Dear Destiny Friends,
Gratitude is the one of the best currencies on planet earth, especially when properly utilized. Gratitude is just being grateful and being grateful is just expressing appreciation, concern and acknowledgement for favour received.
Gratitude; like relationship, value, skill, network, education, is a currency. Note that currency is not limited to money. Gratitude is much more than that.
A key determining factor towards identifying a person with a grateful heart, is the person’s attitude when he has or doesn’t have. How a person acts when he has money, and how a person acts when he doesn’t have money speak volumes. For example, when someone wants to know a loyal person, it’s advisable to remove the benefits the person normally receives because of the relationship they have with someone. If for example, someone asks you for money and you politely decline, watch the person’s attitude.
A person with a genuine heart of gratitude always goes over and beyond to appreciate anyone, who has shown them favor, especially during their time of need. They hardly forget such good deeds. I can vividly remember when I was experiencing a financial meltdown during my formative years in U.S.A (United States of America), and out of the blues, one of my mentors called me to inquire how I was faring, I used the opportunity to share with him my predicament, and was surprised how he used emotional intelligence to not only boost my moral, but also gave me eight hundred dollars. In all honesty, I do thank him almost every six months and yearly whenever I remember the good deeds until he felt uncomfortable with such an act and advised me to stop because according to him, that’s the least he could do.
You can be grateful even when life does not favor you. For instance, one might be looking for an opportunity and the opportunity doesn’t show up. Sometimes, it can be a blessing in disguise, because we might not know what would likely happen in the near future. Imagine one applying for a job, and gets rejected for the position, only for the person to realize much later he would have experienced a toxic relationship both with respect to the work culture and human relationship which would have caused more harm than good to him.
Also, imagine a scene where a man intends to a marry a lady or lady intends to marry a guy, and due to reasons beyond their comprehension, it didn’t work out, only for both parties to realize not only were they not compatible in terms of tolerance, they also had different spirits, values, vision and mindsets towards life.
This is the reason I personally don’t force relationships, opportunities or anything in life. I like the natural course of life to always play itself out knowing fully well that the cup of water I will drink will never pass me by.
In the journey of life, I have come to realize the importance of not being desperate for opportunities. Patience has taught me, at the right time, everything will align well. I have had opportunities to make presentations, proposals in addition to meeting highly resourceful people, sometimes, the outcome was quite favorable, other times, it opened doors for more conversation, but one thing is certain I learnt something new from each engagement, but more importantly, I was grateful for the opportunity.
When we talk of patience, it is normal for one to feel a little bit worried if they are ripe for marriage, and no suitable partner is coming; it is normal for one to be concerned when the job is not coming through despite one acquiring all the necessary skills and qualifications; it’s normal for one to put in all the necessary work yet still finds it hard to break through. If you are in his state, I will strongly recommend you appreciate the process and gain inherent lessons associated with the experience.
It’s sad to know that many people don’t know how to apply the principles of gratitude. Gratitude is like a knife, if you use the sharp side, it will hurt you and if you use the blunt side it won’t hurt like the sharp side. Do you know there’s how one will say thank you, and it will appear ungrateful and there’s how someone will say thank you for a little and inconsequential act, and it will attract a greater opportunity. That’s simply how life works. The way, manner, and style a person displays gratitude speaks volume. Gratitude is a valuable skill that requires deeper study and understanding.
Gratitude has many sides; let’s talk about the positive aspect of gratitude. Sometimes, some people complain of being the only child or not having family members, but they fail to understand that your family drama is the dream of an orphan. Your dirty dishes are evidence you have eaten. According to Reno Omokri, “Your noisy house is proof you have active, healthy children. Your tired body is a sign you have work. And your jalopy car will make pedestrians jumpy and happy. Many of the things we complain about in life are signs that God has blessed us. Billions of people on Earth will gladly trade their lives for ours. Take time to give thanks to God.”
Again, gratitude has many sides; it all depends on the one a progressive mind decides to dwell on. Do you know that two people can experience pain, and they will react differently? Do you know that some students might be in the same class but not all of them have the same level of vision on graduation? A group of people might be working on a project, but not all of them have the same mindset, ideology and vision for life.
Gratitude cuts across all barriers of life. Whether life treats you fairly or unfairly, don’t be harsh on yourself, just accept your fate with a good attitude, and you will be surprised to see how the universe will work in alignment for you.
In summary, regardless of what life throws at you, endeavor to practice gratitude.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York (and is a columnist at Confiance News). He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer, and author of Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
