I believe that by finding ways to be grateful in our lives we open ourselves up to a whole new world of possibilities. This small step, that I practice daily, is an exercise that is well worth your time.
For those of you who don't know this practice, it's really very simple. Every morning I sit and think of things from the day before to be grateful for. I try to write them down to have a record of my expressions.
It can be as simple as: I am grateful for all the wonderful people I've met on Twitter or as personal as: I am grateful for the love and support of my wife.
What you are grateful for isn't as important as going through the process everyday. The more routine you can make this process the more you can begin to open yourself up.
What I have found over the past several years of doing this is that what you are grateful for begins to show up more in your life. There are many reasons for this but the simplest way to explain it is that we are all connected, and your thoughts have power.
Even the thoughts you don't express are heard by the universe/God, and those thoughts create actions without you ever knowing it.
I like to think of this process as being similar to throwing a stone into a pond. A single thought grows outward from its source (yourself) till it is heard throughout the universe. There have been many studies that show that this process does actually work.
One of the most dramatic for me was the effect of thoughts on water. By thinking about the water no matter how far apart the people thinking of the water were the water actually changed its shape and structure.
Know that we live a beautiful universe where love is the greatest gift we can give, and because of this the universe/God wants to give us back what we desire.
If we only think negative thoughts, we will continue to bring negative things into our lives as the universe/God only knows to give us what we ask for.
The journey to leading a more positive/joyful life is different for everyone. The first step of bringing more joy into your life is to start each day with morning "gratefuls."
The process of being grateful opens you up to the good things in your life rather than focusing on the negative. This shift of consciousness is the beginning of leading a more positive life.
It is this change in the way you look at things that opens you up to more and more positive things in your life. For some this shift is easy, and just taking the first step of doing the gratefuls leads them to the next step.
For others the process is more difficult and the shift takes more time. The main reason for this is in the acceptance of the feelings that the "gratefuls" lead you to.
Take time after writing your "gratefuls" to realize the way these things make you feel. Internalize the joy that is now a part of your life. This extra step of feeling what you write helps to move the process out of your head/ego and into your soul.
The ego will always hold you back, and we will explorer the traps of the ego at a later time. For now, know that the willingness to feel and continue to open yourself up is what codifies the process and moves you forward to the acceptance of more good and positive things in your life.
It's in this realization that you will begin to see things change in your life. As in the example I gave yesterday of the stone in the pond, your acceptance of joy from the smallest things in your life will be sent out over and over again bringing you back more and more things to be grateful for.
Release the fear and all the negative feelings in your life, even if it's only for the time it takes to write your "gratefuls." Every move toward the positive will bring you more joy, and the process will become easier and easier and more and more fulfilling.
Today start the practice of being grateful, reflect on what you are grateful for, and know how that gratitude feels to you in your heart and soul. Believe it even if it's forced in the beginning.
Together we can do anything, and if we all start to move to a more positive place, imagine how great this world will be.
Accept, let go and enjoy life.
Till tomorrow,
Bill
http://journeytojoy-timberwolf123.blogspot.com/
Quote of the day:
"Life is about love, if we all loved more the world would be a better place. Expand your comfort zone and love someone new today."
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Thank you for allowing me to post a guest blog on your blog. I truly appreciate the honor.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Bill
My pleasure. I think we share a similar positive "vibe."
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