On Gratitude

I've been keeping a gratitude journal for some months now and find it quite inspiring to go back and read some of my entries. It's often on the days that I can recall as being the most challenging that I have had my most profound insight into what really matters. Sometimes being grateful for the "little things" in life help us realize that those things aren't so "little" after all.

So what is gratitude? Look it up in a dictionary and you might find something along the lines of being thankful. Some synonyms could be thankfulness, gratefulness, appreciativeness or acknowledgement. But for me, gratitude is an attitude. It's a perspective and a mindfulness. It means taking time out of one's day to appreciate the things that make life meaningful. I remember my grandmother often chiding me to "count your blessings, child.". Back then, it just seemed like something she would say to get me to stop whining or complaining. Only now am I beginning to realize the wisdom in her words. When we are grateful, or "count our blessings", it changes our perspective on things. Instead of focusing on what is wrong, we begin to shift our energy to what is right.

Anyone who has watched "The Secret" knows that what we focus our intent on is what we receive more of. Gratitude is simply focusing our intent on the good things in our day rather than that which isn't as pleasant. When we begin to give our focus to the things we wish to manifest or the things which we are grateful for, not only does our mood shift....but often our outcomes begin to shift as well.

So, I encourage everyone reading this blog to take time out to think of at least ten things you are grateful for. Do this regularly, daily if you can, and watch the results.