We all know what it feels like to be unhappy. Unhappiness is something we all experience to different extents. Some of us feel occasionally unhappy, while others suffer from something more severe, called depression. But the challenge we all face is this: How can I be happier?
There are many different answers to this but I would like to focus on, in my opinion, the most important aspect, which is GRATITUDE.
Alright, hear me out, we’ve all heard that we should be more grateful for everything we have, and maybe when we hear that we just shrug it off or agree with that person and move on with our day. But let’s think about this a little deeper. What does it actually mean to be grateful?
What goes hand in hand with gratitude is perspective. Once we realize how fortunate we are, we will be able to actually feel that gratitude. So let’s see how fortunate we really are…
If you live in the western world, you likely have clean water, shelter, food, and clothes to wear. That’s already a lot more than so many people have in this world. There are countries where people literally eat dirt off the ground to survive, people who live on the streets, and people who end up dying from those circumstances. And these people do not live in another magical universe. They live in the same world as you and me and I think that’s important to realize. Being able to come home, cozy up in your bed, and enjoy a TV show or a book are immense blessings! Countless people in this world work from early morning to evening nonstop, just to earn close to nothing and live in poverty. But here in the western world, we get to take breaks, go on a vacation and even you don’t want to work, you can make that choice. In some places, you have to work and are not able to make that choice.
Aside from the basic necessities, if you’re reading this I assume you have internet access and most likely have a phone and other electronic devices. That’s a HUGE privilege. You are able to access unlimited amounts of information, communicate easily with people from around the world, and have entertainment at your fingertips. Free flow of information should not be taken for granted. How many countries have governments that restrict the flow of information or even ban your access to the internet entirely? They definitely exist.
And that’s before accounting for your individual circumstances. You probably have so much more than I mentioned here! Most people have other luxuries, such as lots of clothes, video games, pets, make-up, etc. and I am one of those people. I am extremely happy and grateful to have all of these things and I do not take them for granted.
You have probably seen the following type of person at least once on Youtube, on TV, or somewhere else. They have suffered an incredible loss, are sick, are very poor, or are in another extremely hard circumstance BUT these people shine brightly and say they are still grateful and they consider themselves happy. I have immense respect for those types of people because even throughout their very tough journeys they have remained grateful and that should be the biggest takeaway from this article.
If you feel unhappy, do me a favor, look at your room or take a look at your house and tell yourself what you’re grateful for. It could be anything. Identify the thing(s) and remind yourself how blessed you are to have those things. It could be your pet, your furniture, whatever you want. Once you start, you might realize that there is a lot that you have. This doesn’t mean that you can never be unhappy, that’s a very normal feeling. But sometimes we find ourselves in these rabbit holes of ‘everything sucks’ and it’s good to remind yourself of the things that don’t suck.
This article is not meant to put you down because you are ungrateful, but it’s rather meant for those who are struggling with finding joy in their lives. If you’ve come this far, thank you so much for reading my article and I wholeheartedly hope that it helped you at least a little bit.
-Kate
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