About WindRiver Strategies In short, gratitude is incompatible with negative, griped and “put out” emotions. It is almost impossible for them to coexist simultaneously. Anger, bitterness, greed, hatred, sadness, jealousy and a host of other grungy emotions diminish the more grateful we become. It’s even difficult to feel guilty or resentful when you’re feeling thankful. I have a client who has worked on being grateful and taking “feelings of guilt” out of their life. It is amazing to me that when we remove such a profound obstacle as unnecessary guilt…how many doors open up for us as to how to engage the world around.
Guilt and ungratefulness narrow our response to life’s challenges in extremis. How is that? Well, when I am feeling guilt I am in pain. When I am in pain I respond or more typically react out of my pain. When I react out of my pain it frequently causes pain to others. When others are feeling pain, they tend to react out of their pain and cause pain back to the “causor” of their pain. Here is the less confusing dynamic: when you cause me pain…I’m going to hurt you back. Gratefulness gives pain and bitterness and anger very little room in our hearts to operate.
Consider: What could I do today that could influence someone in my life to be grateful? Here are some suggestions.
Buy someone lunch today that you know.
Buy someone lunch today that you don’t know.
Send a specific and encouraging email.
Write someone a letter by hand and snail mail it to them.
Benefits of Gratitude Series
Benefits of Gratitude (1): Savoring Life’s Good Times
Benefits of Gratitude (2): Builds Self-Esteem
Benefits of Gratitude (3): Helps Us Deal With Stress And Trauma
Benefits of Gratitude (4): Encourages Good & Giving Behavior
Benefits of Gratitude (5): Inhibits Keeping Up with The Joneses
Benefits of Gratitude (6): Inhibits Keeping Up With The Joneses
Guilt and ungratefulness narrow our response to life’s challenges in extremis. How is that? Well, when I am feeling guilt I am in pain. When I am in pain I respond or more typically react out of my pain. When I react out of my pain it frequently causes pain to others. When others are feeling pain, they tend to react out of their pain and cause pain back to the “causor” of their pain. Here is the less confusing dynamic: when you cause me pain…I’m going to hurt you back. Gratefulness gives pain and bitterness and anger very little room in our hearts to operate.
Consider: What could I do today that could influence someone in my life to be grateful? Here are some suggestions.
Buy someone lunch today that you know.
Buy someone lunch today that you don’t know.
Send a specific and encouraging email.
Write someone a letter by hand and snail mail it to them.
Benefits of Gratitude Series
Benefits of Gratitude (1): Savoring Life’s Good Times
Benefits of Gratitude (2): Builds Self-Esteem
Benefits of Gratitude (3): Helps Us Deal With Stress And Trauma
Benefits of Gratitude (4): Encourages Good & Giving Behavior
Benefits of Gratitude (5): Inhibits Keeping Up with The Joneses
Benefits of Gratitude (6): Inhibits Keeping Up With The Joneses
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