ISSUE 994 - November 2024

One of the joys of traveling to faraway lands is the wisdom and different perspectives we gain from other cultures.

I recently spent three weeks in Bali. Daily offerings of gratitude are ingrained in the Balinese people's culture.

The offerings incorporate the three life principles by which they live: harmony with God, harmony with humanity, and harmony with nature. Envision a small shallow dish or basket, often made of grass blades weaved together, filled with flowers, leaves, coins or bills, fruit, crackers, and anything they feel is valuable and worthy to be offered.

The containers are placed on their car dashboards, on the sidewalk in front of their businesses, in front of their homes, or wherever they deem appropriate. Even at my hotel, I found a fresh offering on the front porch of my villa (on my behalf, I suppose).

This simple daily practice keeps gratefulness top-of-mind for the people of Bali, making them some of the warmest, most welcoming, and genuinely joyful people I've encountered in my travels.

Gratitude is the act of recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. Sounds simple enough, but as we hustle and bustle through our days and get caught up in all the negativity swirling around us, it can be challenging to stop and be grateful for what is positive in our lives and world.

In the United States, open any social media platform; there it is, a meme reminding us to be grateful for life and everything in it. I appreciate these reminders but am disappointed I need one.

Having gratitude in the forefront of our minds is more than just a nice and trendy thing to do. There are many benefits to our mental, emotional, and physical health if we adopt a gratefulness mindset.

When we focus on what we're thankful for, it reduces the negative emotions that can be contributors to depression and anxiety.

People who practice gratefulness have lower stress levels and experience more positive emotions, such as joy and optimism.

People who practice gratefulness also have greater life satisfaction. It fosters contentment and fulfillment. Instead of focusing on material possessions and striving for success or recognition, it helps us recognize abundance.

Abundance can be anything from that huge raise and promotion you've been waiting for to a subtle satisfaction, like how your clean sheets feel when you slip into bed at night.

The beautiful thing about practicing gratefulness is you can be grateful for anything and everything, anytime. 

Being grateful helps us be better and nicer people. It creates a baseline of happiness and contentment that is almost impossible to displace, no matter what craziness surrounds you.

I saw it in action in Bali. For example, the traffic there is insane: scooters darting in and out, cars, pedestrians, dogs, chickens darting in and out, cars parked taking up the already limited and burdened road. It's complete chaos. Yet, there is no road rage, only an underlying mood of tolerance and community, and they drive with a smile.

It's a beautiful idea to make a daily offering of gratitude. Some do it with prayer, others with meditation or journaling. I'm curious if the physical act of placing worthy items in a little container reinforces the mindset. I'm going to try it.

No matter what form being grateful takes for you, I encourage you to lean hard into it right now. Because in our country, which is burdened with strife, stress, and divisiveness, we can learn something from our fellow humans in Bali.