“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” – Cicero
It is discontent that opens up our heart to many of the unhealthy habits in our lives.
Materialism is, after all, the natural behavior born out of discontent with the possessions that we own. We live in a society that breeds discontent by defining the American Dream as owning bigger homes, nicer cars, and fuller closets. Advertisers foster this sense of dissatisfaction by promising greater happiness with their products. And too often, we foolishly fall into their trap without realizing it.
But there are other unhealthy habits in our lives born out of discontent. For example, dishonesty is born out of discontent with the truth. Greed is born out of discontent with our current supply. Substance abuse is born out of displeasure with the current state of our lives. Even many of the feuds in our families are born out of discontent with our closest relationships.
If discontent is the cause of many of our unhealthy habits, contentment is the cure.
And if contentment is the cure, gratitude is the pathway to it.
Gratitude provides proper understanding of our place in the world. Gratitude is the feeling and expression of thankfulness for the actions of others that are costly to them and beneficial to us. By definition, gratitude requires humility. It requires us to admit we have been the recipient of something we did not deserve. And it calls us to admit there are no entirely self-made men or women.
Gratitude assigns worth to those who rightly deserve it. Whether I am thanking a parent, a spouse, a veteran, a teacher, a policeman, or a mentor who has invested into my life, my response of gratitude to their action gives the praise and worth to those who rightly deserve it.
Gratitude directs attention to what we already have. Gratitude always requires our attention to be focused on the good things we already possess. It calls us to notice our blessings and take greater appreciation of them. As a result, our eyes are turned away from the things that are fostering the discontent in our hearts.
Gratitude improves our overall well-being. Scientific studies over and over again confirm what we already know to be true: Grateful people are happier people. Grateful people routinely report increased well-being, better health, healthier lifestyles, increased optimism, and a more positive outlook on life. Additionally, those who display a high level of gratitude are much more likely to have below-average levels of materialism.
Gratitude is not a result of our circumstances. I have lived my entire life inside the United States, but have led numerous groups of people to third-world countries. I can attest first-hand that gratitude is not a result of circumstances. I have met grateful people in some of the poorest neighborhoods in our world and I have met grateful people in some of the richest neighborhoods in our country. I have also met ungrateful people in both. Gratitude is a decision and a discipline–not a response.
Gratitude opens the door to contentment. Gratitude helps us better understand our place in the world. It pushes our praise to those who rightly deserve it. It causes us to focus on the good things we already have regardless of our present circumstances. It improves our well-being in almost every regard. As a result, it is the surest pathway to contentment.
And that being the case, maybe more gratitude is the only thing we really need.
ralf says
You can create gratitude and contentment.
I reduced my costs, especially transport and energy costs, but also food. Now the income reaches farther. And there is much less stress. Which in turn leads to more time spent walking.
Lucinda says
I would often have my girls list, usually some odd number like 17, things they were grateful or thankful for. We did this at bedtime. Other times they would list attributes of God they were thankful for. They are now teens and we still do it on the rare nights when they don’t fall asleep quickly.
I appreciate the reminders in this article.
Lauren McCormick says
I recently took a personality test, and the results yielded that I was not motivated, not competitive, and didn’t care how much money I made. (There were upsides too, like that I love being around people.) The results bothered me at first, but then I realized why I scored so low in those areas. I’m content. I don’t need a bigger house, better clothes, to be better than the person next to me. I’m completely happy with where I am. Well, I wish I had a slightly better paying job, but nothing triple digit or anything. I live pretty minimally, but you need a job to help you more than “get by”. Anyway, I just feel happy knowing I’m mostly content :)
Mert says
This might be your best article. Sharing.
CE Papas - the merrymaker sisters says
Could not agree more with this post. Grateful people are always happier. Grateful for everything in our lives. Thank you for sharing.
Liz Becker says
When people live minimally sometimes others look down at them as weak because you don’t own as much. It’s hard to tell people that materials have no value to you. How do you suggest to go about living minimalist when everyone around you doesn’t understand and thinks you’re crazy? and how do you start giving up the materials that you do value, but you know you don’t need in your life to be happy?
Kathy says
“Gratitude is a decision and a discipline–not a response.” This statement says it all. Thank you for sharing your insight and wisdom. I look forward to your posts every day.
Jim says
I like this post! It reminds me of things I need to continue to work on, as a person trying to walk the journey of life. I’ve been grateful for certain people in my life, but I also find myself not being as content when I’m around certain other people, It is a matter of choice. I’m going to work at staying in the choice of gratefulness.
Susan says
My husband went through some serious health issues a while back and I began a gratitude jounal. It took a lot of effort at first, especially on his bad days, but it helped me to focus on what was going right so I did not spiral into the depths of his illness. The journal seriously helped me through a bad time. I am no longer actively keeping the journal, but when setbacks occur, I mindfully think of something I am grateful for, and it helps me to refocus on the positive.
Laurie says
I started the gratitude journal thing, and I’d write one thing a day. I had it all mapped out on a calendar, but then I’d end up getting 5 days behind, and it just got lost in my everyday. This might sound like an ad, but I found http://www.askmeevery.com and I use it every day. Everyday at 7pm I get an email (which goes to my phone) asking me for what I was grateful for during the day. I only reply with one thing, but I always think of about 5 things and pick the best one. The fact that it emails me and goes “ba-doo” on my phone reminds me that I have to do this thinking and writing.
You can customize what question you want the site to ask, I just use it for gratitude :)