We've all been told when we were kids, to 'be grateful'. This was usually told to us when we were in the middle of a grumble and we didn't feel we had anything to be grateful for. Such an admonition, was usually replied with a dark scowl and a deep sulk.
When things are less than perfect, or don't meet our expectations, it is easy to feel angry or upset and it is not so easy to switch up to the higher feelings of love, peace and joy.
But the old people knew what they were talking about when they were saying, "Be Grateful". They knew that being grateful could bring us to the tipping point of turning coal into gold. That it could bring us out of a bad feeling space, into a better one and then to a good one.
How on earth do we become grateful in defeat, failure and loss? Isn't that asking too much?
If we look for the positive in good situations and are grateful for them as a habit, we can extend ourselves to looking for the good in all situations. It does take a lot of practice and patience to get there but we can. There is not one person anywhere who would consider themselves 'ungrateful' or 'lacking in gratitude' and yet all of us, I am certain, could be more grateful.
I think we all have a "the gratitude muscle". The more we exercise gratitude in our lives, the stronger the gratitude muscle gets and then when we need it to do some 'heavy lifting', as in lifting us out of the doldrums, or out of a really bad situation, it will be able to help us do just that.
By the way, it is just not enough to pay lip service and say, "Yeah, yeah, I am grateful ....". It is all in the feelings of gratitude. That's where the magic lies. For me, my heart feels all filled up and I feel a little bit buzzed. My spirits lift as my eyes light up and I smile. This feeling then permeates the air around me. The more I practice being grateful, the deeper the experience of gratitude becomes.
What do you have to be grateful for today?
I would so love for you to share what you are grateful for today below. Me? I am grateful that I get to share my thoughts and feelings with you and oh, yes! I am so, so grateful for each one of you taking the time to read my posts. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My love goes out to all of you! Oh, yes, please have a listen to the song below. Love Jason Mraz!
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