Revolutionary gratitude

“We are all more blind to what we have than to what we have not.” — Audre Lorde

Being grateful is a feeling of appreciation for acts of kindness and thankfulness for what we have. If we look more deeply at the meaning of gratitude, we find that ‘gratia’, is the Latin origin for ‘gratitude’ and means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude is an appreciation from receipt of something tangible or intangible from an individual meaning “thankful” or “pleasing.” Much of what has been written about gratitude focuses on the positive psychological effects, the fact that gratitude moves us to experience more positive emotions, to thoroughly enjoy the good experiences, better our health, face adversity, and develop and maintain relationships of strength, which in turn makes us happier.

Most of us growing up were reminded of the inherent value of taking a moment to notice and acknowledge what we are grateful for each day. While we did not necessarily understand the significance of gratitude, we experienced its benefits, such as how it brightened our outlook, boosted our mood, offered respite from negativity and improved our overall mental health and wellbeing.

However, in the context of our industrial growth society, gratitude offers us the freedom to see things in a new way. It contradicts the predominant message of the consumer society – that you’re not good enough, you’re not smart enough, you don’t have enough. Gratitude also allows us to pause in times that may be chaotic or dire and to become cognisant of the privileges and blessings of being awake and alive. Gratitude counters our capitalist meritocracy that encourages individualism utilitarianism, ambition and pride. Hence, cultivating gratitude allows us to expand our awareness from individualism, dissatisfaction, and despair, to appreciation which is a revolutionary tactic in and of itself.

Gratitude as subversion

At the most basic level, gratitude as a revolutionary tactic allows us to tap into our agency and autonomy. The fact that each of us can turn to gratitude at any time and that it is not dependent on external circumstances is powerful. Gratitude as practice is liberatory because it conscientises people, making them aware that they are sufficient. This means they can be free, which in itself is subversive. In other words, no one can take away my power to tap into gratitude.

Secondly, gratitude expands the ‘false’ truth that we are self-sufficient as propagated by capitalist meritocracy and instead allows us to become hyper-aware of our dependence on one another. This includes how our families and communities give us far more than what can be considered equal exchange. We become aware of how much we are because of others, making gratitude and kindness a community love language. Kindness means doing something for another with no other agenda or need for reciprocation, simply because that is what somebody wants or needs.

Gratitude becomes a social connector. When we show up for others, or they show up for us, it is most likely that the debt of gratitude is repaid forward. It allows us to be present to the ways society isn’t just a contract based on mutual benefit, but an organic connection based on how we show up for each other beyond what is often expected. Gratitude is a political act and a movement-building tactic when we show each other appreciation, recognise each other’s value, counter individualism and urgency, and foster interdependence. As we activate gratitude in this way, we focus on the things we appreciate in our relationships. In sharing our gratitude with others, we heal our relationships and build stronger, kinder and more joyful communities. Even the smallest things, such as a hopeful message from a friend, a kind gesture from a stranger, or a shared moment of satisfaction during a project or a party to celebrate ourselves can profoundly transform our relationships.

There is no true freedom without connection. – Mia Henry

Cultivating gratitude as a practice

Gratitude allows us to build cultures of appreciation and abundance and acknowledges that we have inherent value for simply existing, regardless of identity or circumstance. It is a powerful step away from systems of oppression and scarcity. Practising gratitude requires time and care, the opposite of the culture of urgency and doing. By connecting to gratitude we can focus and move forward with intention.

As individuals, regardless of our circumstances, consistently showing gratitude can be surprisingly difficult. This is because our brains are wired to protect us and do so by constantly scanning for danger. As a result, many of us get caught up in a negativity bias, where we linger on negative results or unpleasant experiences, and thus forget to allow moments of positivity to support us, individually and collectively. What we give our attention to grows. So when we get stuck in the lows that can happen in community organising, it is important to remember to feel grateful for what is working. Or perhaps we are so focused on a verbal slip-up at a meeting that we don’t register a compliment from a colleague.

At the collective level, practising gratitude allows us to slow down and take a deeper look at something. As a result, together we notice our surroundings and the available opportunities and recognise the resources, tools, and passions with which we can make a difference. “Looking within” helps us connect to a sense of purpose and our fundamental principles, and therefore, to be less scattered and reactive. When we look outside ourselves, we recognise that we are not alone. We are one among others who care. With an expanded gaze and perspective, we can learn from those who came before us and those who surround us, and we can find the hope we need, in ourselves and each other, to do what we feel called to do.

Happily, gratitude is like a muscle that we can build together. With the right exercises and practice, we can always find something, however small, to appreciate in even the most challenging circumstances. At the same time, it is important to note that gratitude is not about bypassing the difficulties and injustices in our lives and communities. Rather it allows us to feel more resourced to face these challenges without getting bogged down by them.