Oprah and I, we’re tight. We’re like *this* [I say crossing my left middle finger over my index digit].
At least we would be if she knew who I was. In crisis mode I often wonder, “What would Oprah do?” hoping that the inspiration will strike like a gigantic ethereal lightbulb. Somehow she just knows what to do in every situation.
Over the years I’ve cultivated an admittedly one-sided relationship more with her spiritual philosophies than her episodes on Great Beauty Tips For Under $20, Weird Pet Parade and the shows where she gives a whole bunch of stuff away to an audience who always seem so surprised by the lavish gestures of goodwill.
I actually think deep down Oprah’s a bit of a fakeroo, a charlatan and a TV gimmickmeister. I hope I’m wrong.
But being a journalist has taught me one very important rule: don’t believe everything you’re told. Same goes for TV. I have an excellent filtration system that weeds out that which doesn’t serve me, to use a favourite esoteric phrase, and that which does. My point – yes, I do have one, is that there are aspects of her philosophy I love.
Like gratitude. Or make that Gratitude. The capital G is important. Gives it extra gravitas (and allows me to use the word ‘gravitas’ in a sentence, thereby sounding extra super duper importantly intelligent)...
The principle is a simple one and I practice it daily. Every night, before slipping under the covers and turning off the lights, I list out loud five things I’m grateful for. They can be simple, everyday things you forget about (ie take for granted) like
‘I’m grateful that I am alive to experience all that this life has to offer’ and ‘I’m grateful for my body, grateful that I have all my limbs intact and that all my parts are in good working order’. Hey, don’t snigger, there might come a day when you realise you took the use of your arms for granted! One hopes of course not…
You can be grateful for your family, friends, job, car, a roof over your head, the lovely lunch you ate, your pets, having nice clothes. Once you start you’ll actually find there are easily way more than five things you can be grateful for on a daily basis. In fact I usually go for 10 things. Sometimes more depending on the day.
The hardest part is trying to be grateful for the bad things. When the kak hits the fan it’s easy to lose perspective. But perhaps the ‘bad thing’ is actually best viewed as an opportunity to learn, grow and change, a catalyst towards greater self-awareness and the chance to be the silver lining of the dark, grey cloud.
So in the spirit of Gratitude, I’d like to say I’m grateful of the opportunity to write this weekly blog. I have no idea as yet who’ll read it but I trust that you’ll use your selectivity and your own filtration system and hopefully find a nugget or two of information, hope and guidance in here. Hopefully that doesn’t sound too much like something you’d read on the back of a sugar packet.
But it’s a start.
The seed is planted.
- Jared Orlin (Entertainment Editor, YOU Magazine)
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