“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity Challenge – Day 18. Grateful for Creature Comforts

For today’s exercise, we’ll be ruminating on creature comforts. That is, those things in life that we almost take for granted but yet they enhance our enjoyment greatly.

If you’re too comfortable right now to participate in this activity, that’s okay. Come back to it when you’re in the mood. As stated before, positivity cannot be faked. It’s your right and privilege to express yourself in your own way and in your own time.

If you’re reading this, you probably live in a developed country. So, home heating and cooling, clean drinking water, indoor plumbing and cars that get us where we want to go are things you likely don’t think about much.

But consider what your daily existence would be like without these things.

Imagine how it feels to live in a country where a pair of shoes is a thing of novelty.

Imagine what it might be like to fall seriously ill while living in a place where there is no modern health care.

If you’re like most American citizens, you’ve probably grown a bit spoiled and come to expect certain things. This is not a criticism of you personally. An entitled mindset goes hand in hand with a first world country existence.

But there are definitely times when tragedy strikes in some place or another, and we either live it or we hear about it through friends of friends or via the media.

While no one wants to be impacted by tragedy or suffer loss due to something catastrophic, it’s at these times that we are suddenly able to appreciate the comforts that we’ve come to take for granted in our lives.

For just a short moment today, reflect on all the things that make your life easy and comfortable while enhancing your enjoyment.

Exercise 18: Be Blessed for the Creature Comforts of Your Life

There is so much in the way of “basics” to be thankful for!

• Heat and hot water
• Electricity and plumbing
• Functioning sewer systems
• Water treatment facilities that provide clean water to drink and bathe in
• Gasoline and electric that powers our vehicles
• Well built homes that stay warm (or cool) and dry

When you think of all these creature comforts that enhance our personal experiences on a daily basis, it’s just a wonder and a testament to the brilliance of the human mind and all we’ve created.

Journal It!

Next time you feel like complaining about a minor inconvenience that impacts a short amount of your time, just stop. Stop and think of what your life would be like in a third-world country.

Write down all the comforts that make your cushy life what it is. Be happy!

To appreciating your life

Fran Watson