So I did a little bit of a word search this week\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the opposite of gratitude?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A casual search suggests ingratitude, thoughtlessness, rudeness, disregard, refusal, and multiple more responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A more creative search suggests a lack of appreciation for something given or done to you or to someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is reasonable, therefore, to include that the opposite of gratitude is entitlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I admit. I have multiple feelings of subtle and not-so-subtle entitlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, yesterday afternoon, moments before I was to host an online virtual meeting, my internet slowed and the connection destabilized. I was more than a little irritated that I couldn\u2019t do what I wanted to do \u2014 what I felt I needed<\/em> to do. I admit\u2026 I feel my internet should always work quickly and efficiently (\u2026 regardless of whether or not the entire globe is online and shopping at Amazon at the moment).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To be entitled is to feel a right to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 to feel deserving of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I get it. We feel deserving of a lot of things.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But what if right now, at this unprecedented moment in history, those feelings of entitlement are actually obstacles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if that sense that we deserve something, gets in the way of walking through the current pandemic in a healthy way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And what if any entitlement we feel, keeps us from being grateful \u2014 when maybe, just maybe, intentional expressions of gratitude might be our wisest and healthiest, intentional response?<\/p>\n\n\n\n No doubt in a \u201cglass-is-half-full\u201d approach, there are multiple areas in which each of us can currently grow\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our practice of courage\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a challenging time. As the articulate Dr. Bren\u00e9 Brown shares, \u201cCourage is a habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It\u2019s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn to courage by courage-ing.\u201d Maybe we need to each practice courage-ing right now\u2026 I wonder what effect that would have on our anxiety and fears\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the practice of self-discipline\u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With calls for social distancing and to \u201cshelter in place,\u201d this can be hard \u2014 especially for the extroverts, sanguine, and Enneagram 7\u2019s and 3\u2019s! But the change in routine, isolation, and staying put isn\u2019t easy; we have to change things we otherwise might not. However, there is no doubt that self-discipline is a very wise thing\u2026 I wonder what would happen later if more of us would learn such now\u2026 \u201cI don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness \u2014 it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n So in these trying times \u2014 when the certain is uncertain \u2014 resisting the temptation to make certain, therefore, what we cannot \u2014 how might be wise to respond?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dare I suggest… by intentionally choosing gratitude instead of entitlement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s right in front of us\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 that is, if we\u2019re paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR So I did a little bit of a word search this week\u2026 What\u2019s the opposite of gratitude? A casual search suggests ingratitude, thoughtlessness, rudeness, disregard, refusal, and multiple more responses. A more creative search suggests a lack of appreciation for something given or done to you or to someone else. It is reasonable, therefore, to … <\/p>\n
So what if we also then grew in our gratitude?
Instead of complaining about what we don\u2019t have, what if we were grateful for what we do?
Instead of complaining about our circumstances, what if we grateful for something within them? What if we were intent about finding that which is good?
Back to Dr. Brown for a moment, as we quote her once more this day\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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