All things are produced and make sense over time. While we take time to talk about gratitude, we don’t talk about it enough and we don't talk about our fears. In life, (especially under certain conditions), we have to find the motivation to fight, to say "forget it, I don't deserve this", and strive for better. We need to know when to let go, and when to move on. Sometimes we stay in unhappy relationships, friendships and situations when we need to free ourselves of them. Sometimes you will need a detox or break from people. It is perfectly okay if you need space from someone. It doesn’t mean that we don’t love people if we feel like we need a break from them.
In time everything will make sense.
Continue to focus on your goals and aspirations, but do it for you in your own time. Don’t compare yourself to others. Sure, there is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, but it’s not healthy to be too competitive. Be motivated by you and by what you want--not by what you think others expect from you. You do not have to prove anything to anyone. Be genuine with your desires and you will see improvements. You are more likely to get the response that you want when you are being honest. Sometimes the truth hurts, but we need to hurt in order to grow. A lot of the time our painful experiences make us stronger.
Nothing happens when we want it to.
There will be times when you feel like you can't do anything, but just do something--it will help. Even if you have to force yourself into it. Keep yourself busy until you actually feel busy and fulfilled. Sometimes you have to force yourself to take action, and it might feel super annoying, but once you get into the activity you may feel better.
Chances are that you will feel good about yourself for going after it even though you didn’t want to.
Belive in yourself and have faith in your future.
It is so easy to give up. No one said that life was meant to be easy, but if you can find a balance between the ups and downs, then you are ahead of the game. Regardless of what comes your way, keep going because you never know when things are going to change, or when a change will come. You don’t know when you will meet someone new, or go someplace amazing, or land a summer job, or even read an amazing book.
Whatever you do, never give up.
It’s serious to say that many people have seen dreams come true later in life, none of us, get it all, at the same time, and none of us can ever stop working towards the things we want from life. If you don’t like the way you look now that might change one day. If you’re flunking out of school now you might have a kickass job someday. Haven’t you heard stories of people who hated high school but later flourished in life? This is just a moment of your life. You have to hang on because you are so young and so much has yet to be determined, seen or experienced. In so many ways, you are still figuring yourself out so take the time to do that. Figure out who you are now so that you can build a promising future. One that highlights all the things that you want and dream to do with your life one day.
Sometimes we have to work harder to find happiness.
Like is a game of chance, but if you keep playing, you will come across a win. You never know when the arcade game is going to dish out a bunch of tickets, or when you feel that great sense of winning, but you've got to wait, hang in there and bear it all because it could happen, anything could happen. Sure, they say the house always wins, but if you keep playing, the odds are that eventually, the house will lose. The key is to never give up, even when it feels like you should. Know when to walk away, achieve, and aim to win, but don’t get too greedy and never overplay your hand. You’ve got to take care of yourself and ensure that you are in a good place both with yourself and with others. Life happens when it happens, and when it does, you won’t want to miss it.
You never know what is waiting for you.
Yes, the waiting game is painful, waiting is tiring and it feels and seems like nothing, it feels like nothing, but time makes use of time, in its own time. Time takes time. It always does, you just have to wait for it, and keep working towards getting it right in the moment. In the meantime, embrace the small things that can change your day. Like having a good conversation with someone, or having a polite stranger wish you hello on the street. These are the little things that really make the world of difference. This is a part of us being grateful for the things we have and the things we value in life. What does gratitude look like? It’s truly different for everyone as we all experience unique realities.
What are you grateful for? Start a gratitude journal.
Here Are Some Examples of Things to be Grateful For:
- A loving parent
- A good friend
- An exciting story
- A helping hand
- A good grade
- Landing a summer job
- Connecting with your crush
- Having a good meal
- Being sheltered and warm
- A hug
Take time to dream.
There is so much to be grateful for and so many things to motivate us towards tomorrow. Gratitude can be big or small, but try to find one or two things about each day to be grateful for. This has been said to increase happiness because our level of appreciation increases and so does our mood. Some people keep a gratitude journal, Oprah came out with a famous gratitude journal years ago. It’s simple really, you just need a place to document the things you are thankful for. You can create your own, find a journal, use a notepad, or even just use a piece of paper, and write down five things you are grateful for about each day. If you can’t think of five (as bad days are natural) try to think of one, and remember it can be a really small thing. Even, “my friend shared her snack”, or “someone let me go ahead of them.” Gratitude can be found in a wide variety of places, but you should look for it. Don’t be afraid to have self-gratitude either, build your confidence, think of the things that you like about yourself and write them down. Remind yourself of these things when you get down or discouraged. It will help to bring you back onto to your feet. A gentle reminder can work miracles.
Time takes time and things change on a dime.
The big things seem so scary, but in reality, it is the small things, which truly make or break our day. Perhaps it's the success on the basketball court or more importantly, the small acts of human kindness, which mean more than anything.
Have Your Say
What are some good small acts of kindness that you can think of? What are some examples of kindness that you have experienced?
