Family, friends and food, if we are fortunate and have minded our morals, are relatively easy to praise. And while these gifts should be properly appreciated, they can be transactional.
We may give thanks before a meal or when the calendar says to do so – then carry on with harried and distracted lives.
Severe gratitude, on the other hand, is transformative. This form of thankfulness is the act of appreciating even those aspects of our lives which the system wants us to despise:
- Adversaries
- Economic woes
- Our failings
- Health challenges
- And everything else we have judged as bad or wrong
Being grateful for that which we once thought stood between us and greater joy is an intense experience: It changes how we engage with life; it alters our understanding of who we are and who we can become.
Giving thanks unconditionally creates the conditions you seek.
