Gratitude

As nurses, we see the most difficult things in humanity.  We see people suffering, we are privy to their difficult family situations, we basically have a very privileged look into the details of our patients’ lives.  We see their hopes, their fears, their sadness and their joy.

But all this does not come without a price.  When I was a nurse I was shielded from the sadness by putting a wall around myself so I would not have feel so much of the pain that my patients were going through.

It was not until I realized that I would be safe in opening my heart and being in gratitude, that I was able to share the full spectrum of emotions with my patients in a healthy way.

Gratitude is the key to joy in your life.  When you are in gratitude for everything, the difficult things in life are much easier to take.

There is always going to be someone better off than you and someone worse off than you.  The comparison game does not work and is not healthy.  Instead, count your blessings.

My favorite part of my day starts in a BIG way!  Begin In Gratitude.  I wake up each morning and think about what I am grateful for.  I would highly recommend this to you!

When I walk into my office, I ask my team, “What are you grateful for today?”  I love hearing their responses.  Some days are more trying than others, you’re just grateful to be alive and breathing.  Others days I hear gratefulness for our families or our job or all the good things that have happened.

When I was a unit manager, I wondered what if each shift could begin in gratitude and what a difference that would have made.

When I was a nurse, I know I am human and spent some time complaining.  My colleagues would occasionally do the same thing.  I wish I could take back those complaints and that my coworkers could also as life is too short and too precious.  I know that happiness and joy come from being in gratitude.

If this resonates with you, let’s all try together to start BIG and enjoy our days in gratitude.

I would love to hear your comments below.