Gratitude
| In our journey of recovery from the effects of addiction, we have many tools that help us to heal and grow. Some of these tools take a lot of time and effort before we notice changes within ourselves. But there is one tool that is not only easy to use but has almost instant results. That is gratitude. Being grateful is one of the best ways to improve our mood and perspective on life. In Canada, we have a day set aside to give thanks. But one day a year is not sufficient. Gratitude needs to be a daily practice if we want to live with serenity and joy. “Gratitude enables us to savor the unrecognized good that surrounds us, no matter what the circumstances. As we become accustomed to noticing the positive aspects of our lives, we begin to recognize small, subtle gifts and cloaked opportunities when they appear in our day-to-day experience. Eventually, as we continue to practice, we actually do find something to be grateful for, even in painful or difficult situations. We replace our victim mentality with an attitude of gratitude. Instead of feeling drained, overwhelmed, and stressed by the circumstances we encounter, we begin to feel empowered and capable of coping, even flourishing, because we have learned that our Higher Power can use every situation, every relationship, every experience, to enhance our lives and foster strength, faith, and personal growth. Thus, everyone and everything has a special gift to offer us. We need only open our eyes to see it.”* There are many ways to express what we are grateful for. One helpful practice is to write a gratitude list. This could mean taking a few minutes each morning or evening to write 5 things we are thankful for that day. We may start off with simply listing some basics such as a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, or running water. But as we continue this practice, we may find ourselves listing things like friendship, an act of kindness, or a moment of peace in the midst of a hectic day. One Al-Anon member shared how they used the alphabet to help them see all that they were grateful for. “I would lie in bed at night and say the alphabet, counting all the things I had to be grateful for, starting with the letter A…this made a great change in my life.”^ So today, and everyday, let’s try to have an attitude of gratitude so we can notice the good that is all around us and live with greater serenity and joy. |
| QUOTES: “Say thank you until you mean it. If you say it long enough, you will believe it.” ~Melody Beattie “When I take time for gratitude, I perceive a better world.” ~Anyonymous “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” ~Meister Eckhart “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ~Melody Beattie |
