Have you ever felt like you were drowning in a sea of what went wrong? It is so easy to get caught in the heavy, pulling current of disappointment. We dwell on the missed promotion, the rainy day that ruined our plans, or the words someone said that stung our hearts. When we focus solely on these losses, it feels like a dark tide is rising around our ankles, making everything feel heavy and gray. But Kristin Armstrong reminds us of a beautiful, natural shift that is always possible if we change our perspective. She suggests that gratitude acts like the moon, pulling that tide of disappointment away to make room for something much warmer.
In our everyday lives, this shift doesn't require a massive life overhaul. It happens in the small, quiet moments when we decide to look at what remains rather than what is gone. It is about noticing the warmth of a morning cup of tea or the way the sunlight hits the kitchen floor. When we consciously choose to acknowledge these tiny blessings, we are effectively changing the internal weather of our souls. We are telling our hearts that even in the midst of loss, there is still plenty of goodness to hold onto.
I remember a Tuesday not too long ago when everything seemed to be falling apart. I had spilled coffee on my favorite notebook, missed an important deadline, and felt completely overwhelmed by the weight of my to-do list. I was sitting on my sofa, feeling very much like a tiny duck lost in a storm. But then, I paused. I looked at my sleeping kitten curled up nearby and felt the softness of my blanket. I took a deep breath and listed three small things I was thankful for. Slowly, that heavy feeling of frustration began to recede, replaced by a gentle sense of peace. The disappointment didn't vanish instantly, but it certainly lost its power over me.
This movement between disappointment and love is a natural rhythm, much like the ocean. We cannot stop the waves of sadness from coming, but we can choose where we place our focus when they arrive. By practicing gratitude, we create a space where love and appreciation can rush back in to fill the empty spaces. It is a gentle way of reclaiming our joy from the shadows of our setbacks.
Today, I want to encourage you to find your own small tide. When you feel the weight of disappointment pressing down, try to find just one tiny thing to be grateful for. Let that one small light be the start of your tide turning. What is one small thing in your world right now that brings you a sense of warmth?