An Exercise in Gratitude.

2026 Day 140. #PersonalDays.

Currently I am working my way through The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. So far the book has been excellent in exploring various forms of human nature, their importance in leading people to successes or failures.

In the most recent chapter that I read, the author explored envy. There is a great deal about how envy is one of the more difficult sides to spot in others that surround you. It is even harder to spot when it coming from within.

From my reading I have realised that I had already worked my way through an important aspect in dealing with the envy I would feel towards others. I still compare myself to others and see how measure up against them, but instead of letting this inspire a sense of superiority or negative feelings, I try to focus only on what the other person does better than me.

Human life is full of learning. By idolising everyone around me and spotting their good habits and ideas I learned to emulate those qualities as well. My closest friends are not just people who are good to me, but people who I can respect for the good that they have in them.

This has really turned my life around. Like other chapters in the book I was glad to see that I had understood some aspect of the ideas already on my own. The biggest help this book is giving me is the confidence in my own thoughts, learnings, and practices and enable me to deal with this behaviour in others.

One important idea that I had often thought about but never got to seriously implement my life is gratitude. I am always focussed on what did not work out, or what happens if something does not work out in the future, this sense of anxiety had kept me successful until I got to a point where my failures could only be attributed to bad luck. Still I have much to be thankful for.

I am grateful for the amazing set of friends I have. We are spread across different continents but the conversations are still engaging, and often I would talk to them over anyone else.

I am grateful for parents who love me and try to show it. My experiences make me sure that they care for me even though they are at fault sometimes. Maybe I am not ready to be loved the way they care for me, but at least they have the willingness to care for me.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to see a little of the world. Meeting new people, diving into new cultures is something I am really passionate about. Anything new always excites me and I am ready for adventures like that.

I am grateful to have been loved romantically. Many can only crave the love I have received. Even though nothing worked out that would evolve into marriage, much of it had been my own decisions and ideas. I do not know if these decisions were taken with the correct mindset or attitude, but they felt right in the moment and cannot be taken back.

I am grateful to have been given such an introspective mind. It might not be the best for the people I have hurt or wronged because my realisations can be a little late, and my apologies a little too late.

Still, I am grateful to have a sense of sincerity in me. My joys in the success of my loved ones is as real as my positiveness in trying to lift them out of their melancholic times.

The more I write, the more I realise that I have a lot to be grateful for. Life might not always give me what I want but I have learnt to derive happiness from whatever is given.

At the same time I recognise that I cannot always be passive. There are times in my life when I must take action and grab the opportunity. I am the master of my own destiny and I do what I can to get what I want, but I am happy for anything at all.

Envy is an emotion that I still feel at times, but I had largely worked through it on my own. This exercise in gratitude helps me focus inward and instead of taking away from the successes of others, I take a moment to appreciate all that I had and all that I have.

This makes me a bit happier, and a bit more relaxed.

See you tomorrow.