Gratitude: A State of Being.

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The world works in very mysterious ways. There is this saying that you can only attract what you respect, and I feel that if we do not look closely at quotes we may never actually understand what they mean.

The State of Gratitude...

Here is what I understood when I came across that quote. I watched a video where Morgan Freeman was having quite the talk with a woman who seemed to be experiencing a lot of negativity. She wanted something and it seemed like instead of getting what she asked for, she got the opposite. Isn’t that how it is for the most of us?

Now, Morgan said something to the woman in the lines of, when you ask for things like patience and a happy family, you do not immediately get it, rather you get situations that will make you train your patience and accept your family and love them no matter what. That hit home. This made me ponder on many things that seemed to be happening all at once in my life. Why, because you attract what you respect.

Gratitude is that way too. Gratitude is a virtue and unless you see it for what it is, you may never get to experience it. In her post Grateful, @jhymi defined gratitude as a “State of Being…” it is a mindset not a feeling and this mindset has many benefits on us as people.

Love & Acceptance

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The state if gratitude always leaves us in a realm of love and acceptance. When one is enraptured in the totality of gratitude, it shows in their attitude. They are content with living in the present. While there is the fear of the future and the uncertainty it brings, the people who have imbibed the spirit of gratitude learn to look at the things they have despite the storm and they are thankful for it.

Hope

The state of gratitude says, “Not yet” which means there is hope. People who dwell on how far they have come and not how far they have gone always see the positive before the negative. They always have a reason to live, to be kind and to give. They may not even be coming from a kind or loving background, but their attitude has been transformed by the state they find themselves. They are optimistic and as such, they have a growth mindset and that mindset says, “Not…yet”.

Character

The state of gratitude builds character. In a world filled with stress and toxicity, gratitude serves a purpose of building a person to live with the joys of the present. Not just that, it gives the person the opportunities to grow personally, and spiritually. The thing is, when we inculcate this state into our being and become one with it, it does not mean that all our troubles will stop. No. What it means is that you will be tested with various situations from different people and this is to build up your response mechanism. We find frustrated and bitter people who have been fed toxic shit almost all their lives. They do not understand what it means to be grateful rather, they have a sense of entitlement.

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For someone who has decided to live being forever grateful, I can assure you that you will be tested in many ways. Just remember this when it feels like you are breaking; the diamond cannot be diamond without pressure and heat. What makes the diamond indestructible is the process with which it was formed. It is always good to take a step back from whatever seems to be messing with your mental health. Peace within you is more important than peace with anyone.

Conclusion

With this I close with a final note (to my future kids and myself who will read this someday – hopefully), you only attract what you respect. If for some reason you keep encountering challenges and setbacks, look closely, there is one blessing in disguise, and that was a prayer you made. Right now, you are going through a learning process, which has made you understand just what gratitude is about. Always remember that when the storm comes.

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This is my entry to the 05th Day of the September INLEO monthly initiative in the Hive Reachout Community.