Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. ~
How very true. I have heard a number of high-profile personalities state that you should compare yourself only to who you were yesterday, not to anyone else. It shouldn’t be a reach to extrapolate that into, “compare what you have to what you had, and not what others have.” This also makes me think of the quote attributed to Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” If you don’t check your work, how do you know how much you’ve progressed? Or not, but we won’t dwell on that.
Sincere Gratitude is good for what ails you
You don’t need links to obscure resources to know that you appreciate it when a recipient of your kindness or patience or largesse looks you in the eye and clearly enunciates, “Thank you.” You might be shocked, momentarily, but you probably get an “aw shucks” feeling, too. Did you know, though, that there are physiological changes for the person who expresses gratitude? Mayo Clinic says there are. “Behavior changes biology,” Mayo says. When you make a “positive gesture” your body releases oxytocin, which is, by all accounts, a good thing.
If you can’t figure out which non-verbals are positive, please check out the Virtual Speech blog for tips.
Back to oxytocin
According to the both Mayo and a paper published by the National Library of Medicine, you have the power to reduce the level of discomfort from chronic pain, perhaps lessen depression, and improve your sleep. Your appreciation for a kind act or basic comforts can change your physiology in a positive way. There seems to be no downside here. All you and I need to do to receive this physical and emotionally positive gift is to say two words. Thank you. Of course, you have to mean it or it doesn’t work. No time like the present to practice sincere gratitude, though.
Yes, this one is short
You might be busy cooking today and don’t have time to read anything but the next recipe. Or perhaps you’re so stuffed (see what I did there?) that you can’t hold your eyes open. Fair enough. I don’t need to go down every rabbit hole to pass along a very simple message: Being grateful might be the easiest and most cost-effective tool you have available to fix your mental and physical health. That might not be news to you. Perhaps you start every day with an “attitude of gratitude,” as the platitude suggests. If not, give it a try. It’s easy. I’ll even give you some examples:
I am grateful and blessed to have a safe, warm place to sleep, a pantry too full to be organized, and a back porch with a view of the mountains. Those are just a few. I have hundreds of relationships, abilities and “things” to be thankful for.
You?
Excellent post Gayle thank you for this important reminder. Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. ~ Epicurus. Practicing gratitude though the lens of this quote is so powerful. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Ryan. I love that Epicurus quote, too. It’s amazing how much happier we can be by looking around and realizing just how much we already have. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!