Friday, February 27, 2009

Getting Gratitude Abundance

By Deanna Collins

You hear a lot about the power of gratitude. On paper it makes sense, right? If you're grateful for things then you begin to focus on what you have rather than focus on what you don't have. However, when things are tough and life is full of challenges, it can be tough to keep gratitude at the forefront of our minds.

Why Gratitude is Important

When you look at life in a grateful manner, your perspective on a lot of things begins to change. For instance, you:

Look at faults as potential blessings. It's easy to lay blame at someone else's feet and leave it there. It is a lot harder to look past someone's mistakes and see their potential. That goes for your mistakes too.

View others with an open heart rather than a closed heart. This means that you feel compassion for others regardless of whether you have anything in common with them or not. A life filled with compassion is a happy and abundant life.

Forget about judging others. We all have faults and make mistakes from time to time. Acknowledging that fact helps other people to put their faults in perspective and play to their strengths.

Feel merciful towards others who are not in their best place or have not reached a place where they can look at the world from a place of gratitude.

Look at what you do have and be grateful. Concentrating on the positives in your life attract more positive energies. How is that? Whatever you cultivate in your life will begin to grow. If you want a good life, change your focus.

Gain Gratitude Abundance in your Life

Always know what you are grateful for in life. If you want, make a list. Each day, read the list and add more to it as you feel the need. Some of your blessings that you may easily overlook: breathing each day, having food at every meal, and the good people in your life. Blessings are all around us if we choose to see them. Learning to recognize your blessings renews your hope in life and your role in it.

Practice gratefulness. You won't become an expert overnight but with practice you will see a difference in your attitude and your life. Instead of going to sleep feeling weighed down, you can use that abundance of gratitude you have developed to sleep well and wake up unencumbered by worry.

Find ways to integrate gratitude each day. Develop rituals that usher in gracious feelings within you. It could be as simple as journaling, wearing special gratitude jewelry, getting weekly pampering, or making time for family and friends. Whatever you choose, make it a positive experience.

Find ways to help others. Paying it forward puts the focus on others and not us. Give to charity, volunteer at a shelter, or show support on a case by case basis. Change the world one person at a time.

Clear out anything in your life that weighs you down. Attract more gratitude by removing negative people and attitudes that detract from your gratitude abundance.

Gratitude abundance is waiting for you to reach out and embrace it. The choice is yours, invite it in and change your life. - 15995

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