It sounds so simple, but as Debarti Deb discovers, it’s almost magical how just being grateful for what’s good in our lives can help us live the lives we want.
By Debarati Deb
You may be in the midst of an emotional battle. All your life you have compromised, even sacrificed your happiness so that those who mean the world to you are happy, but still all they do is complain. Your frustration may have led you to the brink of madness, and now you just don’t care anymore. You now want to be left alone, to your own thoughts, and away from all of them. Or perhaps you have lost the one person you love most in this world, and now you are angry with that person and with everybody else. Even worse, perhaps you are feeling guilty about something you have done and are not able to forgive yourself.
Heartache, disappointment, or anger are devastating — and these emotions drain all your energy. But does this mean that your life is doomed? No!
Craving Alone Time
Your anger, pain, guilt, or dejection can make you want to be alone. But are you wrong in wanting this? Absolutely not! First, do not feel guilty about wanting to live for yourself when people expect otherwise from you. You cannot make others happy when you are not happy and that’s a fact. There comes a time in life when you have to stop people from walking all over you, even if they are your family. And everyone needs a timeout, even you.
If you feel you have tolerated [their behaviours] way beyond the very depths of your patience, take a stand now. Tell them enough is enough — and you will not take it anymore. It’s time that you think about yourself. And remember that you are not selfish. You need to do this so that you can carry on.
Feeling Abandoned
But if you are angry that your loved one has abandoned you, remember he/she didn’t/doesn’t want you to live this way. He wants you to pull yourself up, take control, and lead life as a warrior not a captive.
When you Can’t Forgive Yourself
The most difficult thing to handle is when you are not being able to forgive yourself for something you have done. Whoever you hurt, if the person loves you and has forgiven you, you are worthy to be forgiven. And even if you have not been forgiven, your feeling miserable about it is repentance enough. You have learnt from your mistake. And if you are scared you might commit that mistake again, remember, the situation may change by then. We are humans and we all commit mistakes. Some big and some small. Don’t let one wrong destroy all the rights in your life. If you have positive thoughts, then positive actions and positive situations will rule your life. That’s another fact, like the force of attraction of the universe: good attracts good and bad attracts bad. It’s you who decides what you get with the thoughts you carry.
In whichever phase of life you are in, to make a smooth transition to the next stage, you must leave behind your bitterness, anger, guilt, and even pain. And to combat these, use gratitude as your armor. There is definitely something positive in your life. It can’t be all black.
Start with the basic things that we take for granted. When you wake up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror, be grateful if you have walked from your bedroom to the bathroom without anybody’s help; if you are able to brush your own teeth, comb your hair, drive your car, or make your breakfast without needing any support. There are many people out there who would give anything to be in your shoes, to lead a normal life because they can’t do it on their own. They wouldn’t mind embracing your pain that comes along with this life of yours because they know and appreciate what you have.
As you proceed every day by being grateful for these simple things, you will have more things to be grateful for, and then you will realize your life is actually not miserable as you think it to be. There are difficult situations and difficult people, but you can handle these with your renewed sense of purpose.
Being happy and grateful for what you have will rejuvenate your life, give a bounce to your step, and help you enjoy your decision to live life the way you want. And I can assure you that if you try this out, as I have, you will see rainbows every day of your life.
Photo Credit
“Orchid” Express Monorail @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.
Guest Author Bio
Debarati Deb
Life is the best teacher, and I write to share what I have learned either from my own experience or others.
Fantastic article, very motivating and true to life. Thanks Debarati….All the Best. Keep writing.