It is not a hidden secret that when you start to take things for granted you often do not feel the same kind of joy. You tend to lose a sense of purpose. You just don’t stop to smell and embrace the fragrance of roses anymore. Forget smelling, you forget to even turn your heads towards them. You just choose to ignore the “little thing” and it has a cascading effect on other things.
When you are grateful and joyous, you are in a better place. You are able to acknowledge things better. See yourself better and for that matter know who you are. You happen to be the one who let go and appreciate what is around, instead of holding animosity and grudges. The following 5 reasons can help you get better insights as to why taking things for granted takes away the joy:
You start to act all selfish
When you take things for granted, you find yourself in the center of everything. You look at yourself isolated from the rest, including those who love you and care for you. When you value people who are around, you feel less lonely and happier. When you engage in more selfless behavior and look at people with dignity and gratefulness, you are likelier to extend a helping hand when someone needs it.
If you have empathy, you have the power to make changes in people’s life. Just by merely leading with empathy is all it takes. Keeping aside all personal vendettas and ego satisfaction. You will automatically stop taking things for granted.
It enables negative emotions to flow in
There are multiple pieces of research out there that say that the simple act of showing gratitude is responsible for a decrease in depression and an increase in happiness. It helps to boost your overall health. Studies say that when you are grateful for things you have the level of dopamine and serotonin high in your brain. It really doesn’t mean that people who show gratitude do not have negative thoughts. The only difference is that when times get tough, grateful people do not make things just about themselves. Just demonstrating some level of appreciation helps you go a long way. It is important you stop paying heed to the things that come your way and instead appreciate all that you have.
Resilience is affected
Resilience is impacted when you are blinded towards what good you have to offer and people who you know have got your back. You need to count and embrace the opportunities you have. Having gratitude builds a psychological immune system. Gratitude in turn help you be more resilient and acts as a shield around you. One thing you can do about it is that you can look at the things you have achieved in life, despite hardship and struggle. Remember if you were able to do it then, you will be able to do it again. Also, keep this in your mind that there will always be people who would easily trade places with you. It does not mean that whatever path you are on is not difficult. You should just appreciate what you have before it is too late.
You forget to stay in the moment
Can you recall when was the last time you embraced a sunrise or a sunset? The last time to smiled when a drop of rain fell on your face? If it’s a long time you have not experienced it, chances are you need to tap into the existing moment. We forget that of all the things in the world, it is just this moment which is promised and not what is yet to come. When you start to take things for granted, it comes with a lot of consequences. The memories you cherished once starts to fade away, people you hold close start to disappear from your life, and a lot of other opportunities go away. Gratitude is like meditation that you can do each day. Start with a list of things you are grateful for. Ground yourself… focus on your senses and be conscious of the things that you have now which you lacked earlier. Therefore, it is essential that you stop turning your head away from the beauty of the present. Never walk so quickly that you lose the sight of your present. Never ignore the people you have loved in the past or the people who have loved you.