What is it about gratitude that is so special?
Since the first of the year I have been working on a special project. When I awake each morning, I open up a “gratitude journal” and I spend some time writing down ten things for which I am grateful. I am grateful for the air I breathe, the sights I see, and the people I meet. I am thankful for my family, my health and my faith. The list goes on and on. In fact, since I started this project I have written down three hundred and fifty different things for which I am grateful. It’s amazing what comes to mind when I take the time to reflect on everything the comes my way. Even struggles! Yes, that’s correct. I said it. I am grateful for my struggles because it is through my struggles that I grow. I grow into the person I am supposed to become. Think about a struggle you have had and within that struggle write down a list of things that you are thankful for through that struggle and you will be amazed at what comes to mind. You have heard it said, “there’s a silver lining in every cloud“. Do we look for that silver lining or do we play the role of victim and complain?
When we reflect and take the time to be grateful, ultimately, we are inviting more abundance into our lives. It’s even okay to be thankful for things that have not occurred yet but you would like to occur. One of my goals this year is to be hired to do a specific number of paid speaking engagements. Speaking to impact and inspire has been a passion of mine for years but I have never made a real commitment to do so. January 3rd of this year I received a call to speak for a company. When I awoke that morning of the event I wrote out my ten things that I was grateful for and when finished I reread them and said thank you with a sincere heart and followed that up by saying to myself that I was grateful for the great news I was going to receive that day. I spoke at the event and went on my with my day. Throughout the day, I received several phone calls with regards to how well the presentation was received. I went on my few appointments that day, came home, ate dinner, and took my children to basketball practice. On the way home I thought about the day and I thought about the comment I had made early in the day. “I am thankful for the great news I was going to receive today.” As I reflected, I realized that I hadn’t received any GREAT news that I could think of. If the great news was all of the positive feedback I was receiving, that was awesome and I was grateful for that! When I returned home that evening I checked my voice mail only to hear a message from the gentleman who had hired me to speak. He thanked me again for presenting and inspiring his people and then he said, “Rob, apparently the event went so well that word has gotten out. Regional managers from two other regions had gotten wind of the event and had requested your phone number in hopes of hiring you to speak for them.” Do you have chills running down your spine now?
Be grateful for what you have and not anxious or jealous about what you don’t have. Always, always be grateful and more will come into your life. When we come from a place of gratitude we remove scarcity thoughts from our mind and coming from a place of gratitude produces abundance in our lives.
Are you thinking of starting your own gratitude journal, but don’t know where to start? It is as easy as grabbing a notebook and a pen. Jason Marsh authored practical tips for keeping a gratitude journal on the Greater Good website. Or you can download an app for your iPhone or Android devices. MeiMei Fox gathered her list of top 5 gratitude apps over on IntentBlog. No matter how you decide to do it, get started. I hope you will be able to witness the value in this activity as I have. So who has been doing this or is willing to give it a shot and? I’d love to hear from my reader, let me know your experiences.
Until next time….