Practicing Gratitude
Last week I had a string of days where nothing seemed to go right. We’ve all had weeks like that! One day every traffic light was red, no one would return my phone calls, I forgot an appointment, it rained when my daughter and I planned to go swimming, the dentist’s bill was more than expected, I stubbed my toe on the coffee table, and the peaches wouldn’t peel easily when I wanted to make jam. By the end of the week, I was starting to feel pretty discouraged by it all. Can you relate?? And then I remembered a little catch phrase my daughter learned in Sunday school years ago– adopt an “attitude of gratitude”– and I was reminded to change my perspective.
What does that mean?
The red lights that kept slowing me down? A chance to look around and observe my surroundings. The higher than expected dentist’s bill? Appreciation for having insurance to cover 80% of it. The stubborn peaches? A reminder that not everything goes as smoothly as planned. The rainy day with no swimming? An opportunity for thinking creatively about indoor activities. The stubbed toe? Well, that was just me being clumsy.
My point is that we all have difficult days when things just don’t go our way. The difference between getting bogged down in the negativity and rising above it is in the perspective we take. If we can manage to find the silver lining, the lesson, the positive spin, the gratitude– then life seems brighter and easier to manage.
Give it a try! And the next time the barista at the coffee shop hands you a vanilla iced latte instead of your regular caramel mocha– instead of thinking of it as a wrinkle in your morning routine, consider it an opportunity to tantalize your tastebuds with something new. (Or a sign you should switch coffee shops.) Either way, don’t let it get you down. Change your perspective. Adopt an attitude of gratitude. And see where it leads!
If you’re curious about how music therapy might help in changing your perspective, contact me anytime. (And here’s a short video about using music to manage those rough days!) I’m always happy to answer questions!
