Gratitude

1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Your big breakthrough will come when you recognize that all your inadequacies, all your limitations, and all your failings, losses and setbacks, are only temporary.  And once they pass in the real world, they’re prolonged existence is simply an artificial reality you cling to with your thoughts.

Yes, there may be pain and uncertainty for a while, but it never lasts forever.  Time heals.  Even when we lose loved ones to illnesses, feelings of depression will come and go for months, but eventually they will go away.  It’s easy to get caught up in a bad situation and think, “The world is over!” But actually, these bad feelings and situations are just passing clouds.  They’re just part of an ever-changing experience, and while it’s not always pleasant, it will pass like everything else has passed.  Life doesn’t stop for anyone.

So don’t allow your temporary wounds to permanently transform you into someone you aren’t.  A strong person is not the one who doesn’t cry, but a strong person is the one who cries for a moment openly, and then gets up and fights again for what they believe in. 

Gratitude is an universal solution that is always mentioned is because it works every time.

Even after a loved one passes, the actual present reality of our lives without this loved one isn’t unbearable unless we compare it to the impossible fantasy of them still being alive.  The reality is, we still have our own lives and our health and passions to explore, we still have other wonderful family members and friends who love us, and that’s just the start of things to be grateful for.  Now, this reality isn’t always full of happiness, but you can embrace that too, instead of wishing it matched up with a stressful fantasy.

So keep your head up.  Take a deep breath and be grateful for everything that remains and everything that’s growing stronger in your life.  When it feels like everything is falling apart, remind yourself that you can either let it define you, destroy you, or let it strengthen you.

When you finally let go of what did or didn’t happen, something equally as amazing comes along.  And oftentimes what you’re looking for comes when you’re not looking at all.  Gratitude will help you discover it.