By Michael Arndt, Alumni Coordinator, CAST Treatment Centers
Follow Michael on Instagram: @michaelcastcenters
As most of us begin the journey of recovery, we often hear the word gratitude thrown around. Some of us write gratitude lists daily and share them with friends, but few of us go beyond that.
To live a life with gratitude not only as a concept or word, but as an action is a very different experience. We can show our gratitude by picking up the phone and checking in with someone without the intention of talking about ourselves.
Actions like this show the person we are grateful for them, and that we value them even without us having to say it. Bigger steps like volunteering our time demonstrate our gratitude for others and show our willingness to put them first.
To live a life in alignment with gratitude as a core principle, we notice that we begin to live differently, think differently, and most importantly, feel differently. We are no longer as hindered by self-centered thinking. We open our minds and our hearts to others, and begin to see life more positively. It is a choice and a practice.
We will never do anything perfectly (nor should we expect to), but as we travel the road of recovery we find that gratitude holds a very important role in our daily practice.
