Do you want to be happier? Try gratitude.
I have a confession to make. It took me 6 years to finally allow myself to be a “receiver.” Being the eldest, I took on the responsibility of taking care of almost every caring aspect early on in life. I was cooking the family meals, preparing my younger siblings to get ready for bed, and just finding ways to help in the household while my parents worked. I developed a sense of personal accountability that I took on as a priority from an early age.
As good as it sounds, “giving” has been my routine that as the years went by, I began to feel leery towards people who have been generous to me. I started to think that anybody who was giving me a favor without my asking needs something in return – eventually. Much later, I felt guarded against people who were being generous to me.
