GRATITUDE

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude and show gratitude to those things that really are not worth appreciation. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Gratitude is a positively valence emotion that can arise when another person–a benefactor–does something kind for the self Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships, improve optimism, increase happiness, improve self-control, . People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. Gratitude is of two stages. First is the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that all in all, life is good, and has elements that make worth living, and rich in texture. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it. Second, gratitude is recognizing that some of the sources of this goodness lie outside the self. One can be grateful to other people, to animals, and to the world, but not to oneself. At this stage, we recognize the goodness in our lives and who to thank for it, that is who made sacrifices so that we could be happy. The two stages of gratitude comprise the recognition of the goodness in our lives, and then how this goodness came to us externally lies. By this process, we recognize the luck of everything that makes our lives—and ourselves—better. Gratitude can be expressed in various ways- say kind words, include others in your plans, listen intently, bring over lunch, pay an impromptu visit, email to check in, call to say hello, ask if there is anything you can do, pick flowers from your garden and deliver them to a friend, offer to do an errand, help with chores. You can express gratitude via actions, via words, via messages, other gestures. Endeavour to show gratitude as much as you can. There is almost not limit to gratitude. Live your life daily with gratitude as you do not know what tomorrow holds. It is a good thing. It could be the reason for opportunities; it could be the gate that will open for you to reach your peak. It counts a lot. By Akinleye Grace Oluwabusola