Whether you are going through a hard time financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually, it can be difficult to practice Gratitude in Hard times. If I’m being honest, I recently realized that I struggled to find gratitude even when I was sitting in a room full of everything I had prayed for. I came to realize that I had set this standard for myself and for my life to be the reflection of perfection. The reality is no one is perfect (well besides Jesus Christ), not even those we strive to be like. We all have gone or are going through a hard time. I’ve had my share of financial, emotional, physical and spiritual hard times. Unfortunately I’ve allowed each of those hardships to shift my mind from Gratitude to Attitude or Frustration, but not anymore!
How to Practice Gratitude in Hard Times
1.) JOURNALING
This is something I am rather inconsistent with despite it being truly the most beneficial. When I journal my prayers or my dreams, I’m able to return back to them later and reflect. I ever so often find myself wanting to be somewhere I’m not, wanting something I don’t have or desiring more. When I open up my journal, I often find that I have lived out the very thing I wanted for my life or am currently living it. Sometimes I realize that I didn’t care for that season of life I prayed for like I should have because I was in such a rush to get to the next part of it.
What do I mean? You may ask. I mean Motherhood, those who have known me from a younger age would most definitely agree that I had always wanted to be a mother! With each of my children, I neglected to embrace that season of pregnancy but was anxiously awaiting labor and delivery. When I look back, I realize that I neglected to care for myself the way I should have during those times because once again I wanted to be or have something that was meant for another season. Journaling has power and creates an opportunity to reflect, give it a try today!
2.) MEDITATING
Meditating is to think deeply, to focus one’s mind on something. When we find ourselves struggling to find gratitude in hard times, it may require us to sit alone with our thoughts. Some of us struggle with the silent part, some of us struggle with the sitting alone part but they are both essential! When you give yourself a moment to sit in silence and focus on gratitude, your mind will be open to deeply considering that many blessings you’ve experience throughout the day or even the week. If you can’t seem to find something to be grateful for, start with something as simple as the ability to breathe air in and out on your own. When we meditate and reflect on gratitude we find that we take things many others don’t have for granted.
3.) TAKING ACCOUNT
This is a deep dive into gratitude for when you JUST can’t see what you possibly have to be grateful for. Start taking account of everything you do throughout your day. Whether you are taking notes on your phone or a note pad. Write down everything. This is a concept I was taught in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. In his book he instructs the reader to make a list of everything they do throughout the day and mark those actions as positive or negative. This is a productivity, and what do you really do with your time scale. I am suggesting the same method but instead, look at your list and count your blessings.
Let me share an example:
List:
Woke up
Drank a glass of water
Checked my notifications on my phone
Went to the gym/workout
Showered
Read my Bible
Got dressed for work
…
Now let’s count the blessings:
You woke up
You have running water
You have a phone and service/wifi
You have a healthy body
You have access to a shower
You can read
You have a job!
Let Gratitude overcome the hard times through Journaling, Meditation and Taking Account.
Wishing you a season of Gratitude!
xx Classically Faith xx
