Thought For Today: Is Offering Gratitude Mandatory?

Gratitude is my thought for today in spite of the five previous posts I have written about it. It is still an engaging topic and a very touchy issue with some people. 

When do-gooders or "know-it-alls" as I have just been accused of being preach at you, who the hell wants to hear them. It's irritating, "makes" you feel angry (some guilt there perhaps, unwarranted but there all the same) and puts you on the defensive which is worse sometimes.

Should we be grateful?

There are numerous things that we have to do in life but is offering gratitude mandatory; and why should we? There's no law that says one has to offer gratitude, is there?

For myself, I thank the Universe for waking up every bless-ed day as soon as I realise that my eyes are open in the morning. And sometimes, I list ten things I'm grateful for to start my day on the right footing and sometimes, I don't.

However, when I repeat my affirmations they usually put me in such a good mood that I end up creating a mental gratitude list and the day hasn't started yet! 

At the end, I am pumped and I feel great; yes, there's a 'but' coming... but I don't always feel like saying my affirmations or being grateful.

Giving meditation a pass

When I'm dumping on myself because it's too hard to resist sometimes - and I kind of enjoy it - I give morning meditation a pass.

But because it seems to fulfill a need in me and when I give it a pass in the morning, at an odd time during the day I end up abruptly stopping whatever I'm doing and taking a  twenty-minute break. After that, I feel like me again; whatever that means.

So, it just goes to show that there's more than one way of connecting with the universal spirit. So don't let the "shoulds" and "have tos" and "musts" get to you.

You do have a choice. No one can make you feel what you don't want to feel. The only person who can influence your thoughts and behaviour is you! And that is applicable every sphere of your life.

Keeping a gratitude journal

That said, keeping a gratitude journal and completing it every night with ten things you're grateful is a good habit to develop. It calls forth more of what you want from the Universe. Here's what DailyOM says about gratitude:

The gratitude you receive when you touch someone’s life in a positive way can be a beautiful gift. When you’re on the receiving end of someone’s thankfulness, it becomes easy to see that you have the power to be a force for constructive change.

Gratitude can make you more optimistic because your actions are proof that there is always the possibility that something good is right around the corner. And when you’re feeling down, the appreciation you receive when helping others can lift your spirits.

It can also go a long way in demonstrating to you that you can be a valuable asset to others through your efforts. When you help others today, the gratitude you receive will touch your heart and enrich you.

And my answer is a resounding YES to the question "Is offering gratitude mandatory?" because it is an affirming act.

It is an acknowledgement that some things are going right in your life and so, it keeps your light shining at the "window" to encourage the Universe to bring you more of the good stuff. 

Who agrees with me? Do you disagree with me? Tell me why.