In this new socially-distant reality in which we now exist, I’ve come to understand the concept of gratitude in a new light. It might not come as much of a shock that the pandemic has brought with it a fair amount of change. A change in policy, a change in healthcare, a change in social etiquette. Perhaps most importantly, COVID-19 has sparked a change in perspective – one that I hope will remain with me long after this pandemic ends.
I’ve always been a believer in the healing power of optimism. My encounters with difficulty and conflict were always followed up with a positive-spin on things. Every disappointment was a blessing in disguise. Every let-down had a silver-lining. For every struggle I had encountered, there was always someone who was worse off. You could say that I’ve always been a glass-half-full type of gal. And don’t get me wrong, this attitude has gotten me through many hardships. Having a positive outlook on my life thus far has significantly shaped the type of person I am today. Being an optimist in times of uncertainty has shaped my idea of gratitude up to this point, but I’ve begun to understand this concept differently.
With the gravity of the pandemic sinking in, I’ve come to a simple yet complex realization – one that’s taken me years to arrive at. This world is extremely scary. While us humans have the potential to feel pure joy and happiness, we also have the potential to feel deep suffering, sadness, and loss. The reality is that grief is all around us – in ways big and small. This life can be confusing and messy, especially in times when we’re separated from our loved ones. This realization has allowed me to reconsider what gratitude truly means to me, and I thought it was worthwhile to share.
I’ve recently found myself in a bit of a gratitude crisis. To me, gratitude now represents something slightly different than I originally had thought. It means taking a moment to recognize where I currently stand. It means acknowledging my emotions as they are – not picking and choosing only the positive ones. It means giving validation to my own struggles, and giving myself time to move through them – not around them. It means appreciating the moments of joy in my life – especially the small ones. To be grateful does not mean to be an optimist 100% of the time. This is something that has taken me quite some time to understand. I now practice gratitude by expressing the things in my life that make me feel my fullest. There are moments in my life that I lean toward optimism to remind myself of all the wonderful things around me. And there are moments that I need to pause and acknowledge the weight of my struggles in that moment. This is the beauty of gratitude.