Gratitude and appreciation connect us to the deeper rhythms of life
Many people have commented to me that they find it hard to know where to begin to focus on gratitude or appreciation when there is so much stress in the world. So if you are in a dark or stressful time how can you begin?
Some simple questions can begin to help you turn the corner to feeling more gratitude and to get a positive flow of energy coursing through you being!
What or who can I be grateful for today?
What or who in my life can I really appreciate?
Where was there beauty today? (a flower, smile, kindness observed or received?)
What memories do I carry that fill me with gratitude?
Remember to think broadly. We live life moment by moment; the huge awards, recognition, and great ordeals’ are not daily fare. While it is wonderful to celebrate those and enjoy them, we also can tune into good feelings moment to moment even when large outer triggers are not in evidence. There is something about feeling the emotions of gratitude and appreciation that connect us to the deeper rhythms of life and offers more juice, feeling and vitality—the real stuff of being human — a source of a different type of meaning, satisfaction and fulfillment. That it not to say that material success is wrong, or to be turned away from, only that too much attention and yearning in that direction can result in dissonance that leaves a person empty and longing rather than fulfilled.
So find something wonderful about the moment you are in …the warmth of the sun, the crispness of the air, the beauty of the sky. Where can you find beauty today? Where can you find the touch of peace? What do you see that warms your heart? Do you have a favorite memory that brings feelings of love, peace or happiness to your heart?
Before you go to sleep tonight identify five things that made you happy, feel complete or that you appreciated. Remember to count yourself things you value about YOU! Use your memory to call up images of times when you felt grateful play those over and over instead of the wouldas, couldas, shouldas that tend to rumble around in our minds!
Lack anywhere in your life is a reflection of the state of your vital life force and how you are managing it. Energy flows where your attention goes. So, focusing on feeling appreciation for what you do have, including the special people in your life and
expressing gratitude for your blessings regularly builds healthy energy and paves the way for more good to come to you. The same thing happens with stress, frustration, anxiety, worry, anger, etc. Whatever you focus on gets reflected in some way. It’s similar to the glass half-full/half-empty concept. We can choose to consciously focus on the beneficial things that are happening and create a way for more of them to come or we can dwell on all of the things that aren’t perfect and encourage a negative view and stream of events.
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