"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." - Cicero

Today is Thanksgiving, and I'm thinking about being thankful this morning, about gratitude. Gratitude is an interesting thing. Philosophers from Epictetus to Ralph Waldo Emerson believed one of the keys to personal fulfillment was cultivating a strong habit of gratitude. And not just gratitude for our blessings, but also gratitude for our hardships.

That’s a difficult concept to value in modern times. Why should we be thankful for our difficulties? Why should we be grateful for our bad luck, or even worse for those who have harmed us? It seems contradictory to say the least. But the truth is, everything we have suffered, every failure, every injury, was a lesson if we are willing to learn. Every piece of our experience, every blessing or curse, was an opportunity to get closer to finding our true authentic self. 

Even the American tradition of Thanksgiving is grounded in this very concept. The pilgrims of Plymouth Rock and their Native American allies the Wampanoag celebrated their survival through the harsh winter as much as the fall harvest that gave them their bounty of food. 

Cultivating a habit of gratitude may seem like meaningless pop psychology, but it truly is powerful. Build that habit, nurture it, and it will fuel your personal growth amidst the hardships of life. What are you thankful for?