Hey, why are you reading this? Didn’t you read the title? Please just scroll on down to the next article. Coming up is just stuff about how I try, basically all day, to get you to focus on what you’re lacking. That way you won’t enjoy what you already have! I’m really good at this. I’ve had loads of practice …

I’m also expert at getting you to feel so unworthy that you can’t value what you have. Because if you feel unworthy, then whatever you’ve got must not be worth much either.

But wait, how about moving that little finger of yours and swiping out of this piece? Like, immediately …

If you don’t, the next thing you’ll find out is that I work really hard to make you feel that everyone else has it better than you. They’ve got everything you wish you had! And if you only had that one particular thing, then you’d be happy. I repeat these kinds of things every single day, and each time, would you believe, you still fall for it.

Ever try to swat a fly that keeps coming back? That’s what I’m like.

The thing is, as long as you don’t realize it’s me saying all these things that get you into trouble, I’m free to make you do whatever I feel like doing.

But once you realize it’s me, I lose my power. That’s why knowing how I operate is key. As soon as you become aware that I’m trying to bring you down—and you call me out on it—I’m outta there fast.

When you say something like, “Oh, it’s you, my inner adversary, my animalistic soul overpowering my divine one,” I don’t stick around. Why should I? I’ve lost my power!

I mean, I’ll be back, that’s for sure. I don’t give up that quickly. But as you get better at recognizing me, I don’t stand a chance of winning you over nearly as fast or as easily.

And truth is, that’s genuinely what I want. You see, even though I may look like an annoying little fly that keeps bugging you, what I really am is a messenger from the Almighty. I want you to learn to recognize me and overcome my nasty nagging.

The moment it becomes clear to you that it’s me, trying to lead you down a self-destructive path, do something you enjoy.

And there are literally countless ways to do that. Stretch to music you love, open the window and feel the breeze, call someone feeling lonelier than you, linger longer in nature—or just simply think about the abundance of blessings in your life at that moment. Whatever fills your uniquely beautiful soul with gratitude and gets it shining with joy is what works.

See, what I want is for you to recognize what I’m trying to do, and grow your gratitude muscles by swatting me away, time and again. I’m your personal trainer, offering just the right amount of resistance. Resisting me is what strengthens you.

The analogy is good, but it’s not exactly muscle fibers you’re creating when you resist my incessant whispering. Each time you resist me, by not taking things for granted quite as much and being more grateful for what you’ve got, you are actually creating new neural pathways—nerve fibers carrying gratitude energy—that flow through your mind and your body. This, in turn, nourishes your essence, your soul, with the fuel it needs to shine brightly!

Neurons that fire together—wire together—and the more gratitude wiring you create, the more often you can pick gratitude instead of being miserable. In other words, it becomes easier to keep choosing grateful moments.

I’m doing my all, and now that you are about to finish reading this whole article, you can do your job even better, living more joyfully through gratitude.

I know how you operate, and now you get how I operate, too. As you can imagine, I really wanted you to read this whole thing and find out how to outsmart me. Yup, I told you not to read this article because I knew you would! Come on, admit it, I know you pretty well, right?

The secret most people don’t know is that I’m a messenger from the Almighty, designed to help you grow in gratitude by overpowering me with your thankful essence. It’s great working with you!

Your Inner Adversary