Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Learning the Secret : Growing your Gratitude



Are you really thankful for what you have? Upon reflecting on my journey living the universal laws, I found that I was overlooking, and taking for granted all that I have in my life. I was not expressing gratitude for things I had grown to expect, and things that were just always there. Clean fresh drinking water, a warm bed to sleep in, the freedom to go for a walk down my street without fear, food in the fridge, a hot shower whenever I want, to be able to phone loved ones who live out of town and speak with them in a matter of seconds, just to name a small few.

We have so much we need to be grateful for in our lives, and we often overlook and forget. Simple things. It seems we get caught up in daily life and take for granted what we have, and what we receive every day. It is time to stop and take a step back. Look at all you have to be grateful for! A new sense and feeling of gratitude in your heart brings with it the gift of inner peace that I wish to share with you. The following assignment is designed to help you grow your feelings of gratitude, and help you experience the gift of deep inner peace and joy in your heart.

1.Gratitude Journal – Go and buy yourself a new journal specifically for this assignment. Take your time, and make it special to you. Make sure you it is one you really love, maybe even splurge a little. Enjoy the experience of giving yourself this gift.

2.Morning List – Each morning before you start your day, open your journal and write 5 things you are grateful for. Just a quick list. Go about the rest of your day. Please note, make a point of not repeating yourself and look for new things each day. They don't need to be big things, keep it simple.

3.Nightly – Reflect on your morning list, and add 3 things that happened that day you are grateful about. If you have more to share, keep writing. When you are finished, enjoy 10 minutes of silence.

4.Weekly – Once a week rather then writing, read over your journal from the week. Reflect on your thoughts, all that you have to be grateful for, and sit in silence for 15 minutes. Right before bed is a great time for this.

Remember, try to avoid writing the same things repeatedly. Look for new things you are happy and thankful for, however simple it may be. There is always something to be grateful about. When you shift your focus and give more attention to feeling gratitude, you will find you had more in your life to be thankful about then you actually thought, and you also will start attracting more things into your life to be thankful about. What we focus on expands!

After 30 days of doing this assignment, you will feel a new sense of gratitude for life, have MORE to be grateful for, and you will receive that gift of an inner peace that makes every part of life look just a little bit different, a little bit better, a little bit sweeter....and it feels great!