What Are You Grateful For?

In order to find your way in being who you are, you have to remember those who have contributed, in big and small ways, to your life. The best way to do this is to begin by saying to yourself out loud, “I see angels everywhere. I am open and receptive to the mentors waiting to assist me.”
So how else do you get started on a journey of acknowledging and appreciating those who’ve help you along the way? Well the first step is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in which you choose to see the good in all things. The second step is to say “thank you” every chance you get.
Being grateful doesn’t mean you must always be happy and walk around with a smile on your face. It means that you make an effort to acknowledge what you have to be thankful for. Gratitude lifts the spirit, opens the heart, and nourishes the soul. Think about the times when you’ve been grateful; wasn’t it easier to see the good in others?
Every week I write a gratitude list. There are days when it’s so easy to come up with things I’m grateful for that my pen glides across the paper or my fingers dance over the keyboard. Then there are days when I can’t think of anything to be thankful for. It’s not that there isn’t anything for me to be thankful for. I just can’t, or more honestly, choose not to see anything. Perhaps it’s because I’m angry or hurt or disappointed at the moment, so all I can see is the glass half empty rather than half full. The way I get past this block is by writing at least six things I have to be grateful for in that very moment. It could be that I’m willing to write this list. Then I put pen to paper and just do it! Amazingly once I begin to write, more things begin to reveal.
Today I invite you to write in your journal and describe something that happened within the last 24 hours that you’re grateful for. If you can’t think of anything, extend your net a little wider to include the last week, month, or year. Consider also looking beyond the obvious. Perhaps the answer might be something you would never think about, like being able to see, being able to walk, having a job, or not having a job so you have the time to do what you want.
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