...about the magic of gratitude

Gratitude is one of my favorite topics, because it is a feel-good topic. There is something a bit supernatural about it, the way it can completely transform perceptions, feelings, and experiences.  Even material goods seem to become something more when viewed with gratitude.  Gratitude throws open the gates of the heart and closes the judgments of the mind.  One of my father’s favorite proverbs was "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet".  Gratitude can bring about that feeling without witnessing someone with less.  It has a way of making a little seem like an abundance, a way of brightening all the colors, of making the air smell fresher and your body feel lighter.  Gratitude can give you that spring in your step. 
 
So anytime you are feeling down, disheartened, or disenchanted, or if you are feeling a lack in some area of your life, like you don’t have enough -money, love, friends, time - stop and challenge yourself to write down things you are grateful for.  It is an exercise that once you start it will gain its own momentum.  If you are feeling stuck start small, like – the weather is nice; you enjoyed a hot shower; you heard a great song on the radio; you got a good parking spot.  Look at those things that you take for granted – like indoor plumbing or your car starting when you turn the key, or the electricity needed to make that delicious first cup of coffee in the morning, or that fact that you slept in a bed last night and that you woke up this morning.  These are the types of things we take for granted until something brings them to our attention – usually when something unexpected happens.  I am saying don’t wait for that interference, instead notice now, notice the gifts, the blessings, the magic and miracles that surround you in every moment.
 
Gratitude is a game changer – practice at your own risk, it is highly addictive.