Gratitude has been a cure for many of my negative thoughts and feelings. It can be daunting when I am in a negative place in my life and feel like there is no positivity. Learning the importance of gratitude has become a vital part of my life. It has made my life seem a little bit brighter, even on the darkest days. Remembering the positive things in my life makes the negativity seem a little bit smaller.
In high school, I struggled to find anything to uplift my spirits. This was a time in my life when I was having two hip surgeries, my dad had cancer and my grandfather was having major heart surgery. I felt isolated and that no one else could understand what I was going through. It was probably the lowest I have ever been in my life.
Being stuck in the moment can make the future impossible to see. When I saw more than what was in front of me, I finally understood that my life was not as bad as I felt.
I am forever grateful to have had my family and friends during this time. Although my mom was dealing with her daughter, husband and father all going through health problems, she would make sure to be there for me every day. She encouraged me to get better and kept me company when I couldn’t walk after my surgeries. There was also an outreach of love from those around us who brought us dinners, flowers and cards.
Embracing and being grateful for the experiences and things in my life has helped me see in a more positive outlook. Positive and negative events happen throughout life, but when I embraced them and learned from them, I saw the events in a new perspective. It can be hard to see through a positive point of view during a difficult time.
I didn’t value gratitude for the little things back then, like my friends I didn’t know I would miss so much, being able to play sports and having my family nearby. They may not seem like little things, but when I was living in a time with them, it just felt like my ordinary life. Now I realize how valuable they are.
Now, the little things define my days and can make my day go from negative to positive. Every morning, I try to write in my journal a couple things that I am grateful for. It helps me start my day in a positive manner and reduces the stress in my life. Most of the time, it is about my family and friends, while other times it can be an experience I have had. These experiences can even be negative experiences that I have had in my life that have helped me learn more about myself.
Many positive things that occur throughout the day can go unnoticed. For me, negative experiences have a bigger impact on my life than positive ones. It can be difficult for me to acknowledge the good things or even remember them by the end of the day. I’ve started using the notes app on my phone and labeled a note “Daily Happiness.” I try to add at least one thing per day, regardless of how small or big it may be. Some of those things include someone offering me their seat on the bus, having a conversation with someone I usually don’t and getting a grade on an assignment I worked hard on. At the end of the day, I try to reflect on the good things that have occurred.
It took me a while to learn how to be grateful for the good and the bad, but I believe that every event in my life has led me to where I am today. I believe that there is always a hidden positivity regardless of how difficult the situation at hand may be. All we must do is pause and take a moment to reflect on who we are and what we have in this life. Be kind to yourself and notice the little things around you. I am grateful for who I am today and how far I have come and you should be too. After noticing what I have in my life and being grateful for it all, I have become more grounded in myself and whatever experiences I may come across. In high school, I was lost and couldn’t find positivity. Since then, I have found more peace in all the events in my life and write in my journal to reflect on them.
Anna Siver (she/her) is a sophomore studying public relations.
