Have you ever really thought about what it means to create "Meaning IN Life"? Do you believe your life has meaning? Are you get excited about your days?
On a scale of 1-10, where 1 is not very, and 10 is very, how content with your life would you say you are? If you find you are somewhere below the 6 or 7 mark, then the chances are, you could develop more gratitude for your life.
Studies have shown that the practice of gratitude is linked to our levels of happiness and contentment. Do you often feel dissatisfied with what you have? Are you always longing for more? Do you wish that things were different? Increasing your gratitude will help.
Gratitude is like magic! The more grateful you are the happier and the more content you become. The book, “The Magic,” by Rhonda Byrne, author of “The Secret,” takes you through a step-by-step and 28-day formula for bringing more gratitude into your life. Gratitude can truly transform your life, from one of misery and discontent to one of deep satisfaction and joy.
Ancient yogis knew about the secret power of gratitude: The yoga sutras speak of how being aware of and being grateful for the abundance of life and the flow of life that is all around us, opens the way for more streams of abundance to come to us.
When we focus on what we are grateful for, we get more of it. “That which you focus on grows,” according to mindfulness practitioners. Therefore, when you focus on what you lack, you block the flow of unlimited potential, which exists in the universe. When you focus on what you are grateful for, you open your heart to the infinite abundance, which is available to each one of us.
Here are some simple practices to get you started on the life-changing path of gratitude:
Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down in your journal five things that happened in your day that you are grateful for.
Carry a gratitude stone in your pocket. Find a rock or gemstone which appeals to you and put it in your pocket. Each time you touch the stone, remember the feeling of gratitude and something you are truly grateful for.
Bless your food. Give thanks to all the people involved in the process of bringing the food to your table and to the plants and animals who gave their lives so you could eat and sustain your own life.
Create a gratitude jar. Each time you think of something you are grateful for, write it down on a slip of paper, and pop it in the jar.
We did this as a family for one full year. Then on New Year’s Day, we sat around the kitchen table where each person randomly pulled out and read one of the gratitude notes. We each took turns pulling out and reading a note until the jar was empty. It was a wonderful bonding moment and a chance to reflect on all the blessings in our lives.
Alternatively, you don’t have to wait a full year. Instead, when you are having a moment of sadness or negativity, you can pull out a note from the jar and remind yourself of something to be grateful for. Maybe it reminds you of a wonderful day you spent in nature, or something kind you did for someone else, or the abundance of great stuff you possess, and how wealthy you truly are. Whatever it is, the gratitude jar can help pull you out of the doldrums and back into the upward spiral of positive emotions.
Make gratitude part of your daily practice for one month and notice the benefits. You will feel happier, more joyful, centered, and content. Being grateful truly works like a miracle and can transform the way you view the world. The secret to an abundant life is all in how you view it. Even when something happens that hurts, there is a gift and a blessing to be found in the experience, if only you are open to seeing what it is.
To help you along your journey, my team and I have created a 365-Day Gratitude Journal which is yours FREE! You can use this journal again and again!
Click here to get instant access to your own 365-Day Gratitude Journal for FREE!
Until next time, many blessing and much peace!
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