Gratitude must be practiced

The Jamaican reggae singer, Koffee, said it nicely in her song titled ‘Toast’, “Gratitude is a must” referring to the struggles, remaining humble and honouring those who helped her to achieve success as an artist.  In the dictionary the meaning of Gratitude “is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”.

Every day I give thanks for waking up and being able to live another day on earth. Having a home, clean water, electricity, food, and a job fill me with appreciation for my multitude of blessings.  Being able to take care of my children and help my family in times of needs fills me with thankfulness.  I am grateful for everything that has made my life beautiful and peaceful.  Even through the challenges, I remain grateful as these are the times that I have experienced some of my best self-growth periods in becoming more resilient. Whilst I could have more, I could have less or nothing, so I am ever thankful for having enough that is sufficient for my needs.

I show my appreciation for the people in my life with simple ‘thank you’ and saying, ‘I love you’.  As humans we are all connected and need each other to be successful in life’s journey.  Showing appreciation for the small things brings you happiness at a small cost.  We should aim to find happiness in the small things, as these small things will add up to a whole heap of happiness. 

Kindness is beauty. How I am as a person and how I make others feel about themselves is beauty and makes me beautiful.  Kindness is giving back and helping others. When I am given the opportunity to help others and give back, this brings the most joy to me.  When we help others to rise, we are rising too and making the world a better place.  Being kind to planet earth is necessary to practice, so that we can keep it as the home for us and future generations.

Being grateful leads you to the unimaginable paths that provide the things necessary to achieve your dreams. Practicing gratitude is one of the simplest, yet most powerful actions we can do towards each other.  Find something to be thankful for every day, show your appreciation to your loved ones and people you meet each day.  Expressions such as smiling and laughing show your kindness towards others and it is just some of the ways we can choose to practice gratitude amongst our peers and loved ones.