How often do you remind yourself to be grateful for what you have?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I got issues of my own to deal with, but I'm SO grateful that they're not as bad as some people's issues. I mean, watching the news on a dail basis, I see there's thousands of fires in my state just burning up people's homes to nothing. Devistating floods in other countries, submerging houses and everything else, volcanic eruptions causing evacuations, refugees uprooting their lives to get out of war-torn countries, with just the clothes on their back, while being treated like animals by the people who take them into asylum, other people living on less thsn a dollar a day, hurting for food and d clean water (world's going to hell in a handbasket)...and...I got it pretty dang good, with a roof over my head, plenty of food, a bed.

 

Just makes me appreciate the basic necessities more, when others don't even have that, sad as it is.

 

How often do you remind yourselves to truly be appreciative of all the luxuries, in comparison, that you have?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

All the time. It was actually an issue growing up that I felt guilty for having the stable and loving family and luxuries that I had. I learned that as long as I don't think I inherently deserve them, work to earn the things I have (not just material items either), and indeed remember to actually be thankful for what I have; than guilt isn't necessary. Just appreciating the fact that others aren't as lucky and that should I meet such a person, I should be welcome and generous to them.

[Troblems 5,617]

Not often enough. I am grateful for what I have, but my pain disorder sometimes makes me forget that. I live in a nice house, with running water, electricity, food whenever I want it, I have family that loves me, and I spend most every day with the man I love. My husband and I make enough to get ourselves by as well as our three pets, and while we don't have everything we could ever want, we do live comfortably enough, and we're damn lucky to have all of that.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,540]

For my friends that I have? Every day. I remember how much I love my friends here every single day and I remember to tell them how much I appreciate them.

 

Everything else? Nowhere near enough. I do have these deep moments where I will reflect on what I have and be so happy for it, but when all the negative thoughts kick in, it is like I don't even remember. I don't like that a whole lot. Like how I am grateful to have say, video games or the internet as those are wonderful things, yet I feel like I take those for granted at times.

[Justin_Case001 4,891]

I try to almost every day, but often times it doesn't help me feel much better when I'm depressed.  I know I'm really lucky to have what I do.

 

 

All the time. It was actually an issue growing up that I felt guilty for having the stable and loving family and luxuries that I had. I learned that as long as I don't think I inherently deserve them, work to earn the things I have (not just material items either), and indeed remember to actually be thankful for what I have; than guilt isn't necessary.

But you do.  In my opinion, all people inherently deserve a stable home and a loving family.  Many don't get it, but everyone inherently deserves it.  I try to have this positive outlook, because I constantly struggle with self-worth issues, and often feel like I deserve nothing, or worse, that I deserve punishment just for...existing.  But that's not true.  I deserve what I have and so do you.  But of course it's important to appreciate what we have and work for it, too.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I try to almost every day, but often times it doesn't help me feel much better when I'm depressed.  I know I'm really lucky to have what I do.

 

 

But you do.  In my opinion, all people inherently deserve a stable home and a loving family.  Many don't get it, but everyone inherently deserves it.  I try to have this positive outlook, because I constantly struggle with self-worth issues, and often feel like I deserve nothing, or worse, that I deserve punishment just for...existing.  But that's not true.  I deserve what I have and so do you.  But of course it's important to appreciate what we have and work for it, too.

 

Bad wording on my part, I meant that "I don't deserve them more than another person who worked equally as hard." That I, for whatever reason, am not entitled to something more than my fellow man. Certainly everyone deserves at least a stable and loving upbringing.

[Guest90210 3,568]

As often as I mentally can.

 

I live in a rough neighborhood, have poor social skills, and have all sorts of problems to deal with. Whenever I'm feeling down, I try to remember that some out there will go to bed that night hungry. Some will lose a loved one from a horrific accident. Some don't have a roof over their heads. Some will get kicked out of their homes due to financial constraints. Some live in a worse neighborhood. Some will get stricken with a disease. Some won't be alive the next day...

 

Sometimes you gotta just wake up and smell the roses. Breathe in the air and be thankful that you're still alive; still breathing, and still moving. Each new day is a new chance, a new hope with new opportunity. Take what you have and make the best of it, and try to bring others up with you.

 

I don't always succeed, but I try to remind myself that overall, it could be better, but it could be worse. The world and life itself moves on regardless of you and the past.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Rivendare

[Invincible 2,091]

Not nearly enough. The human heart always yearns for more, but never rejoices for what it already has. I guess it's just too easy to get used to stability and good situations which eventually you start taking these for granted.

[PROJECT: Simon 3,954]

Rarely. I always think I'm useless xD 

[Lunar Echo 10,335]

Not often enough, I tend to forget how well off we can be.

[Notomi 66]

alllllllllll the tiiiiiiiiiiimeeee. like, when I start feeling kinda down, I always have to calm myself by saying that my life is a lot better than it could be and that in the big picture I shouldn't worry. xP

[VengefulStrudel 1,486]

When I get angry or upset, I try to think about all the things I should be grateful for, and it calms me down. I also do so when I read about other problems around the world.

 

I was watching a documentary on war this morning, it was mostly from the perspective of civilians in a besieged city, and I felt really grateful for everything in my life, especially non-materials things such as family, health, well-being, etc. Any problem I might face, like "Oh no! My tablet's stylus' nib has broken! What will I do now?!", is quite meaningless in hindsight.

[Mesme Rize 15,683]

Very often. I am glad that i live in central europe, in a system, while flawed, could be alot worse. I am glad that i can stand up from my warm bed, go to my local store and buy myself some junkfood if i want, while some other people have to beg for a loaf of bread and have to sleep in the street during the cold winter. We really live like Kings in comparision.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2mbGP6vFI

[Partialgeek514 5,011]

I often feel grateful for what I have. I live in a free country with the best family I could ask for. Even though my dad lost his job last spring, we're still doing all right and have lots of friends and family willing to help out. I do feel guilty for what I have sometimes, but I just remember that we do not choose what we're given, but we do choose what we give. As long as we do what we can to help those in worse situations, there's nothing to feel bad about.

[Unikitty 1,212]

Actively? Never. But that's not to say I'm ungrateful. Far from it.

I constantly acknowledge that I am in both a better and worse state than other people. However I believe that knowing this is primarily irrelevant to my own well-being. These people are not me, and whilst I can put time into helping less benefiting people, the only way I can make my life better is by focusing on doing better for myself. It's not that I don't care for people in worse positions, nor loathe people in better ones. but if I'm going to be able to put myself in a position where I am content with myself, I need to focus on, well, myself.

I'll extend a helping hand to others in need, but at the end of the day I am the center of my universe, and so I need to focus on my own betterment. And once I've reached a position of content, I can be free to pour more focus into helping people trying to reach their level of content.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Actively? Never. But that's not to say I'm ungrateful. Far from it.

I constantly acknowledge that I am in both a better and worse state than other people. However I believe that knowing this is primarily irrelevant to my own well-being. These people are not me, and whilst I can put time into helping less benefiting people, the only way I can make my life better is by focusing on doing better for myself. It's not that I don't care for people in worse positions, nor loathe people in better ones. but if I'm going to be able to put myself in a position where I am content with myself, I need to focus on, well, myself.

I'll extend a helping hand to others in need, but at the end of the day I am the center of my universe, and so I need to focus on my own betterment. And once I've reached a position of content, I can be free to pour more focus into helping people trying to reach their level of content.

so in no way do you feel like giving to others is ba greater reward than receiving, or making things as comortable as possible for yourself before tending to those in need? That seems pretty cold and heartless. "I'll do all I can to please myself and live a comfortabls life, before helping someone who's worse off, in some way, than I am".

[Unikitty 1,212]

so in no way do you feel like giving to others is ba greater reward than receiving, or making things as comortable as possible for yourself before tending to those in need? That seems pretty cold and heartless. "I'll do all I can to please myself and live a comfortabls life, before helping someone who's worse off, in some way, than I am".

 

That's not what I was saying at all. I understand that some people have it worse and some people have it better. I'm neither top of the world, nor bottom. But I also acknowledge that their lives are theirs, and mine is mine. I'm at the head of my own life, and whilst I do help with the small bits that I can, and appreciate the help I get from others when needed, I accept the fact that as head of my own life I need to put it ultimately before the lives of everyone else.

 

And I'm not saying this as though I avoid giving my spare change to the homeless man(hell, I've given food away just for the sake of it), or shrugging off political events that don't impact me directly(I'm a supporter of LGBT, as well as supporting abuse awareness, despite being neither LGBT nor abused). It's just that I don't believe I need to consistently remind myself of the plights of others, as in the end my own problems take precedence due to the fact that I am me and not the homeless man nor abused.

 

I shouldn't have to feel guilty for the fact that I have it better. Just as I don't expect someone above my position to feel guilty about my position(unless their actions directly result in my life becoming worse). I don't need to do my good-deed-a-day or constantly remember all the people in worse situations. I just focus on making sure I'm happy and I do good where I can should the opportunity arise.

[SCS 7,537]

Not often enough, but still pretty regularly. I am blessed in my life in so many ways and I try not to take it for granted. But of course sometimes I fuck up and I do.

[BlueBrony 388]

I do think about that, but I often need reminders. I have found that the times when I am most grateful is not when I think about the fact that I live a much more comfortable life than most of the planet, but when I think about what is beautiful. Mountains, trees, a beautiful sunset, the wonderful eagerness of a little kid, a good cup of coffee/tea. These small reminders of simple joys help show me that there really is good in this world, and it doesn't necessarily depend on how well off I am, but just the fact that I exist to witness it.

[Odyssey 5,716]

I have to remind myself almost daily. Seeing as how many of my experiences in my life left me feeling bitter about myself, I always have to remind myself by how my life isn't as horrible as what I make it out to be. The hardest part however is convincing myself. I always tell myself that I'm not the worst person, but I always keep on thinking back at times where I really fuck up. It really takes a lot of time and patience for it to finally get resolved.

[Midnight_Star 9]

I like to remind myself everyday to not be um whats that word?  

[Not Yellow Diamond 925]

NEVER

 

Because, I always remember. I'm grateful for everything I have and take care of it and thank God that I have what I have.I NEVER get bored because I have learned to cherish and appreciate the stuff that I have. Sure, I wouldn't mind more. But I'm very, very happy with what I have now 

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

Everyday, and it's only ever made me feel worse.

[catnet 9,356]

I'm not overly conscious of if I remind myself (probably because it takes fairly little to make me naturally content and interested), but I definitely almost always feel pretty grateful for the hand I've been dealt... being without the internet is a scary enough thought for me, the people that go through actual serious travesties with nothing much and keep fighting on, those people have more strength than many may ever have to use, myself included.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Fairly often. It helps me to keep perspective for how lucky I am. When my family sits down to pray during dinner we usually have a special intentions moment and it's during those moments when I really stop to consider the entire world and how much aid is needed to so many people. Thus the logic goes the other way. I'm sitting with a family that loves me, both parents alive, healthy, and happily married, brothers, food, a house, a college degree. Kind of hard not to notice how lucky I am. To which, I am exceedingly grateful.