Gratitude is, in my opinion, the single most crucial aspect of life.
With the holidays coming, it seems to be the one time of the year everyone, for the most part, agrees on gratitude being so important.
I disagree, though.
Not with celebrating gratitude, or with my first statement, but the fact we dedicate one time a year to be grateful.
It’s great and all, but I believe it’s a facade concealing a business. But that’s a whole other topic.
Back to gratitude. Gratitude has been a game changer for who I am, how I live my life, the relationships I have built, the career I have developed, the health I maintain, how others perceive me, and how I move forward with my life and set goals. See, I used to be ungrateful. Very ungrateful.
Then one day my life was threatened. Then again and again. AND, still.
When you’re 21 and told “you are going to die” if you do not go into risky cranial surgery to remove a massive brain tumor taking up the lef portion of your brain and may die, even so, your perspective on life and what really matters shifts.
Then when it happens two more times, you get serious about this change of perspective. All the petty drama and negativity, we seem to let grab our attention and focus easily, goes right out the window. Why? Because it doesn’t matter at the end of the day and has no real affect on our lives when we stop and give it thought.
Once we shift our perspective in life and focus on the things that matter to us most, our health, family, friends, happiness, fulfillment, etc., gratitude starts to manifest itself every day in new ways. That is precisely what happened to me eight years ago and then again six years ago, and recently earlier this year.
No one thinks they are going to run into major health concerns or even having to face death at an early age. Or at least they don’t consciously think about the possibility. Why? Because we are all so focused on living but, not in this current moment. We are worried about the future and what we are going to do after school, what we are going to do for a career, how much money we “need” to make, what others will think of us, what happens if we take a risk on what we truly want rather than what we are told to want, etc. I was wrapped up in this.
When we are living in this state, it creates dis-ease, which creates “disease.”
Although I was pursuing my dream with massive success, I was still in a state of fear, worry, lack, and judgment. Once I began to shift my perspectives, I saw massive improvements in my life and those around me. This included taking my health into my own hands regarding nutrition, fitness, and mindset, and focusing on doing the things I loved, and what I think is the second most important thing in life, WHY we do anything.
Today I live, ride, train, and coach with 4 brain tumors in my skull and I wouldn’t have it any other way. No, honestly. People say “that’s gotta be the worst thing that ever happened to you.” No way! It changed my life around 180 and all for the best. It took that moment to show me what was important in life and teach me what gratitude truly is. Things could always be worse in our lives, and I don’t think people give that statement the credit it deserves. Don’t agree? Well, the fact that you have an opinion on this backs my statement. YOU ARE ALIVE!
Thanks, to my health, I can continue living my dream, develop new passions, and what I think is the greatest, I can share my experiences, beliefs, love, and support with others around the world in an effort for us all to live as healthy and happy as possible. It starts with gratitude, and it begins with us, then it spreads throughout the lives we lead.
-Josh P.
