Gratitude as a Lens

Finding light in everyday life

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What are you truly grateful for?

What can you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and think “wow, I’m so thankful for <insert here>!”?

It’s important to reflect regularly with gratitude.

I view gratitude as a lens.

Two people can observe the same events with differing perspectives based on the level of gratitude they carry.

And it’s all too easy to forget to be grateful for the different things in your life as you adapt to each baseline.

So, the following is essentially a public journal of things that I’m currently grateful for.

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Living below my means

I am grateful for a home and bed to return to at the end of each day. I am glad to be able to afford basic needs and to be able to spend on some of my wants without breaking the bank. As I currently live with my grandmother, this has also given me time to understand her more through an adult perspective beyond the time we spent together in my childhood.

Gainful Employment

I currently do a lot of heavy thinking writing code on a day-to-day basis which can be quite taxing. But I realize there are many who are not put in a position to receive payment for their thoughts and skills. And, I enjoy using my mind to find creative approaches to solving problems. I try to keep this in mind when I’m on my third hour fixing a single unit test!

A Working Car

It can be difficult to get many places without a car, especially in the U.S. When my car’s engine failed rather suddenly a few months ago, that really put this into perspective. Between the time without the car and the monetary and energetic resources required to get it running again, it makes me glad just to be able to drive it. It also puts into perspective the smaller relative significance of minor cosmetic vehicle damage and emphasizes the care required to keep a vehicle running well.

Pleasant Co-workers

Working with great people can make all the difference. People who don’t mind sharing what they know to raise the quality of work for everyone around them. People who use humor to break up the monotony. People who embrace and celebrate creative thought and differing perspectives.

Family

Specifically, the kind that takes the time to know me as a person. It has been really helpful to have a support structure, especially in this mid-20’s challenging time filled with uncertainty. It’s energizing (at least to me) when family members know enough about me and what’s going on in my life to ask how things are going in a meaningful way.

Friends

Friends who care about my well-being and don’t mind sharing their resources and experiences. Similarly to family, it’s nice to be able to build both mutual understanding and celebrated differences among friends. It’s also enjoyable to tackle interesting projects or sort out difficult logistics (e.g., broken car) together.

The Internet

I will admit that with its current vastness and setup it’s a struggle to focus on creating more using the Internet than consuming from it. But, I’m working on that balance every day, and having access to information and to be able to learn insights from others on topics of interest is great!

Time for Introspective

As an introverted empath, I treasure quiet time for introspection while still also appreciating friends who allow me to join them in explorative ventures. I just know that my body needs quiet time to recharge here and there and am grateful for the ability to take it.

Music

Listening to and creating music both affect me at my core, and I appreciate the ability to perceive and participate in it.

Sight

I appreciate all of my senses and try to connect with them regularly. But, I say sight specifically because I took the leap and got PRK (similar to LASIK) earlier this year after wearing glasses daily for about 18 years. Aside from some dryness when the weather is cold and dry, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. This result isn’t a 100% guarantee, and I reflect on it anytime I’m out on an especially beautiful day.

Curiosity

Anything of interest is a thread that can be pulled. I am glad to have relative freedom to explore my interests and the world around me. Sometimes I get tied up by this because I have so many interests and so much curiosity. But overall it’s great that there are many opportunities to explore.

Learning

I understand that learning new topics can be especially challenging for some people. I tend to have smart people around me, so I can forget that while my understanding of some topics may feel slower relatively, there are other topics or skills that come really easily to me.

Good Health

Overall positive health and the ability to exercise and eat healthily to maintain it. Exercise (and injury recovery), healthy eating, and healthcare appointments can feel like chores, but I try to recall that it’s a privilege to take care of this body and mind I’ve been provided. Good health is a necessary support pillar to accomplish the things I’d like to in this short time on Earth, so I treasure it.

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When you cultivate and reflect on your own list of things you’re grateful for, it’s easier to share your light with the world.

I encourage you to shift your thinking towards gratitude if you’re finding you have a bias towards negativity.

So, I invite you to consider your own answers to the question:

What are you truly grateful for?

I’m interested in hearing what items others hold dear in their own gratitude lenses, so feel free to share!