What, you may think, does being thankful have anything to do with pain relief. Maybe it does, maybe it does not, and for you who are experiencing physical pain, it may be a huge task to feel thankful about anything. I hear you. However, I am hoping that maybe you can apply the following principles of thankfulness on your good days and see where it takes you.
I think we need to step back, take a deep breath, and be thankful for what we got. Really. Just when you start thinking negative thoughts, start a mental thankfulness journal. You need to be aware that once those negative thoughts start to creep in, quickly tell yourself, “Nope, this is definitely not what I want.” And start to focus on things you are genuinely thankful for: thoughts that crack a smile on your face, an event or person that makes you happy, a mentor who has influenced you in the most positive and profound way, and so on … you get the idea. Try to use it on a daily basis and see if it will help block out your negative thoughts before it even has a chance to rear its ugly head.
The Harvard Medical School mentioned that giving thanks makes you a happy person. Being happy is a positive energy, and it is a good feeling. Being thankful helps you focus on good, positive things, and in turn, opens you up to receive good, positive things.
The use of this mental thankfulness journal “forces” you to direct your positive energy (i.e., thankfulness) on what you want, and discourages you from focusing negative energy (e.g., fear, worry, anger) on what you don’t want. Either way, energy is energy, so you want to use it in a positive way that will benefit you, right? Sure you do! Thankfulness allows you to direct your positive energy on what you want, perhaps to your deepest desires.
And there’s even more …
If you are experiencing pain, whether it is acute or chronic, being thankful positively changes our attitude and perspective towards pain. It could even help us better tolerate pain. Putting a positive spin on a negative situation appears to be the key.
In this day and age, it appears being thankful is becoming something of a lost art. It does not cost a thing, and it may reap a ton of benefits for you. I know, we are all wired differently, and for some of you it will take time to change your mindset. That is okay. Remember, one step at a time. Focus your positive energy on what you truly desire. Let’s practice the art of thankfulness, and spread this positive energy around, starting with your spouse, relatives, friends, colleagues, our community and even on the World Wide Web! And maybe, just maybe the positive boomerang effect will happen. I would like to close with this YouTube video … please check it out over here: Life Vest Inside – Kindness Boomerang – “One Day”
Thank you for dropping by and reading my post!
To Your Success & Freedom,
Glenn Shimabukuro
