Dear you,
I would like to start by saying , thank you, thank you for being you, thank you for showing up, thank you for sharing your presence and your love and thank you for reading this post and seeing me.
And I thank me for me. I am growing into so much love and respect for myself, I never thought this was possible and I am eternally grateful.
I thank The Universe for providing me this body so I am having this cool ride on Gaia, it is great to be here to experience this human life! I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have (had) and the exciting life I have enjoyed/am enjoying. There is so much joy in gratitude. Gratitude = LOVE.
“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart
Today is Thanksgiving in the US of A and I wish everyone who celebrates an amazing and Turkeyfriendly day.
And for more Thanksgiving song inspiration: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/the-20-best-thanksgiving-songs
I would like to share a few words and practises about GRATITUDE as this is lifechanging! This simple practise is beyond powerful. As one of the things that has had the biggest effect on my life is the realization of the power of gratitude. Simply giving thanks. Can it change your life as well? It absolutely CAN and WILL, but you have to put it into practise.
Gratitude means thankfulness, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It means learning to live your life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much you’ve been given. Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present. In addition, behavioural and psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements that can stem from the practice of gratitude. Giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress.
It’s amazing how one simple, easy, positive action can change so much in a person’s life.
The Research
Two psychologists, Michael McCollough and Robert Emmons, wrote an article about an experiment they conducted on gratitude and its impact on well-being. The results of the study indicated that daily gratitude exercises resulted in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy. In addition, those in the gratitude group experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, exercised more regularly, and made greater progress toward achieving personal goals.
One of the things these studies show is that practicing gratitude can increase happiness levels by around 25%. This is significant, among other things, because just as there’s a certain weight that feels natural to your body and which your body strives to maintain, your basic level of happiness is set at a predetermined point. If something bad happens to you during the day, your happiness can drop momentarily, but then it returns to its natural set-point. Likewise, if something positive happens to you, your level of happiness rises, and then it returns once again to your “happiness set-point”. A practice of gratitude raises your “happiness set-point” so you can remain at a higher level of happiness regardless of outside circumstances.
In addition, Dr. Emmons’ research shows that those who practice gratitude tend to be more creative, bounce back more quickly from adversity, have a stronger immune system, and have stronger social relationships than those who don’t practice gratitude. He further points out that “To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings.”
Pay attention and receive the gifts
People tend to take for granted the good that is already present in their lives. There’s a gratitude exercise that instructs that you should imagine losing some of the things that you take for granted, such as your home, your ability to see or hear or your ability to walk. Then imagine getting each of these things back, one by one, and consider how grateful you would be for each and every one. Also, you need to start finding joy in the small things instead of holding out for big achievements before allowing yourself to feel gratitude and joy.
Another way to use giving thanks to appreciate life more fully is to use gratitude to help you put things in their proper perspective. When things don’t go your way, remember that every difficulty carries within it the seeds of an equal or greater benefit. In the face of adversity ask yourself: “What’s good about this?”, “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”
“Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.” – Dalai Lama
Gratitude muscle
There are many ways to incorporate gratitude more fully in your life. In order to have an effect you need to express gratitude often and regularly. A few suggestions to put gratitude into practise are:
A gratitude journal
A common method to develop the practice of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. This exercise consists of writing down every day a list of three to ten things for which you are grateful; you can do this first thing in the morning or before going to bed at night.
A gratitude letter
Another exercise you can try is to write a gratitude letter to a person who has exerted a positive influence in your life but whom you have not properly thanked.
Stop whining
A big change is to stop b*tching. This sounds easier than it is. Believe me, I try every day, and most days I fail before lunchtime. But it is good to be aware of this and set new intentions and keep trying. All change needs conditioning. So keep at it. And keep showing gratitude. It is a muscle and it needs to grow and be trained. It helps to wear a charm or bracelet to remind you of your gratitude and non complaining practise.
Make a gratitude list
We all have those bad days sometimes. We are stressed out from work. We get yelled at by someone. We lose a loved one. We hurt a loved one. One of the things that can make a bad day much better is making a list of all the things you’re thankful for. There are always things to be thankful for.
Instead of getting mad at someone, show gratitude.
This is another hard one, but it’s such a game changer. If you get mad at someone, don’t react in anger, but take a few deep breathes instead, collect yourself and try to think of reasons you’re grateful for that person. Has that person done anything nice for you? Has that person ever done a good job? Find something, anything, even if it’s difficult. Focus on those things that make you grateful. It will slowly change your mood. And if you get in a good enough mood, show your gratitude to that person. It will improve your mood, your relationship, and help make things better
When you face a major challenge, be grateful for it.
Be in a state of gratitude for everything because there is something to learn in everything. Be grateful even for the pain because there are lessons to be learned from it. Many people will see something difficult as a bad thing. If something goes wrong, it’s a reason to complain, it’s a time of self-pity. That won’t get you anywhere. Instead, learn to be grateful for the challenge — it’s an opportunity to grow, to learn, to get better at something.
Focus on what you have.
Do not fall for the comparison trap. Don’t focus on the greener grass of you neighbour. Don’t focus too much on your dreamlife and all things that have not turned out the way you would have liked. Instead be grateful for what you do have. There are so many people who have so much less than you, who are so much worse off. Focus on the aspects in life money can’t buy, don’t look for happiness outside you or as a state of being to one day achieve. It is already here.
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change”
Be in a state of gratitude, gift yourself this great gift as it brings peace and happiness as we align with the great I AM, the Source of Love we all share. Once you become oriented toward looking for things to be grateful for, you will find that you begin to appreciate simple pleasures and things that you previously took for granted. Gratitude helps you notice the little good things in life and you will find yourself constantly looking for the good even in unpleasant situations. Today, start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful; in this way, you’ll be on your way toward becoming a master of gratitude, happier and more productive (haha reminds me of a Radiohead song “Fitter Happier”) 😉
And remember the best way to give thanks is to share it. Give your love back through our words and deeds sends the message to the Universe that you honour what you have.
I wish you a Blessed and JOYFUL Thanksgiving!
Charissa
xxxx
P.S. Looking for a gift this festive season? I am offering Angel Gift Vouchers: https://www.joyincreation.com/2014/11/19/gift-vouchers-for-sale-cadeaubonnen-te-koop/
P.P.S. If you would like to receive my latest posts, offers and events in your mailbox. Please sign up for my Newsletter if you feel so guided: http://eepurl.com/WtUJb
