciate it. Go! Run, jump and play games! More importantly don’t lock yourself in a dark room filling it with angst over what could be. Enjoy what you have while you have it, and do your best to keep it.
Technology Is Tool, Not A Burden
Technology has been hyped up to the point that it practically has a religious following. Rather than draw allusions to Asimov’s writings, I’ll point out that technology is the same as a hammer or scale or your mind. It is useful to a point but when we push it past that point it starts to fail. We get upset because technological advances are only helping so much. People have been achieving nirvana for centuries before the internet. You have the tools you need for a better life all around you, you need only use the right tools.
The Future Is On It’s Way
The past isn’t the clearest marker of the future. Our expectations only set us up for failure. It too easy to get caught up in our ideas of the future. Realize though that our versions of the future are directly based off our fears. The future will be exactly what we fear or the polar opposite. Why would you ever limit yourself to projections based off fear? The possibilities are endless.
Friends And Family
These are the people that know you the best. They have stuck with you through thick and thin. If they haven’t I guarantee there is still love there. In this context, this asset is likely to devolve into a regret. Do you really want to regret never picking up the phone and at least trying? The people in your life are there for a reason and everyday should be a celebration of this bond.
Not Just An Escape
Media is an iffy subject. I agree that most of it is mindless, brain damaging opiates for the masses. But this article is a form of media, so I must assume there are real people sending sincere messages through art. Look some of it up! I’m grateful for the ability to diffuse my anxiety or build my happiness on the presentations of others. This affirmation of the modern world gives me hope for my present world.
