Grateful for Gratitude | My Instruction Manual
Keith McArthur

I’m grateful for gratitude

Is it wrong to say I’m grateful for gratitude?

Each month, I take time to reflect on things I’m grateful for. It helps me remember how fortunate I was to get a second chance at life when my little sister Stephanie donated a kidney to me.

When I say I’m grateful for gratitude, I really mean I’m grateful to have learned how powerful gratitude can be. Along with mindfulness and exercise, gratitude is one of the levers I can pull to make me a better person. If I start to feel grumpy, or depressed, or anxious, or resentful, these things help center me. If I act angrily, judgmentally, impatiently or unkindly, these are the things that help me to be the person I want to be.

1) I’m grateful for gratitude

It is impossible to feel resentful and grateful at the same time.  Celebrating my kidneyversary as a gratitude birthday is a good start, but sometimes it’s not enough. So whenever I start to feel resentful about something, I try to think of something to be grateful for instead.

2) I’m grateful for mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation is a funny thing. I don’t always feel better when I’m doing it, and sometimes I feel worse. But taking time to focus on the present moment always helps me to be more patient and less anxious for the 24 hours after I do it. Sometimes, I need a 20-minute meditation session; at other times, a few mindful breaths will do the trick.  Here’s a post to help you get started with meditation.

3) I’m grateful for exercise

Sometimes when I’m up against a deadline and need to pare back my calendar, I cut out exercise. And whenever I do, it’s a huge mistake. The less I exercise, the more anxious I get with my deadlines, and the less effective I am with getting my most important work done. I don’t always want to exercise, but I always feel better after I do it. So now when I feel stressed about not having enough time, I try to add an extra workout into my calendar instead of cutting it out.

These things are on my mind now because I’m about to go on a family vacation. Because I won’t be on my regular schedule, it’s important that I work these things into my day to avoid becoming impatient, resentful, and controlling with Laura and the boys.

Are there things that help you center yourself? I would love to hear from you. Scroll down and leave a comment below.

18 Steps | Keith McArthur | My Instruction Manual

INSTANT ACCESS TO GRATITUDE!


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5,329 comments

  1. I couldn’t agree with this more, when faced with health issues it’s so easy to focus on the negative aspects (human nature and all) but when I start to go there I start to think about the enormous gratitude that has come with it. My doctors who saved my life, my family who never leave, my illness for teaching me a resilience I never imagined I could have. Gratitude is so important👏🏻

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