Gratitude

Gratitude is often difficult to express when we are not in the mood. Mood seems to play a major determining factor on whether we feel like doing anything. And expressing gratitude is no exception.

For me, gratitude seems to be especially difficult when I “don’t feel like it.” However I have come to realize that gratitude is most needed in times of greatest difficulty.

All over the country, people celebrated Thanksgiving with loved ones. However in my opinion, Thanksgiving happens twice. First as an internal experience that emmenates from your heart. Second when you share this wonderful feeling through kindness to others.

We often forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Why? Because we are often caught up in the festivities and making sure things go well. Is the turkey too dry? Is the cranberry sauce too sour? Is there enough stuffing? Who’s bringing the pumpkin pie? And on and on it goes with an apparent focus on lack rather than what we have.

We must take a time out and appreciate the true meaning of Thanksgiving. We simply Give Thanks. We express gratitude By focusing on our abundance in the current moment rather than focusing on what we could potentially have in the future. For we are living full and rich lives in the present moment.

We might say, “Well my neighbor has a bigger house, has more cars in their driveway, probably has a bigger turkey”. And on it goes about how someone else has something bigger or better.

But just because they have more, does that make our lives any less? Do we not have our bodies? Can we not walk upon this Earth? Can we not see the sights of this existence? Or smell the mouth-watering aromas that surround us? Many people cannot. Whether it be physical disability or self-imposed disability by refusing to open up your senses and your mind to the world around us.

Give thanks because doing so will help us recognize the abundance of our lives. Give thanks because we have so much to offer this world and have the opportunity every day to give ourselves to making it a better place. Show gratitude because we live nearly every moment of our lives from a perspective of lack rather than that of fulfillment.

We are each living a full life. We are each complete and perfect as we are in order to further grow into perfecter human beings. And every day we are alive affords us the opportunity to be better than we were yesterday. THAT is the miracle of life!

As you wake up this morning, and every morning from now on, take 5 minutes to collect yourself and express gratitude. You woke up. Many people did not. Understanding other people’s lack will help you appreciate your life.

I am not talking about superficial lack. There is a difference between superficial and true lack. Just because your neighbor has 3 cars in their driveway and you have four, you do not gain appreciation for that forth car. Your neighbor may only need three and you may need four. Therefore this is of no consequence and does not make your life inherently richer in quality because this only addresses quantity.

Appreciate what you have that cannot be bought. Money will come and you can certainly put food on the table and a roof over your head. For some it will be more difficult than others. But it can be done. However we must take the time to appreciate what cannot be given to us beyond that which is given to us by our Creator.

Our sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, ability to walk, our family, our minds, appreciation of life on this planet. The list is inherently abundant!

You may say, “Well I can hardly think of anything beyond what you just said.” Well that is because we have not exercised this part of our minds. We have been conditioned to work from a state of lack and not of abundance. Our physical bodies require resources and therefore our brains our designed to first and foremost work towards survival. For many people, this is a real problem. However if our needs are met, we must take the time to appreciate this.

Expressing gratitude is perhaps the most powerful way to live life. You reap the rewards both internally as it fills your heart with elation and joy, and externally as its power attracts richness into your life!

If we wake up in the morning, we have the chance to do something better with the lives we have been graced with. We are not meant to live this life in depression, anxiety, fear, turmoil, loss, etcetera. We are meant to be fully alive and step into our full being. The gateway to this outcome is Gratitude.