In a world that constantly pushes for more, what does it mean to appreciate what you already have and what you have created? This week on The Gold Mine, Chance and I sat down with former RCMP Sergeant Darren Mitchell to have a raw and honest conversation about “Gratitude.” We shared our personal struggles and breakthrough moments with gratitude, moving beyond the superficial slogans to explore gratitude as a practical tool for resilience, recovery, and self-awareness. The conversation covered how to find gratitude in the “deep dark hole,” the crucial difference between inventorying possessions and appreciating principles, and why the story behind a gift is where its actual value lies.
This Week’s Advocate:
– Darren Mitchell: Former RCMP ERT Sergeant and founder of Spartan Warrior Wellness, sharing his personal journey of using gratitude as a cornerstone of mental health. His story is a testament to the transformative power of gratitude.
Key Insights from Our “Gratitude” Discussion:
1. The Origin: To Favour
Chance kicked things off with the etymology of gratitude, tracing it back to a root word meaning “to favour.” This framed our discussion not around a passive feeling, but an active choice. To be grateful is to consciously choose what you favour in your life, which requires you to categorize and prioritize what truly matters. This practical approach to gratitude empowers us to take control of our lives and focus on what truly matters.
2. From a Task to a Tool
Darren shared his initial struggle with practicing gratitude, viewing it as just another “check the box” task assigned by his doctors. He described the breakthrough moment when he realized its impact, transforming it from a chore into a powerful tool for changing his narrative and fighting back against the darkness.
3. Finding Gratitude in the “Deep Dark Hole”
When you feel like you have ruined everything and have nothing left, how do you find gratitude? Darren’s advice, born from experience, was to start small. Don’t grasp for the big things. Be grateful you woke up. Be thankful for the food on the table. These small wins are the first rungs on the ladder out of the hole.
4. It’s Not an Inventory, It’s an Ethos
Gratitude isn’t just taking inventory of your possessions (my house, my car, my stuff). Those things can be lost. Genuine, lasting gratitude is for the intangible principles and character traits – your kindness, your strength, the love you share – and the story behind the objects, not the objects themselves.
5. Gratitude Must Begin with Yourself
Darren introduced a powerful and often overlooked aspect of the practice: self-gratitude. He made the case that if you cannot truly love and appreciate yourself, your gratitude for others will always be incomplete. This isn’t about arrogance, but about recognizing your own wins, no matter how small, and giving yourself credit. It’s a practice of self-care and self-respect that builds the foundation from which all other forms of gratitude can authentically grow. This emphasis on self-gratitude makes us feel valued and respected, enhancing our overall sense of appreciation.
6. The Pencil Parable: To Use or to Preserve?
We explored the dilemma of a sacred gift – a pencil that took a lifetime to make. Do you preserve it behind glass or use it for its intended purpose? We concluded that what’s “right” is personal, but to truly honour the gratitude behind the gift, it must be used with the respect and intention with which it was given. Wear and tear from purposeful use reflect love and appreciation for the gift-giver.
7. Gratitude is an Evolving Understanding
It’s not something you master once, but a concept that deepens and evolves as your ‘circle of influence’ changes, and you reflect on it more deeply. Your ‘circle of influence’ refers to the people and factors that have a significant impact on your life. This highlights that gratitude isn’t a solitary pursuit; it’s a shared understanding that can be passively absorbed and refined through the people we surround ourselves with, making it a living, breathing part of our lives.
Final Thought: Gratitude is the Story Behind the Thing.
Genuine gratitude is not a shallow appreciation for the objects in our lives, but a deep connection to the stories, relationships, and principles they represent. It’s a disciplined practice of favouring what has lasting value over what is merely present. It is a tool that, when wielded daily, can change your entire narrative.
What story are you grateful for today?
Listen to the whole “Gratitude” discussion here: Gratitude
Keep giving thanks,
Shaun & The Collective Crew
