Everyone says, “Practice gratitude”.
“But I’m feeling like s***!”
“It doesn’t matter! Practice gratitude! Gratitude works! Gratitude is the secret! You shouldn’t feel like that. You should be grateful for everything you have. It could be worse. Why are you not listening? Practice gratitude!!!”
This is the gratitude tyranny—and you are often the tyrant, right?
Here’s why it doesn’t work—and why it makes you feel worse:
By forcing yourself to feel grateful when in reality you’re feeling frustrated, angry, not good enough: you’re getting into a war with yourself.
This is the perfect recipe for emotional repression.
But think about it.
If those feelings are there, there is a reason.
Forcing gratitude is the same as letting your conscious mind fight your unconscious.
“No, you shouldn’t be feeling like that. I don’t want these feelings. Go away, here’s some gratitude and shut up”.
Of course, the unconscious is going to fight back. What else would you expect?
So, what should you do?
Let those negative feelings express themselves and wash out on their own.
And later you can still practice gratitude.
However, the first step is always non-judgmental curiosity and acceptance.
Loving you, Angelos