For me, feeling grateful is like a reaction to something good happening. And being grateful is an attitude or a state of mind. I know when I am being grateful, people are more likely to interact with me.
We can choose to be grateful.
Being grateful comes to me in my daily living…I wake up and I am grateful to have another day on this earth. Feeling grateful is something that takes hold of me when I see something or someone…or something happens from goodness and kindness. I “Feel” the gratefulness in my heart…It does not always elicit a “happy” feeling…it can be a peace, a quiet, a sleep. Breathing in…I am grateful and I feel grateful.
I agree with many of todays writers. Feeling grateful does comes and go. Being grateful radiates out from my being, influencing my mindset and attitudes. It weaves into my prayers, being thankful from my heart for what I’ve abundantly received. Thoughts of a restful weekend to all, and safe harboring for those of us facing blizzards and wind. 🫶🏽☮️
I think of “being” as an act and feeling as a “reaction.” I can feel grateful for someone or something. That’s a reaction to circumstance but coming from a grateful stance is a choice I make to live gratefully, to become gratefulness moment by moment. I then act/respond instead of react. I’ve often reminded myself to BE the peace I seek. This question reminds me that I must BE gratefulness. It kind of obliterates the “Why Me’s?”
Charlie, I definitely understand your statement! I was so thankful when I finally realized that the question is not Why? It is How? How am I going to deal with this or that situation.
I agree, Joseph, and I want to be able to respond to the gift of life instead of react to it. I’m so thankful to have discovered this before the reaper rides!
I recently replayed Br. David’s TED Talk from 2013 (Want to be happy? Be grateful) https://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
What stood out to me in this viewing was notion that many people think happiness comes first. They’ll be grateful for whatever it is that makes them happy. To the extent that happens, I suppose that’s feeling grateful. A temporary thing, as others have said.
Br. David tells us to think again, to recognize that being grateful leads to happiness.
I see being grateful as a way of navigating life.
It seems a difference of degree. I think the same is true for any feeling or experience. If I recognize that I am feeling a certain way, I am aware of the sensations, the surge of the feeling, but it does not define me. If I am being a certain way, I am fully suffused with the feeling, it is defining me … and perhaps I am less aware of what is happening, or more overtaken by the experience of it. Of course, I would like to still retain awareness either way. “Being” is just way more intense.
“I am aware of the sensations, the surge of the feeling, but it does not define me.” Thank you for this truth Drea. One I have come to embrace, that I rarely ever did in the past. I let many ‘feelings’ define me.
I think feeling grateful and being grateful are just like a cake. The difference is that I’m feeling grateful when you give me a piece of cake and I eat it. Whereas, being grateful is the cake that I made and give to you. You eat it, and I am happy. Happy Saturday, everyone! 🎂
Feeling grateful for me is that breath in and a good tightening in the chest followed by a release of love and light in the breath. A physical reaction to a moment, thought, view.
Being grateful is a thought or emotional feeling that stems from being aware and present. It can be a conscious effort or thanks to the lessons here an automatic, learned reaction that stems from practice and set intention.
Feeling grateful allows me to recognize the good fortune of my life. Being grateful allows me to shower the good fortune of life to all other beings I may encounter today. This day that I have been gifted, another extra ordinary day. Peace, Love & Light.
Being grateful is the state of the heart, overflowing in thankfulness for all which is no matter the circumstances, and joy for life itself and the mystery of all predominates, while in the same time being aware of and caring for the heartbreaking suffering we may perceive near and far. Feeling grateful I would say is more of a fleeting feeling, a thankful resonance of the heart towards something beautiful that one might have been gifted with, material or immaterial. Both is enriching the world inside and out, while when being grateful, the heart is shining while listening deeply and perceiving well. This might not always be visible to the outside, while in the same time, one feels its light and warmth radiating no matter what. In a state of being grateful, His Love, forgiveness and gratefulness rules the heart, while when feeling grateful, these aspects might not yet have been worked through completely. Awareness helps. Thank you dearly for this question and the ones of the last days. May you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend.
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For me, feeling grateful is like a reaction to something good happening. And being grateful is an attitude or a state of mind. I know when I am being grateful, people are more likely to interact with me.
We can choose to be grateful.
Being grateful comes to me in my daily living…I wake up and I am grateful to have another day on this earth. Feeling grateful is something that takes hold of me when I see something or someone…or something happens from goodness and kindness. I “Feel” the gratefulness in my heart…It does not always elicit a “happy” feeling…it can be a peace, a quiet, a sleep. Breathing in…I am grateful and I feel grateful.
❤️
I agree with many of todays writers. Feeling grateful does comes and go. Being grateful radiates out from my being, influencing my mindset and attitudes. It weaves into my prayers, being thankful from my heart for what I’ve abundantly received. Thoughts of a restful weekend to all, and safe harboring for those of us facing blizzards and wind. 🫶🏽☮️
I think of “being” as an act and feeling as a “reaction.” I can feel grateful for someone or something. That’s a reaction to circumstance but coming from a grateful stance is a choice I make to live gratefully, to become gratefulness moment by moment. I then act/respond instead of react. I’ve often reminded myself to BE the peace I seek. This question reminds me that I must BE gratefulness. It kind of obliterates the “Why Me’s?”
Oh yes, the “why me’s”.
That used to be my permanent state of mind.
Charlie, I definitely understand your statement! I was so thankful when I finally realized that the question is not Why? It is How? How am I going to deal with this or that situation.
Life is not happening to me. Life is happening as me.
I agree, Joseph, and I want to be able to respond to the gift of life instead of react to it. I’m so thankful to have discovered this before the reaper rides!
Yes,
it does,
dear Carol Ann . . .
one less question to ponder. 🙂
I’m chuckling, Sparrow. I’m thinking of all the times in my life, I’ve asked the wrong question and expected the right answer!
🙂
I recently replayed Br. David’s TED Talk from 2013 (Want to be happy? Be grateful)
https://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
What stood out to me in this viewing was notion that many people think happiness comes first. They’ll be grateful for whatever it is that makes them happy. To the extent that happens, I suppose that’s feeling grateful. A temporary thing, as others have said.
Br. David tells us to think again, to recognize that being grateful leads to happiness.
I see being grateful as a way of navigating life.
You are so right,
dear Tom . . .
being grateful
begets happiness,
not the other way around. ♥
Tom, when I saw you mentioning the part about happiness coming first, dopamine hunting jumps to my mind. Being feels more peaceful.
It seems a difference of degree. I think the same is true for any feeling or experience. If I recognize that I am feeling a certain way, I am aware of the sensations, the surge of the feeling, but it does not define me. If I am being a certain way, I am fully suffused with the feeling, it is defining me … and perhaps I am less aware of what is happening, or more overtaken by the experience of it. Of course, I would like to still retain awareness either way. “Being” is just way more intense.
“I am aware of the sensations, the surge of the feeling, but it does not define me.” Thank you for this truth Drea. One I have come to embrace, that I rarely ever did in the past. I let many ‘feelings’ define me.
Me too.
I think feeling grateful and being grateful are just like a cake. The difference is that I’m feeling grateful when you give me a piece of cake and I eat it. Whereas, being grateful is the cake that I made and give to you. You eat it, and I am happy. Happy Saturday, everyone! 🎂
Wonderful analogy, Ngoc.
My Ngoc, being grateful means that I’m content whether I get to eat cake or not. Feeling grateful means that I need to have cake.
Being grateful is a way of life…doing, it, living it always. Feeling grateful is temporary emotion….quick and easy, overwith in the moment.
☀️
YES!! how perfectly explained!! Thank you…I said many words trying to describe just what you said so simply! Thank you!
Explained perfectly . . .
in a nutshell,
dear EJP.
I couldn’t have said it
any better. ♥
Feeling is temporary. Being is more perminant.
‘feeling’ grateful can imply in the moment
‘being’ grateful comes from within and has no time associated with it
Have a great weekend everyone 🙂
https://nationaltoday.com/national-pi-day/
Being Grateful is truly in the Now. “. . .no time associated with it.”
You have a great weekend too, Michele.
Excited to read everyone’s answers.
Feeling grateful for me is that breath in and a good tightening in the chest followed by a release of love and light in the breath. A physical reaction to a moment, thought, view.
Being grateful is a thought or emotional feeling that stems from being aware and present. It can be a conscious effort or thanks to the lessons here an automatic, learned reaction that stems from practice and set intention.
Amen!
Deann, you said it perfectly for yourself and for me. Thank you. ♥️
Feeling grateful allows me to recognize the good fortune of my life. Being grateful allows me to shower the good fortune of life to all other beings I may encounter today. This day that I have been gifted, another extra ordinary day. Peace, Love & Light.
Being grateful is the state of the heart, overflowing in thankfulness for all which is no matter the circumstances, and joy for life itself and the mystery of all predominates, while in the same time being aware of and caring for the heartbreaking suffering we may perceive near and far. Feeling grateful I would say is more of a fleeting feeling, a thankful resonance of the heart towards something beautiful that one might have been gifted with, material or immaterial. Both is enriching the world inside and out, while when being grateful, the heart is shining while listening deeply and perceiving well. This might not always be visible to the outside, while in the same time, one feels its light and warmth radiating no matter what. In a state of being grateful, His Love, forgiveness and gratefulness rules the heart, while when feeling grateful, these aspects might not yet have been worked through completely. Awareness helps. Thank you dearly for this question and the ones of the last days. May you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend.
Wishing you a beautiful weekend as well, Ose.
Thank you, dear Drea!