39 - The Dark Side of Gratitude: The Gratitude Platitude

Has anyone ever told you: "Look at all you have, you should be grateful!" when you were experiencing an uncomfortable feeling like sadness, anger, grief, or maybe trying to uphold a boundary for yourself? Some of us may have even expressed this kind of thing to other people too, or even to ourselves! In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun explores the “dark side” of gratitude. In particular, Elizabeth addresses how gratitude can be used as a way to invalidate or minimize people’s struggles. This “gratitude platitude” is the opposite of the medicine of gratitude, which can uplift, connect us with our abundance, and offer ease. Key Takeaways: Using terms like “you should be grateful!” as a way to shame someone for struggling can be damaging. Reminding people of all that’s around them to be thankful for can be helpful, but often first it is important (and typically more effective) to meet them in the struggle they’re in rather than telling them to be different than they are. Gratitude can be a powerful medicine when used to connect with abundance rather than invalidate feelings. Resources: https://www.thecalmingground.com/free-guided-meditation“I love Elizabeth and The Calming Ground Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! Your feedback on this platform helps me support more people - just like you - move toward the balanced life they desire. Scroll to the bottom, tape to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, remember to follow the podcast so you keep receiving the wisdom and insights of all of these amazing humans!