In a previous article, I wrote what can help maintain a sense of confidence and how to cultivate internal supports. In this article I want to add one more component. Gratitude can also be our support. The ability to give thanks for everything, even for what we don’t like, does not appear suddenly. This is something that can be developed. We understand how you can give thanks for the good and the unexpected. But how can you give thanks for the “bad”? Let’s simulate the following situation: You take an incredible number of actions, make many choices, invest your strength. But you don't get the expected result. Specific example. Let's remember the university. During the semester you go to classes, actively answer, prepare all the practical tasks and wait for the “automatic machine”. But at the end of the session you find out that the teacher asks absolutely everyone the same questions about the subject. Expectations are not met. Misunderstanding, a sense of injustice, anger, resentment, claims and similar feelings arise. What kind of gratitude can we talk about here? If you step aside, you can see that all the indignation is due to expectations. Looking from the outside or a year later, for example, at this situation, we understand that yes, the “automatic” did not work out. But we have something else: knowledge, preparation, discipline, hard work, certain skills. Although this situation was negative, there is also something good in it. Any negative or “not so” result can also give a lot if you don’t get hung up on feelings. The same mistakes in the present show us the result of our choices, thinking patterns, “bugs”. In the future, if we do not “go ahead”, but analyze and change our thinking + behavior, we will not make similar mistakes anymore, but will become wiser/stronger/improved. You can be grateful for any “wrong” result. It shows that our choice, action/inaction led to this. Which means we can change this. Think today, what good, neutral and even negative things can you thank yourself and your life for? Let this small exercise expand your boundaries, highlight something new and very necessary. My tg channel, where I publish my thoughts, answer frequently asked questions to a psychologist and share working techniques.