The Art of Being Grateful

Overcoming Disappointment and Leaning into Gratitude

I’m certain if you asked, most people would probably say they are generally grateful for what they have in life. A few would probably complain about this or that. Hopefully you would be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t grateful for anything.

I think it is human nature, or at least American nature to always want something else, something new, something fast, only for a fleeting feeling and then its forgotten and we’ve moved on to something else entirely.

If we made a list of things we are grateful for versus additional things we want, which list would be longer?

Coming from a Mindfulness background, as it is my chosen area of study, I can think of so many mundane things to be grateful for every single day. I, like many other people, find that in the face of some disappointment (usually something small), I let myself ruminate on it just a little too long that it causes me to momentarily forget for what I am truly grateful.

I recently was up for a part-time job that I thought would be perfect; it was right up my alley and also had additional responsibilities that I didn’t even know that I was interested in until I saw them listed on the job board. I spoke with the hiring manager, and we set up my interview for one week away.

I was so impatient the whole week, I had basically designed my new office in my mind, and I was even window-shopping new outfits and office supplies. When it was about two hours away from my interview, the hiring manager emailed me and said that the organization had suffered a setback and that they needed to reconfigure job duties, but she said they would keep me in mind moving forward. I was disappointed, I was sad. In the whole process, in my mind, there was no way I wasn’t going to get that job.

I dug down into Buddhism, and it came to my mind that I alone am responsible for how I react to situations and I am responsible for how I allow myself to feel. I decided right then that I wasn’t going to dwell on it, it was out of my control. I felt much better.

A few days later, I decided just to check their website and see if any of the postings were still listed. I found that they combined my dream job, with another position for which I am not qualified. My feelings were hurt, for sure. Again, I am responsible for my own feelings and how I allow myself to feel.

In between speaking to that hiring manager and finding out they had reposted the job and I am no longer qualified, I volunteered for a local outreach that works with supplying foster kids with items they need, like clothes, school supplies, etc. The lady who runs the organization was so passionate about what she does, and it was contagious. It was hard for her enthusiasm not to rub off on me a little. I was also asked why I had decided to volunteer my time for her organization. I said simply, “Coming from a place of abundance, being able to help those who are going through a time of scarcity, is a privilege to be able donate my time, to be of service to my community.”

On my home, I began thinking about all the things, big and small, that I have to be grateful for. Am I still disappointed about that job I didn’t get? Yes, but I am not letting it consume me. That job clearly wasn’t for me and it’s ok. I have a home, food, clothing, books, a wonderful family, and when it comes down to comparison, that I see how silly it was to put that much expectation on a job I hadn’t even interviewed for yet.

When we experience disappointment of something small, it should be a roadway back to gratitude. Think of all the things you have that someone else may not. Think of how your necessities are met and I bet you have abundance. I am always looking for ways to be of service to my community. If one door shuts, that means it is just a matter of time until another one opens.

I hope this finds you well.

Angela

Mindfully with Angela is a welcoming space for women who are ready to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and create a more intentional life. Through mindfulness, meditation, slow living, and gentle self-care, Angela shares practical tools and heartfelt encouragement to help you regulate your nervous system, find peace in everyday moments, and embrace a life rooted in presence rather than perfection.

Thank you for being here. May you leave feeling a little lighter, a little calmer, and reminded that you don’t have to do it all to be enough.