Hajja Salesjana

not the most fertile ground for gratitude. However, a materialistic culture is not an insurmountable barrier to developing gratitude. Just being around our family and friends can help us feel more grateful. Also, being more appreciative of life and feeling less cynical pushes us in a more thankful frame of mind. At other times, when we are facing a tough decision, it might be useful to see it as a gift; indeed, some people would be thankful to have to make such a decision. Simple practices like maintaining a gratitude journal are extremely useful. This might involve keeping a note of the big and little joys of daily life. We might also write down “three good things” every day, identifying three things that have gone well for us during the day and identifying the cause. Complimenting others, or sending small tokens and thank you notes can also make us feel a lot better and enhance our mood immediately. Photo by Carli Jeen on Unsplash It is worth thinking about people who have inspired us on our life journey, and what it was about them that was most significant. It might also be interesting to engage in “mental subtraction.” We would thus imagine what our life would be like if some positive event had not occurred. It is perhaps not surprising that couple studies indicate that partners who express their thankfulness to each other often, can sustain their relationships with mutual trust, loyalty, and are more likely to have long-lasting, happy relationships. Finally, we need to bear in mind that gratitude is, above all, a decision. Regardless of our circumstances, developing a grateful mindset is a possible for most of us. It sometimes requires openness to ask for help. This is not always easy to acknowledge. Thankfully, help is available in many shapes and forms; we might need to open our eyes and heart to it. 25 Ottubru - Diċembru 2022 hajja