It’s almost cliché to be blogging about gratitude during the month of November, but I find that I want to be cliché! If I could blog about gratitude every week of the year I would do it. Hmmm….that’s something to think about for 2014. 🙂
I admit I spent most of my adult life looking around me and noticing what I didn’t have, instead of feeling really thankful for the great things I did have. I was one of those people Wallace was talking about in the opening quote. I always considered myself grateful, and would count my blessings and all that, but the majority of my thoughts dwelled on the lack in my life. Have you been guilty of this?
Obviously, you’ll get no judgment from me, since I struggled with this myself. But let me gently remind you–and me–of the absolute necessity of gratitude. In the classic book “The Science of Getting Rich”, Wallace D. Wattles says, “The more gratefully we fix our minds on the Supreme when good things come to us, the more good things we will receive, and the more rapidly they will come. The reason simply is that the mental attitude of gratitude draws the mind into closer touch with the source from which the blessings come…The moment you permit your mind to dwell with dissatisfaction upon things as they are, you begin to lose ground. You fix attention upon the common, ordinary, poor, and the squalid…and your mind takes the form of these things. Then…the common, the poor, the squalid…will come to you.”
Gratitude isn’t just a good idea; it’s crucial if you want to change your thoughts, which always and inevitably change your physical world.
A very simple exercise flipped my switch from poverty to gratitude: a gratitude journal. Every night before bed write down 3 things you’re grateful for that happened that day. Watch how easily more things to be grateful for come into your mind, and what a wonderful feeling comes with it!
What do you do to keep yourself in gratitude? Share below!
Gratitude is essential for our well being. Beautiful post Allyson! 🙂
Love this book, been studying it for the past 5-6 years. Another good exercise in gratitude is, when you have trouble sleeping think of all the things you are grateful for. The ability to breath, see .. so on. Try to come up with 100. I always end up drifting off before I get there.
I write in a gratitude journal as well! I also give thanks in advance for the things I’d like to happen in the future. If I told you the stories that have come out of that journal, well, you just wouldn’t believe me! It’s amazing what can happen when you actually put things in writing! Awesome blog post!
Great writing Allyson, gratitude is an excellent tool, is ironic that in my first reading of “The Law of Success” from Napoleon Hill, this morning he was discussing the behind the scenes mechanics to get rid of poverty consciousness, excellent, thank you.
I love my gratitude journal. I also give thanks upon waking and before bed 🙂
My coaching client today was listing her highlights for the week and she had 23! I love it!! It is like pulling teeth to get some of my clients to list more than 2-3 highlights or pieces of gratitude! She is an A+ for sure!! Thanks for your GREAT blog and reminder to do it nightly!
That is so great, Julie! When people really plug into gratitude, magic starts to happen! Thanks for your comment.
Funny now we’re all connected…even when God through the universe wants to drive home certain principles, isn’t it? Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for your comment, Julie. I spent some time saying a ‘gratitude only’ prayer, specifically about things I’d like to happen in the future. Wow, it felt so powerful! And I agree: writing things down literally causes things to move in your direction. Thanks for your feedback!
Thanks for that exercise, Ed. I’ve never tried that before, but definitely will do that the next time sleep eludes me!
Gratitude Gives Me Butterflies sometimes. It’s the one way I know I can fill up my cup! and journaling is like profoundly effective, especially before bed, it seems I always wake up more energized and happy when I am in consistent practice of doing that!
I find that to be the case with me too, Shanelle. Thanks for sharing!