6 Types of Gratitude Barriers
It’s evident that when we practice gratitude daily, we increase our ability to cope with life’s challenges in a much centered and grounded way. But why is practicing gratitude come naturally to some and others not so? It’s our blind spots, biases, inner critics, and comparison tendencies that block us from practicing gratitude.
Personally, life has a funny way of throwing challenges at me; admittedly, the only way I keep grounded with a daily practice of gratitude, meditation, and self-reflection. Making time to discern what’s true and validate in my life is something I learned by shutting the inner critics, untwisting my thinking, and learning to speak kindly to myself like I do with a friend or family member.
We must understand our trouble spots to create strategies to help us cope and manage the neglected spots to create positive change in our lives. As you take time to examine your challenges, be honest but non-judgmental. Know that you are not alone, regardless of any shortcomings you think you have; you are in good company! Nothing is perfect; it’s progress, not perfection, that matters.
As you review the list of barriers below, consider which of them trip you the most:
- Expectations
We all have these expectations of what is supposed to be or how it should have unfolded. Is there any way you can challenge your expectation? Could this help you find contentment in your life irrespective of what you thought?
- Comparison and Envy
Do you fall into this trap? Does social media fuel these emotional patterns? Are there individuals in your life that trigger this pattern for you? Or does this trigger a tendency to stimulate dissatisfaction in a particular area in your life?
- Negativity Biases
Do you feel that it’s hard to tap into gratitude because of negative thoughts and emotions? Do you notice that a negativity habit stems from frequent complaining or reliving the same regret over and over? Do you feel that those in your circle also seem to have a negative outlook on life?
- Wanting to fill a void
We all have desires and dreams in life, but what about aspirations and ambitions that are unhealthy or ineffective? Does that desire cause unhappiness within your life as it is today? Do you believe that a list of accomplishments and goals will help you fill the gap you see in your life?
- Autopilot
Are you always busy rushing, trying to get things done, not enough hours in the day? The busyness in your day or weeks that you aren’t mindful of the everyday blessing in your life? Are there times or routines that you slip into this pattern?
- Cultural influences
We are constantly surrounded with messages and images that condition us to dissatisfaction with our lives and compare how time has gone without any accomplishment to show for? We have grown accustomed to external forces such as social media, advertising, and entertainment that are out of our control, looking in and wondering why we haven’t gotten to success. What effect does that have on you? Do you have a fixation on something that you think one day it will “fix” your life or any judgment about what’s wrong with your life today?
Whatever insights you gain from this list, I encourage you to be kind to yourself. Seeking awareness of these obstacles so you can effectively work on them is key to cultivating gratitude practice. Hold on to this awareness gently, and whenever you find yourself slipping into one of these ineffective behaviors, challenge yourself.
Overcoming Gratitude Barriers with
- Gratefulness towards the benefits of gratitude on managing stress and building coping skills.
- Uncover hidden blessings by exploring ways to wake up to gratitude amidst failure and adversity
- Learning what is and is not working by rewiring your thoughts away from negative emotions and negative thinking.
- Understand and overcome negative habits that do not serve you well in your life, uncovering the barriers to gratitude like craving, expectations, envy, and more from the list above.
- Building a gratitude roadmap by allowing a heartfelt conclusion to awaken a new gratitude practice into motion
