Gratitude in bad times

"It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are the most in need of what gratitude can give you."

- Oprah

This beautiful quote was sent to me via text message by my friend, Kristine Pantig. Thanks Kristine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^

I remembered my year's dramatic times the moment after I read the text message. Those were the times when I lost my faith. Those were times when I didn't look at the blessings I had. Those were the times I felt so ungrateful. Those were the times I felt like my life wasn't worth living. Those times were when I felt like everything was just so imperfect. People were selfish and I never wanted to trust anyone including myself. I'd been failing myself. I felt like I was stuck in the middle of nothing and I actually considered giving it all up. I lost myself and I couldn't believe I'd experience what I went through. Things were perfect before until I started letting myself down.

Despite all my neglects and doubts, I just couldn't believe how good things still happen to me. Good, amazing people still stayed, loved, and took care of me. My siblings and the people whom I might have inspired before the "great loss" (well, this is how i want to call those down times =p) still respected and looked up to me. The talents He lent me were still there and they'd just be very useful whenever I needed them. That's when I realized (with the help of all the people around me, all the circumstances, and all the self-help books I forced myself upon) how blessed I am. I stopped believing in Him yet he never stopped believing in me. He never abandoned me. He made me realize how meaningful this life could be, the moment I acknowledged all the good he'd still left me with.

As I appreciated everything I was blessed with, I learned how to truly live my life. (The books You Are What You Think by Dr. David A. Stoop and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne were of really great help in making me have this great cognizance.)

The moment I started being grateful, everything turned just right. I learned how to be forgiving of myself for my shortcomings as I acknowledged my being human and understood that it was ok to make mistakes evry now and then. Instead of looking at my imperfections and what I couldn't do I just keep trying and trying to be my best everyday. Facing all the challenges, I give cheers to myself everytime I succeed or learn something and I give myself a reinforcing taunt whenever I fail or couldn't make things work. People are nicer and easier to tolerate. Suddenly, things aren't so upsetting after all. I became really contented with everything else. I feel in control and stable as I am able to convert reacting to acting and just being grateful. All at once, my dreams are just in the palm of my hands. ^_^

My usual tendency after having a great realization is being greatly overwhelmed with it. Learning how to live with gratitude had a huge impact on me. I wrote on a Gratitude Notebook. Everyday I would write all of the things I could be grateful for, even the littlest of the little things like how nice the clouds looked like in the morning and how tiny and cute my toe nails looked like. For days I religiously wrote on that notebook until I didn't need to write anymore to feel good and grateful every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Now, everyday is like a party, with myself always ecstatic, as if high on drugs. hahahaha! ^_^

As I've been living in total gratitude for almost 2 months now, I saw that gratitude is very much helpful in times when I feel the least grateful. Its in bad times when gratitude is in much greater intensity. ^_^

May everyone be hit by the gratitude virus for an everyday life of parteiii and great times!!! ^_^

NYAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!

Thank you! ^_^