Gratitude Is Recognition; Forgiveness Is Release
"Forgiveness is a form of gratitude. When we forgive others, we show them the mercy that we have often received and been thankful for." ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
In keeping with the season, our topic this week is forgiveness and gratitude – both of which enable us to gain more control and empowerment in our lives. Forgiveness allows us to let go of our resentments and move on with our lives. Gratitude allows us to recognize all the good things that happen every day.
When we practice gratitude as a mindset, it doesn’t mean that we ignore the bad things. It means that we can also focus on all the good things, big or small, like our relationship with our loved one, our bond with our pet, or just a simple pleasure like a hot cup of coffee. We realize that life is not all terrible, that we do have a lot to be thankful for, and that there is hope.
If gratitude is a challenge for you, remember to start small and employ both/and thinking. Life has both challenges and rewards; it will never be all rainbows and unicorns, but we have the choice to focus on the positive.
Here are five tools that may help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude:
MAKE IT A HABIT: Name three things you’re grateful for every day. Consider starting or ending your day with a practice of gratitude.
BE INSPIRED: Who is your inspiration? Who are you grateful for? What do you appreciate about them?
EXPRESS GRATITUDE: Let someone know why you’re grateful for having them in your life.
VISUALIZE: Write down what you’re grateful for, and keep these visuals close as reminders. Smile; say thank you; write a thank-you note.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Instead of focusing on your shortcomings, maintain an outlook of gratitude by focusing on your best qualities and those of others around you.
While gratitude is recognition, forgiveness is release. When we refuse to forgive, we allow the person or experience that harmed us to continue to cause damage – in our memory. We regain control by releasing those feelings and reframing our role from victim to survivor.
Here are eight tools to cultivate forgiveness:
Choose to forgive.
Allow your feelings about the experience to be released.
Let go of expectations.
Re-establish healthy boundaries.
Determine how your needs can be met safely.
Allow your Higher Power or spirituality to send you positive energy.
Send unconditional love to those who injured you.
Recognize something positive that you learned from the experience.
And as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, all of us at Courage to Caregivers have much to be thankful for. We set out to create a community of care that includes all of YOU – our participants, volunteers, donors, stakeholders, community partners, and social media followers. Thank you, because we could not do this important work without all of YOU.