21 days to a life full of gratitude

“As human beings we don’t lack for things. We lack an appreciation of things.  For instance, how often do we notice, much less appreciate, the natural beauty that is there to be seen in our life – a bird singing high atop a telephone pole, a flower growing through the crack in a concrete sidewalk, or the leaves of a tree glistening in the sunlight as we sit in the gridlock of an overcrowded freeway.

“In every moment of every day the Good, True and Beautiful is Present, but we are looking elsewhere – we are looking for something we don’t have rather than appreciating What Is. Rather than taking Life in, we take It for granted and save gratitude for those occasions when we finally get something we wanted.” Stephanie Sorenen;  The Sacred Continuum

It has been said that gratitude is the most direct route to a conscious connection with God, Higher Power, Universe, That Which Is. Gratitude is the fastest way out of judgment. Gratitude is the simplest way to go from feeling insignificant to a sense of intense well being and purpose.

The process of having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude is actually quite simple. It is simply a matter of choosing to be grateful for what is rather than resentful for what is not.

In all we do we can choose to say, “Thank you. I appreciate  this.” In all we do. Not just those moments that outwardly appear to be good. There is so much good around us if we choose to only look and acknowledge.

Recently, a good friend of mine shared with me what her spiritual mentor invited her to do for a period of 21 days. The recommendation was made because my friend was not fully appreciating that which she is surrounded with on a daily basis.

As my friend explained the process, she said each morning and each evening write down seven things to be grateful for. Each item listed must be an original statement rather than repeating something over and over. Additionally, the expression of gratitude must be specific.

The more specific we can make our list the more gratitude we are likely to feel beyond the words we write.

Knowing how powerful the expression of gratitude can be, I decided to incorporate this practice into my daily routine for the next 21 days. On the morning of day one my list consisted of the following:

1.       I am grateful to have a roof over my head.

2.       I am grateful for the ability to hear the wind chimes outside my front door.

3.       I am grateful to know I have heat in my home.

4.       I am grateful to feel my feet.

5.       I am grateful for the money that allows me to live a very comfortable life.

6.       I am grateful for healthy eating habits.

7.       I am grateful for my health.

  

Although some of what I expressed is general, with each passing day it is bound to get more and more specific. Once we get through the generalization of life, we move into a space of specifics. It is in the specifics and in the little things that we can’t help but have a shift in perception. It is in the shift of perception miracles abound.

I am looking forward to the process of 21 days of taking my expression of gratitude to a new level. I invite you to consider taking the next 21 day period to write down morning and evening that which you have to be grateful for. Remember, to gain the greatest benefit from this process you must repeat nothing. All must be unique.

As I write this I am reminded of the gratitude I feel for the ability to share my thoughts through the medium of the Internet; something that was not even in existence at one point in my life or yours.

I am grateful that you are reading what I wrote and grateful that perhaps through my words you have noticed how powerful the practice of acknowledging that which you have to be grateful for evokes even more thoughts and feelings of gratitude.

Gratitude is contagious. When we are in the space of gratitude it does impact our surroundings. It impacts others regardless of whether they are near or far. Gratitude will actually increase the vibration level in all we do.

The more conscious we are of this fact the more we can consciously express that which we are grateful for.

I am grateful for…(you fill in the blank).

In gratitude,

Kathleen Gage

Comments

[Kathleen Gage]

Thank you to all who have posted comments. I love the honesty and simplicity of what each has to say.

Nicklove, I am going to "borrow" the one about my heart beating in my chest. How delightful to recognize this.

Patsi, one thing I am so grateful for is knowing you as I do. You are a special friend.

Joy, I too had a time when my spiritual mentor said, "Count your blessings."

At the time I could not see beyond my own problems which included the fact I had been homeless at one point, I could barely pay my $200 rent and I did not appreciate what I did have.

Today, over 30 years later, I can sincerely say, "I am grateful for all I experience."

Granted, I may not always like something when I am going through it, but alas, everything has its time and place.

As I was writing my list this morning, it got down to something as simple as, "I get to feed my animals."

Thank you to all who posted.
Kathleen

[Dorothy Suter]

Thank you, Kathleen for this post. I made up my form for morning and evening to write down what I am grateful for. I'm grateful for your frequent messages, and I'm grateful I discovered you and the Blog Squad earlier this year...

[CK Reyes]

I'm grateful for the God given desire in me to empower others to live lives of purpose and passion. I'm grateful that I have been able to effortlessly support others judgment free.

[Kathleen Gage]

I am about ready to write my 7 things for this evening. I already have #1 on the list. All of you who read my blog.

Kathleen