From the Dalai Lama's personal physician
Gratitude is another important quality to cultivate as it brings peace inside our hearts. Gratitude fosters resilience through calmness, making us better at handling adversity. Who does not have adversity in their lives?
Gratitude is an expression of joy.
Having concern for the welfare of others helps to nurture gratitude. Living more in the present moment frees us from the anxiety and fears of the past and future. This opens the heart to feeling gratitude. We can be grateful for everything, especially for being alive. The next breath that supports our life is an object of gratitude, as is the food we eat, clothes we wear, and the relationships we cherish.
Being grateful sets the tone for the day and helps when facing adversity.
At such times when facing adversity, we tend to narrow our focus. Everything feels gloomy and hopeless. Feeling gratitude combats hopelessness. All these positive emotions and attitudes reinforce each other. Thus compassion and its friends become internal stabilizers to keep our enthusiasm high and strengthen our resilience.