For the longest time, I found myself striving for happiness. “I just want to be happy”, I would often say to whomever happened to be listening at the time. But as I move further along my personal journey of yoga and mindfulness, my perspective is shifting. I don’t think happiness is my ultimate goal anymore. Sure, I can, and do want to experience happiness, but more importantly, I want to live a life of gratitude, and here’s why.

1) Gratitude is a choice we can make, even when things aren’t going well.

I’ve recently been contemplating the dualities that exist in the human experience and for myself I can say that gratitude is often the one consistent component amidst the other opposing experience. In a recent meditation, the meditation coach told us to think of three things we were grateful for, and one thing had to be related to work. I involuntarily cringed in that moment because at the moment I was feeling completely overwhelmed and quite aggravated with work. However, this particular exercise allowed me to reframe my thinking and I realized that although I was aggravated and overwhelmed, work was also giving me an incredible opportunity to grow and develop my skillsets, not to mention I absolutely love the people I work with. And just like that I realized yes, I am overwhelmed, but I am also grateful. And as I contemplated other elements of life I’ve noticed days in which I’ve been completely frustrated, but also grateful. I’ve been grateful for all my blessings, grateful for the lessons that hardship has taught me. Grateful for the resilience that was born from struggle. And even in some of my nearest and dearest relationships, I’ve been incredibly disappointed, yet still grateful. Even though situations and circumstances can have disappointing moments, more often than not, the good outweighs the bad, loved ones hold you up more often than they let you down, and even dark days serve a purpose. It’s perplexing at times, but mostly fascinating. And if you aren’t paying attention you can miss it. In life, things can feel as if they are all wrong, yet you can still choose to be grateful.

2) Gratitude puts us in a place of personal power.

Because gratitude is a choice, it means we have an ability to shift our mindset into that space by becoming more intentional about recognizing the things we appreciate within our own experiences. In my observations, and personal experiences happiness just doesn’t function that way. Think of a time that you felt really down. Have you ever tried saying “Girl it’s all good. Just be happy.” Did it work? It sure hasn’t ever worked for me. On the other hand, think of a time when you were in a midst of a storm. Could you imagine saying “what’s the lesson in this, what can I gain from this experience?” Chances are, when we choose that alternative perspective, we can find the strength to stand a little taller, to press on, and rather than fall victim to circumstance, we can propel forward.

Quote from wjkthd.com “Thought of the Day”

3) Gratitude over time becomes a state of being, while happiness is a fleeting emotion.

Finally, I’ve come to realize that happiness is as inconsistent as the wind. When you develop an attitude that’s grounded in gratitude, it becomes your anchor, the lens through which you can process all of life. I recently asked the question what’s the first thing that comes to mind, when you see the phrase ‘I’m grateful for…’ I got some pretty inspiring responses. It was so uplifting to read how people are so intentional about observing “gratitude moments” every day. One family shares their uplifting daily experiences around the table each night, and another person journals three things from their day that they are grateful for each night. Others reflect on their own blessings, knowing others have struggles that are much more significant. I believe all of those approaches can be powerful foundations for adopting an overall mindset of gratitude, and I believe within that mindset comes a very solid and consistent sense of peace. For me peace is the goal, rather than happiness. Don’t get me wrong! I do relish in the happy times, I live for a deep belly laugh, tears rolling down my face. I’m just learning that it can’t be the foundation that builds me up. I believe peace becomes a state of being, and within that state of fortitude, lies a foundation that’s not easily shaken. And for that awareness, I am grateful.

Do you have other methods of cultivating gratitude? Have an opposing opinion? I’d love to hear it all. Drop your comments below.

Namaste…