[Make Gratitude Safe Again]
Gratitude is often used to smother disappointment, hurt, loss, and grief. Our genuine feelings go unaddressed and acknowledged when we’re told, “Be grateful you have…” or “Just practice some gratitude”.
This also makes gratitude, a powerful and important practice, a weapon.
Let’s take gratitude back from that abusive use and employ it with, in the words of a client of mine, BOTH/AND. Lets make it inclusive with our pain. I am sad AND I’m grateful to have had the time I got. I’m grieving AND I am grateful for the love we shared.
We can even elevate it to a practice of “Its been a tough day AND I’m grateful for the badasses that helped me through.” We can have balance in acknowledging the difficulty while also thriving in the gratitude.
As always, remember that you have a right to take up space in disappointment, grief, and gratitude. Make it happen on YOUR terms.
