Expanding On a Life of Gratitude, Kindness and Compassion in 2021
By: Sheri Levenstein Conaway
Tags: Compassion, 2021, Kindness, Hate, Gratitude

Courage and Gratitude in 2020

Photo Courtesy of Anthony Quintano via Flikr

2020 will go into the history books as a year of tremendous upheaval, a global pandemic, riots, hate, and fear. But it was also a year when communities grew stronger, and people stood up to the hate and fear mongering, not by fighting back, but by setting an example for Humanity’s darker side.

If you look past what the media deemed newsworthy in 2020, you’ll find stories of exceptional courage and compassion which need no publicity or accolades. You’ll find communities who pulled together to support each other, despite their differences, be they race, religion, sexual identity, or even the most divisive of all; politics.

Though many found it necessary to end friendships over political beliefs instead of agreeing to disagree, I saw it as an opportunity. Political zeal serves no one but the politicians who, quite frankly, are typically driven by the money. Sure, some are less self-serving than others; less interested in the power of the position, but in the end, they’re all at the mercy of a higher power’s purse strings. I’ve yet to see anyone elected without at least one high-powered backer in their corner. Ending a friendship over someone else’s agenda is, in my opinion, cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Disagreeing Kindly

Admittedly, I vehemently disagree with a lot of people in my community right now, but that doesn’t mean I hate them. I don’t agree with their opinions, and often am offended or appalled by the way they choose to express them, but I choose to believe the loving, rational people I know them to be will return in time, and I’m willing to give them the time and space to rediscover the people I know and love.

I realize the dropping of the ball on New Year’s Eve didn’t magically transform the world any more than the Presidential inauguration a couple of weeks later. It’s going to take a concerted effort by all of us to reach deep inside and find the love, compassion, and kindness that seems to have been buried in debates over masks, quarantines, gun control, and abortion, just to name a few hot buttons. We all possess the best tool for finding those pieces which, in some, may be gasping for breath right now. That tool is Gratitude.

It’s easy to look at the world around you, and the challenges you’re facing, and bemoan what you’ve lost. It requires conscious effort to look past those temporary upsets and recognize what you’ve unearthed in the process. If you’re like me, some friendships have grown stronger, and the small things mean more than they ever did. You might even have learned to decline requests for arguments; to state your opinion, and walk away from any bashing or abusive responses.

Choosing Your Emotional State

You might also have learned to stay out of judgement, and to accept that everyone has the right to an opinion, and none of them have to agree with yours. No one but you has your set of experiences, or the influences which shaped you from the day you were born to where you are today. You can’t possibly understand someone else’s beliefs, nor is it your place to determine their validity.

At the beginning of the year, I allowed myself to get into virtual pissing matches now and then. Now, I refrain from firing back if someone chooses to stand in judgement of my beliefs and opinions. I’ve learned it’s not my place to correct others, nor try to change their beliefs and opinions. Other than sharing mine as kindly as possible, I do my best to either respond respectfully, or remove myself from the conversation entirely. Granted, except for cases where there’s at least a kernel of agreement, or a willingness to entertain dissenting opinions I’m removing myself more often than not.

It’s a funny thing about emotions. If you allow yourself to get riled up, you start finding more and more things raise your ire. If you allow things to roll off you without setting off an emotional response, anger becomes a less frequent, if not uncommon response in your repertoire. Less anger means less stress, and less stress means better health. I’ve yet to understand why people would choose to stress themselves out, but there was a time it was me, and I don’t even understand why I did it, much less anyone else. Making my own life miserable baffles me to this day, though it was my go-to behavior for over 4 decades.

Solitude Isn’t for Everyone

Spending a lot of time alone has given a large portion of the population the chance to do some deep soul searching. Some have used that time wisely, and are making a difference, even if it’s just staying out of the maelstrom of anger, hate, and blame. To me, that’s a greater contribution than most people realize. Divisiveness, and it’s ugly stepsister, social unconsciousness thrive on irrational emotions and behaviors. As soon as you shut that pipeline down, the well begins to run dry.

Granted, we have a long way to go to drain that particular, fetid well, but it begins with the acts and actions of a single person. You have a much greater effect on global society than you realize or imagine. A single act of kindness, a single whisper of gratitude tilts the scale towards more compassion and acceptance. It offsets more overt acts of hate than you realize, and far more than will ever be shown. You may have to search for those positive effects, but they’re there for the seeking.

The question now is how willing are you to see the good in people, and overlook their overt acts of unkindness? How tired are you of feeling stressed out and miserable? Are you ready to shift your perspective? If so, get ready to feel a load lifted from your shoulders. You have no idea what you’re carrying around right now while seeing only the darkness, and none of the light. It starts with feeling grateful; not for something earth-shaking, but for something small, and maybe, in the overall scheme of things, insignificant.

Changing the World One Gratitude at a Time

Getting into a habit of gratitude starts, like anything else, with a single step. I’ll even get you started with my own 5 gratitudes, which I’ve been putting at the end of my posts for years now. Like you, I started with one, and over time, the practice has grown, and overcome my tendencies to see things at their worst.

My gratitudes today are:

I’m grateful for learning to see the goodness in people. I’m grateful for learning to accept people as they are, and not expect them to live or believe as I do. I’m grateful for the change in perspective I gained when I stopped judging and started accepting. I’m grateful for my faith in Humanity, and my ability to see past the sometimes ugly facades to see the goodness that lies beneath. I’m grateful for abundance; love, friendship, compassion, kindness, gratitude, faith, hope, community, balance, peace, health, philanthropy, and prosperity.

Namaste

About the Author

Sheri Conaway is a Holistic Ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats and mental health. Sheri believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income.

If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author.