WABI SABI / ALWAYS PRACTICE GRATITUDE
2019 has not been the easiest year, but on the bright side, it’s not been the hardest. Recently I had figured out the pros and the cons of this year; the pros being I landed my dream job, met some awesome friends for life at a festival, and I feel more confident in myself than ever before...the cons being I had my heart broken for the umpteenth time, I was signed off work due to a sudden decline in my mental health, and my darling cat passed after a year of debilitating illness. I guess I was evaluating to conclude whether 2019 was a good year or a bad year, but I’ve realised that I shouldn’t be using the big headlines to come up with a final judgement, because despite the downfalls and the hurt, I am fine.
I am doing well. You could say I’m pretty content with my surroundings, and I’m comfortable with my life’s current direction. I am ending this year (or decade, if we’re being extra dramatic) on a high note because I’ve obtained such strength this year, particularly the past few months, by solely focusing on myself. What I want. What I need. How I feel. How I work.
While living with a collection of mental illnesses that make my senses and emotions skyrocket, everyday is a struggle battle. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reiterated that point (vaguely) across my blog, but I mean it. That is absolutely not me comparing my battles to others or diminishing feelings. It’s a cry for people to understand, because I don’t want to feel defeated anymore. I don’t want to be isolated. I don’t want to be lying on my deathbed wishing to whatever fucking higher power that I was kind to myself. In the end, feeling low is a waste of time.
I came up with a solution that would stop me from believing I was such an alien. It’s one word but it sure as hell helps me out of some dark spaces. The solution to my cynical thoughts is gratitude. By definition, gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. In my methods of practicing gratitude, I do not compare and I do not share. I believe gratitude is a personal reflection and should not be used to boost your ego. If you would like to practice gratitude then I strongly advise not berating something or someone to emphasise something you’re thankful for, be it from personal gain or sabotage.
There are multiple ways to practice gratitude and it is incredibly personal. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it. My method is in the photo attached. On the 1st January 2019, I had begun to write in a blank notebook I had bought the previous day. “GRATITUDE.” Everyday without fail this year, I have written the date accompanied with a short sentence of something that has made me smile, made my day easier, or made my head clearer. Every sentence begins with the three words “I am grateful...”. This once-bland notebook has aided me with a multitude of skills and lessons, including a routine, self reflections, self awareness, and the motivation to take care of my mind, body and soul. It’s taught me that I no longer have to go home, get into bed and cry. I’ll wind down at the end of the day with an incense-fumed, candlelit bubble bath (and we’ll probably throw a little Jeff Buckley in the mix), I’ll moisturise my skin, I’ll dry my hair if needs be, I’ll open my notebook and I’ll write. I give thanks. I no longer feel the need to go to sleep sad.
Practicing gratitude has additionally helped me cope with my mental health when things start to dim. There’s an old Japanese philosophy called wabi-sabi, which centres on the beauty of imperfections and the imperfect-perfectness of the things that surround us. There is an art form in Japan that has been derived using the concept of wabi-sabi, called kintsugi, which translates to “golden joinery”. The artist will take a broken item and restore the cracks with a lacquer that is mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. I have been applying the philosophy to the parts of me that I am not completely settled with. Here’s a handful of examples I’ve created regarding my mental health disorders, and how there’s always a silver crack in the “broken” parts of yourself (which are far from broken).
I am grateful that my ADHD amplifies my imagination and creativity. I am grateful that my BPD makes me empathise better. I am grateful that my ODD gives me confidence to say no. I am grateful that my RSD helps me analyse situations outside the box. I am grateful that my anxiety and depression do not render me alone in today’s world.
Positivity works beautifully if you devote yourself to applying it.
I urge anybody to try practicing gratitude. However you want to be thankful, find your way and inject some serenity into your life. I am incredibly grateful that this new optimistic look on life has guided me swiftly through the bad this year, and I cannot wait to continue in my brightly lit path. Things truly are looking up. Now ask yourself - what are you grateful for?
Happy new year, kid. Look after yourself.