THE LIFEBUOY OF GRATITUDE

Thought Adjuster: “Let us address today the painful and debilitating emotion of depression, as so many of you are frequently subjected to its detrimental influence—that not only affects the quality of their own life but also of the lives of those they associate with. In general, all emotions are contagious. Someone engulfed in such a severe emotional storm could be likened to a non-swimmer struggling to keep his head above water. For lack of a life jacket, he will frantically attempt to grab on to the closest swimmer and, due to his state of utmost panic, will put him at great risk of drowning.

“Such is the downward emotional pull of depression. Therefore, it has to be counterbalanced by the upward pull of saving emotions, such as hope, faith, courage, and ultimately gratitude.

“Let us now speak in terms of voltage to drive this point home: The emotion of depression is of low voltage and it is the reason why it is so hard to ‘climb out’ of it. On the other hand, the emotion of gratitude is of high voltage. By turning on the ‘gratitude switch’, you are allowing this positive current to override the negative one of depression, thus re-energizing you and lifting your spirits.

“Become aware of this emotional principle and turn it to your advantage. Whenever your mood threatens to ‘takes a nose dive’, it is the critical moment when you need to hang on to the lifebuoy of Gratitude. Count your blessings, instead of zooming in on whatever you momentarily perceive as curses. Start your days by expressing anything and everything you feel grateful for—be it your morning cup of coffee, your beloved pet, the sun rising in the morning sky… and more. Little by little, it will take you inward and, after consistently practicing for a while, the dial of your emotional barometer will more routinely point to the sunny side of your life.

“This is a powerful activation tool. Once you start harvesting the benefits of such a practice, you will espouse it for the rest of your life and beyond, as it is one of the most positive transformationalpractice there is.”