Tag Archives: the practice of gratitude

Gratitude and Possibilities

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One of the most tangible ways in which the practice of gratitude can transform our lives is by opening our eyes to the possibilities and opportunities that are all around us…opportunities and possibilities that we did not see before because we were focused on what wasn’t working, on what wrong with everyone and everything.   It’s as if we’ve had blinders on, and the practice of gratitude gently pulls them off. We begin to see a beautiful world full of possibilities.  We begin to see the potential within us.  We begin in see the connectedness of everything, and how everything is working together for our good…if we will but recognize it!

Let’s take a few obvious examples, just to illustrate the point.  Say I was unemployed and couldn’t find a job to save my life.  Now, rather than constantly bemoan my circumstance and blame the government for my predicament I’m practicing gratitude.  I’m thinking about all the things I have to be grateful for as I’m driving down the road.  Suddenly I realize I’m lost.  I find myself on a new street and again, rather than falling prey to anger and blame, I notice what beautiful trees are lining this street. I’m suddenly grateful that I took a wrong turn.  Then I notice that behind the beautiful trees, which I’m grateful for, is a building I never noticed before.  “Oh look, it Burt’s Bees.  Hmmmm, I didn’t know they were headquartered here.  Gee, I wonder if they’re hiring.”  I go in, submit my resume, and in a few days I have a job at the company I’ve always admired.

Or, say I find myself in a coffee house. It’s very busy and I have to wait in a long line.  Rather than bemoan the inconvenience and stress about how late I am, I silently express my gratitude for the opportunity to have coffee, for soy milk so that lactose intolerant folks like me can still enjoy lattes, for the creative way the place is decorated, for the people around me.  Then, the cute guy in front of me remarks about the weather, or the song they’re playing, and we start up a conversation…which either leads to romance and a relationship or a business opportunity.

Or, I’ve taken my kids to the library to pick out some fun books to read at bedtime. I’m grateful for my children and for this time I get to spend with them. I’m grateful for this library and the people who work here.  As we’re walking through the isles on the way to check out, a self-help book catches my eye.  I pick it up and check it out.  It turns out to be a book that has a significant impact on my life.   

I can think of many for examples, and so can you. In fact, if you’d like to share an example from your own life in the comment section below, we’d love to hear it.

We are all deeply connected to possibilities that can turn our lives around in ways we can’t even imagine.  But we’ll miss them all if we’re focused on what’s not working, and who’s to blame.  Gratitude opens our eyes to the connectedness of all things and the abundance of opportunities all around us.

One Power: Two Ways of Using It

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I was thinking the other day about what this Earth would have looked like before we humans got here.  The Earth that God created was perfectly balanced, unspoiled, virgin beauty. 

Then we arrived.  We human beings who had the power to think, plan, manipulate and dominate.  What happened then?  The Earth has most definitely suffered from the results of our manipulation…her waters and air are polluted, her trees are slashed and burned, and her continents are invaded, blood-soaked and conquered.  There’s no doubt humankind’s greed, ego and fear have taken a huge toll on our planet.

Has humankind ever made the planet better?  Yes, I think at times it has.  When we have worked with nature, from a place of love and respect, the results have been to the Earth’s benefit as well as our own.  When we align with positive, creative energy and use our God-given talents to add beauty to the world, we get breathtaking gardens, majestic architecture, inspirational music, dance and art, and resources like water that flows where people need it.

In the same way, there are two ways we humans use our inherent intelligence and co-creative power in our personal lives.  We can us it to create a life of struggle, lack and unhappiness, or we can use it to create an inspirational life of beauty, joy, abundance and love.  In other words, when we are aligned with the natural power of the Universe…which is always limitless good…we co-create the magnificent.  On the other hand, when we are aligned with our fear, greed and ego demands, we create a life of “quiet desperation” as Thoreau wrote about.

One of the most powerful and effective ways to realign with the creative power and the love within us, and thereby access our ability to create a magnificent life, is by practicing proactive gratitude.

Now on the surface, it would appear we must have something in our lives to be grateful for.  And we humans naturally tend to look for the big stuff like financial security, perfect health, successful careers and successful marriages. If we don’t happen to have any one of these big four, most have a harder time finding things to be grateful for. However, I’m absolutely certain that all of us have dozens of blessings in our lives that we can choose to focus on, rather than on what’s missing.  And that’s the point.  Choosing to shift our focus from what’s missing in our lives to the blessings in our lives…and really celebrating those things…makes all the difference in the world.  Here’s why…

 When we continually focus on our blessings (however small we think they may be) we are actively aligning with our creative power.  We are shifting our energy in the balance of life which, in itself, attracts more blessings into our lives.  But don’t take my word for it. Do the experiment and prove it to yourself.  Practice proactive gratitude for a few weeks and see if things don’t start changing for you. Not only will you feel happier and more at peace, but you will also notice that there are more and more things for which to be grateful.   Once you’ve reached that “tipping point” in the balance of the positive, you’ll notice that the big 4 areas will begin to shift as well.   Again the practice is…

 1.)    Search for things, events and people in your life…on a daily basis…for which to be grateful.  Be specific.  Some days take more searching than others.  But, set your intention to be aware throughout the day that you are looking for something to be grateful for.

2.)    Celebrate those things.  Begin to really feel good about each one. Give a good “woo-hoo;” do a little dance; sing a song, or just allow yourself to feel like…”yeah, my life is indeed blessed!”

 3.)    Document at least 5 things for which you are grateful daily. You can do this either in your own journal, on this blog in the “comments” section, or on the Gratitude Experiment community on Facebook (The Gratitude Experiment on Facebook) Sharing what you are grateful for increases the energy around it, which then draws to you more to be grateful for.  

Now, don’t you wonder what the Earth would look like if enough of us humans practiced proactive gratitude?  Do you think there would be more peace, more love, more beauty, more prosperity, affordable education, affordable and effective health-care, effective solutions to pollution and global warming? What changes do you imagine?  And how many of those who practice gratitude would it take to tip the balance in this direction?