Iniciativa: La gratitud tiene múltiples beneficios 💡 [SPA-ENG]

We cannot deny that it is difficult to practice gratitude living in a country like Venezuela; it seems like a lost battle. However, it is not impossible. In this case, it becomes a challenge of resilience for each of us. Because there is no one more grateful than someone who has gone through serious difficulties. Venezuelans are people who value every opportunity and every bit of help they receive.

That is why it is always said of Venezuelans (setting aside the bad) that we have an inherent sense of humor, entrepreneurship, and the desire to get ahead. It is part of our culture, and despite the many adversities we face, we are grateful instead of sinking into darkness. We look for the positive side of things instead of dwelling on calamities.

It is, at least, a characteristic that I have noticed about us as a society: we look for ways around things and we are also very creative in finding solutions. Often we have had no other choice 😂 either we complain or we do something, and in recent years we have practiced this quite a lot. Some may think that we have “gotten used to it,” that we are “conformists,” that this “is not life”...

We know for a fact that Venezuela is not doing well, but continuing to rant and rave is not going to make a difference, nor is it going to change anything at all. Complaining to torture myself even more is not my thing, and I would certainly not make it part of my daily routine. If you already have a complicated situation, why add fuel to the fire? What we cannot control is beyond our grasp, and complaining will only generate more cortisol.

It's not that it's wrong to express yourself; on the contrary, repressing anger, frustration, and disappointment is not healthy. It's good to feel those emotions and let them out, but what's not good is to live by complaining and incorporating it into our daily routine from the beginning of the day until the end. People who get used to doing that live poisoned and affect their environment.

I prefer gratitude, being thankful for what I do have and can control. Because gratitude is a conscious practice that has the power to transform our perspective and help us survive in the midst of adversity. In moments of darkness, giving thanks is our light and can make a big difference.

It is not about ignoring pain or pretending that everything is fine, living in a permanent state of “toxic positivity.” Gratitude helps us look beyond what we lack and frees us from the control that suffering has over us. Being grateful teaches us to be more flexible and to find lessons in the most difficult experiences.

Similarly, gratitude teaches us to be more empathetic because it “forces” us to shift our focus from ourselves to others. For example, by recognizing the effort and sacrifice of a friend who helped us out at a sensitive time. Or that fundamental support from a neighbor in resolving a setback.

Gratitude also drives us to action and motivates us not to give up. Because when we appreciate what we do have, we feel more inclined to build on it and protect it. For example, if we are constantly grateful for the skills we possess, those that come naturally to each of us, we are more likely to succeed more easily.

If we value our health and what we can still do, we will feel more motivated to take care of it and make the most of it to carry out our activities. “Doing what we can with what we have.” How many people don't have half the health that many of us have and yet still do everything in their power? People like that inspire me and make me constantly grateful.

Gratitude is not a magic cure for all ills, nor does it make us immune to problems, but it is a great tool in the midst of our storms. It is the “discipline,” so to speak, of seeing what we have left instead of what we have lost. It is the practice of raising our energy daily with “three things to be thankful for” before getting up in the morning or before going to sleep.

And to stay mentally healthy... we need to distance ourselves from those complainers who never stop pointing out the good and bad in everyone and everything. A large percentage of these “pathological complainers” lack nothing; rather, they have a lot and yet they continue to complain. Others just seek attention because they love having their egos stroked.

That's all for today. I loved participating in the initiative on Gratitude in Times of Anger 🤗. Warm regards to the entire community.

No podemos negar que es difícil practicar el agradecimiento viviendo en un país como Venezuela, parece una batalla perdida, sin embargo, no es imposible. En este caso, se convierte en un reto de resiliencia para cada uno de nosotros. Porque no hay persona más agradecida que la que ha atravesado serias dificultades. El venezolano es un ser que valora cada oportunidad y cada ayuda que recibe.

Por eso siempre se dice del gentilicio (apartando lo malo) que llevamos implícito el buen humor, el emprendimiento y las ganas de salir adelante. Es algo que forma parte de nuestra cultura y, a pesar de que las adversidades puedan ser múltiples, agradecemos en vez de sumirnos en la oscuridad. Le buscamos el lado positivo a las cosas en vez de hurgar más en las calamidades.

Es, al menos, una característica que he notado de nosotros como sociedad, le buscamos la vuelta a las cosas y también somos muy creativos para encontrar soluciones. Muchas veces no nos ha quedado de otra 😂 o nos quejamos o hacemos algo y en estos últimos años lo hemos practicado bastante. Algunos pensarán que nos "acostumbramos", que somos "conformistas", que eso "no es vida"...