There is a lot of talk these days about gratitude and how important it is to our lives.
When I say gratitude, I am referring to the idea that we ‘give thanks’ or are ‘thankful’ for all the things/people/events that we have in our life.
For the most part I agree; giving thanks and being thankful for our lives and values is very important, but is it always good to do so?
I’m going to go against the grain (no surprise there) and say no.
Being grateful is not ok when you have lost a huge value in your life. The death of a spouse, child, parent, business, whatever is important to you. In this situation I believe it is good to acknowledge the pain of the loss.
Please remember that reality is the final arbiter and the 1st pillar of self-esteem that we talk about in Think By Design is being conscious. Here is your question to think about: Could it be harmful to your consciousness to forcefully override or ignore your natural emotional state of loss to be grateful?
The second example where I feel gratitude is negative is when it breeds complacency. One of the mechanisms of growth is distaste for your current situation.
We had an amazing Eat By Design seminar last night, and after the talk a long-time practice member approached me and she said that she was “finally tired of her food controlling her” and she is ready to make change. My question to you is would that have happened if she was only ‘thankful’ for where she was at?
What do you think?
Trust me, I understand the purpose of appreciating the good things that you have in your life. I understand the idea of always seeking the opportunity in every situation, even the darkest or the most bleak. But there are some times when this emotional state simply does not benefit you. It can actually be harmful.