What you focus on you receive more of it.  

 

Gratitude is a powerful energy to shift what is happening in your life.

 

As Meister Eckhart says, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

 

I’ve been playing with gratitude a lot lately and have realized that there is SO much to be grateful for, appreciate and acknowledge how life is for you.

 

There’s a cardinal that appears in the tree right outside my study.  I just beam and thank him for brightening my day.  When I see people outside walking, running or riding bikes I am grateful that people are enjoying the outdoors and taking care of their health.  

 

When we returned home from Maui, the remodel was about three-fourth done and what a mess.  I kept reminding myself how blessed I was to be able to do this. 

 

 

It has made me even more aware of how routines can keep you expecting things go a certain way rather than appreciating all that works in life.  Like when you have running water whether it’s a sink or a toilet to use.  

 

The pandemic has made many people more grateful and appreciative of the conveniences we had taken for granted.  I love that teachers are more valued.  I love how frontline workers are acknowledged.  

 

I was like a little kid in a candy store this last week when we received the time and date for our 2nd vaccine.  How crazy is that to be excited about a shot, but in my mind there is freedom with that.  Even though we had a few side effects.

 

One of my core values is freedom.  Freedom to do what I want and Covid has certainly limited that until now.  Bo and I were grateful for all the workers and people helping make that possible.

 

How are you adding more gratitude in your life?  

 

Find areas of your life you take for granted like a garage door opener working.  

 

Think about how wonderful your body has been to you even if it doesn’t look perfect.  Focus on how much it has allowed you to do like move around with the grandkids.

 

Besides taking many things for granted, another area that is hard to move to grateful is when your shadow shows up, losing someone or life abruptly changes things on you.  

 

These are the areas I have been working on even more.  I believe life is for you.  I believe that most people are good.  If I truly believe these ideas, I can’t pick and choose when to like them.  I have to see the gift in all of the situations I am facing.  Knowing it is much easier when things are going well.  Not so easy when the disruptions happen.  

 

I’m an enneagram one and have high expectations.  I can become quite righteous about situations and people who don’t walk their talk.  But, I know the one expects me to be perfect.  So what I have had to work on and work on is giving myself a break.  Allowing myself mistakes.  Giving myself grace and forgiveness.  And once, I work through the pain and resistances, I can come to gratitude.  I can see how the “lesson” has shown me to be kinder and more accepting  – to me and others.  I’m a work in progress and can honor how much I’ve grown and see the world as more loving because of all the gratitude I can express.

 

Where in your world can you take time to notice and express more gratitude?