Here’s What Really Matters

Now, Eric went way more in depth, but in the interest of a blog post and the interest of exploring what we can do right now to help ourselves, I wanted to write again about gratitude.

We’re all hearing more and more about how drugs like Ritalin or Wellbutrin release some of the same chemicals(serotonin, oxytocin) in our brains as when we practice gratitude.

This habit comes naturally for some, and not so much for others. We have to practice.

Affirmations work wonders:

“I’m always where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there.”

“We’re never given more than we can handle in one day.”

“I’m so grateful for friends and family.”

“The Universe supports me in all my desires.”

Or lots of people keep a gratitude journal. At the end of the day or beginning of the day, we need to tune in and make a record of what’s sustaining us. What are we grateful for?

It’s my belief we are energy beings. We’re a walkin’ talkin’ electronic machine. We work off energy like, yes, food but also the good energy, the positive chemicals we need to replenish ourselves with.

By noting what we’re grateful for, it releases those chemicals I spoke of earlier and melts stress. Now we become less stressed about the frivolous BS that is happening in our lives that is causing us to have unhappy thoughts.

Having gratitude is a way of saying, here’s reality; here’s what’s real. Here’s what really matters.

Gratitude is how we stay anchored.

Now, a word to the skeptics:

In AA, there’s a saying: “Believe that I believe until you can believe.”

When we’re all bent out of shape and crusted over from the circumstances in our life, we’re hesitant and resistant to have gratitude. Maybe you believe there’s nothing to be grateful for. But if you can at least believe that someone else believes that things will turn around when you practice gratitude and faith in a Higher Power, then eventually, you will believe too.

The program (or your life) won’t “work” until you believe in something.