Importance of Gratitude
- katie patterson
- Mar 6, 2019
- 4 min read
I need to finish my all my reading. I need to go to the gym. I need to catch up on research. I have so many classes. I have rehearsal. I need to finish my bulletin board. I need to work.
Wait. Take a moment. Take a Breath. So often in life we get caught up in the tasks at hand, the things that need to be done, the deadlines we need to meet, that we forget about all the people around us. We forget gratitude.
The google search defines gratitude as: "the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness," it's simple, right? But how often do people actually show signs of thankfulness. It is important to reflect on the people around us and the people who have helped us get to where we are now.
So here's an activity. To my supporters who have been through this experiment already, feel free to skip to the bottom or... you can always participate again, but I want to share this activity with more individuals because it is powerful and I hope those who have done it before agree. I would like to start off with accrediting this idea to the SDSU AS President Chris Thomas, who showed me this video last year, and led me to attempt to spread this message to a majority of individuals in my life.
So here it is: Close your eyes. Think of an important person in your life. Someone who has been very influential to you, who inspired you, okay whoever you're thinking of right now. Starting writing down why they are so important, how you would describe them to someone who doesn't know them. Write on a piece of paper (or where you feel comfortable), but write it down. Take about 5 minutes to do this, or stop when you feel comfortable.
Okay great, now watch this video. It's a good one. Don't skip it.
I remember the first time I did this activity just as the video played I was in tears. It was beautiful. Just to be able to hear the deeply personal and meaningful messages these individuals had to share. I looked down at my paper, and began to freeze. That was when Chris Thomas told us that we were all going to go outside or in a comfortable place to make our very own call.
I wrote my note to my former leadership adviser: Chandra Frazier/Henry from high school. I was extremely nervous, as an already emotional reck I knew that I would be struggling to get through the phone call. As I found her contact in my phone and hear the phone dial I already began to cry. Nothing was happening, but I was crying. I dialed the phone and I heard a ring, and then another right and then I was brought to her voicemail. I proceeded anyways, struggling to maintain my composure. I read the full letter to her (voicemail) and then eventually came to a close. I hung up the phone and cried a little more.
I didn't hear back from her for another 2 weeks, I admit that made me feel very nervous.. and I was worried I had freaked her out or something, but it was just because iphone's are sometimes odd with voicemail notifications and well life gets busy. She sent me a very meaningful text back and despite my slight anxiety waiting for a message, it really reinforced how important something like this is. I've now done it twice more, and I've spread this message with two different groups of people.
So if you're sitting there nervous, thinking "oh no, she's going to make us do it" then you are absolutely right. You are all lucky because I can't actually ensure you do make the call, but I think you'd be even more lucky to go out and make the call. Yes, it can be emotional, yes, it might be full of tears, yes, it is WORTH IT. How you write of someone is so beautiful, but how often do you say these words to someone out loud? That's some meaningful shit.
I would do this experiment over and over because I believe in the power of your words and gratitude, but this doesn't stop with the call... I CHALLENGE YOU to implement practices of gratitude in your life, I imagine you're surrounded by some really great people (and if you're not that's a new discussion and issue we can work through). Those great people deserve to know they're great and that you love and adore and are inspired and everything by them.
I turned to gratitude recently as a coping mechanism, when days got rough and I might have been a bit sad. I turned to gratitude and am not turning back. Sometimes when you think you need love, sometimes it is just as meaningful to be giving love to others. Knowing that you can be a part of their happiness contributes to happiness of your own. Granted I am talking about my own experience, I know we are all different, but I think gratitude can touch all of us, if you let it to.
Love deep, appreciate the moments, and express gratitude, life is too short to let people wonder if they mean something to you. So do something today to show your friends, families, loved one, maybe even strangers, that they are important, influential and they matter.

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