In fact, feelings of gratitude bubble up almost effortlessly. It works even better when I put into words what I am sad about: “I’m sad my family and I aren’t getting along right now.” At that moment, I’ve accepted my sadness instead of pushing it away. When I feel I have permission to be sad, I feel permission to be grateful, too. Because even in a moment of sadness, there is still gratitude. Instead of saying to myself, “I am sad about this BUT I should be happy about that,” I can say, “I am sad about this AND I am happy about that.” I can feel both. One doesn’t have to override the other.
Now it’s Your Turn Try out my exercise from above. Make it your own. The next time you encounter a negative emotion, acknowledge it rather than push it away. Like this:
1. You’re feeling frustrated with a situation at work. First, acknowledge the feeling: “I’m feeling frustrated right now.” If you
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