Unfortunately, gratification and self-gratification have become part of our lives. We do things but expect something back in return.

This is the way their lives roll and they make no excuses about it. Others will genuinely do things, not for personal gain but because they have empathy and want to help others without expecting or asking for anything back.

If we're going to do something for others, because we want to. It makes us feel good, we're giving something back. Do something out of kindness. Live your life without conditions. When we learn to stop being conditioned, we will learn to change the way we see and do things for ourselves and others.

Perceptions and the way we see the world are tied into our conditioning. Perhaps we should go back to basics on how things were before we were conditioned to think and behave a certain way. We don’t seem to do something for nothing. We do something for gratification. We should do things because we want to, without expecting anything back.

When we have a more honest perception of reality and how we should approach life, we will be happy to just live our lives, helping others, with just only a feel good-factor as an afterthought.

Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

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2 comments on “Gratification”

  1. So true. People nowadays won't do anything for free. There has to be an "reward."

    I grew up with a mom that did things for people all the time and expected nothing in return. She was crocheting scarves and others things for people until the day she went into hospice care.

    I think we should all be that way. I also think expecting something in return is selfish.

    1. Thanks Lisa. It's such a shame. We would all be living in a much better world now if we learned to do things without expecting anything back.

      It's commendable of your mum Lisa and is exactly how our lives should be.

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