Last month in Money magazine, I saw an article entitled, ‘Never worry about money again’. I thought that sounded interesting so I started reading. While there were a lot of practical suggestions on money management, investing and saving, what struck me were the suggestions on how to be happier with what we already have. It said, ‘People who deliberately cultivate feelings of gratitude for their good fortune in life feel happier ’ and ‘accumulating more things rarely leads to lasting happiness. What does make people happy is strong relationships’. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by this article.
I wholeheartedly agree. It’s the people in my life that bring me the most fulfillment, joy and happiness. But sometimes, we can forget. We get caught up in the external circumstances and stress. We feel overwhelmed by what is unresolved, challenging, or frustrating; we can feel trapped in our own lives and forget about what is good and already working.
Gratitude shifts us out of feeling like a victim. Gratitude, as a personal practice, reminds us that we have a choice to be appreciative for what is working and pleasant in our lives. This ability to choose gives us confidence and a certainty that we are in charge of our experience. Gratitude opens our hearts and allows joy in. Even while we have challenges or difficulties.
We can turn our focus toward gratitude and from this place of a joyful heart, begin to work on the challenging pieces we are facing. This creates thoughts and feelings of peace and ease, allowing more creative solutions to flow.
The quality of our choice directly shapes the outcomes we create.
We are going to create an outcome for our lives no matter what, we don’t have a choice about that. But we do have a choice about how we create it. It can either be consciously with power and certainty or unconsciously, through old behavior and patterns of self-sabotage.
Gratitude gives us the power to experience our lives, all aspects of our lives, from an openhearted place of strength and confidence. It grounds us in what is real and true in this moment. We can step out of the fear of what is to come and the regret of what has already happened.
Be grateful for what is true in this moment, ‘I am healthy, I am breathing, the sun is shining, the rain is providing moisture to the earth, I have a strong community that supports me, I am loved, I have a warm, safe home to live in’, etc. Taking just a short break each day, to focus on the present moment and connect with even one thing you are grateful for, will expand your awareness and give you strength, confidence and a calm mind.
From here you can choose how to create the next moment, and the next moment…feeling in charge, confident and empowered.
Below is the link to my free, guided gratitude meditation you can practice everyday.
Also, I am offering a new, 4 week, workshop entitled ‘Turn Your Fear Into Fuel’ beginning November 13. Take a look here for more details.
We can take a moment each day to slow down, be thankful and open our hearts to gifts we are given with each breath.
Warmly and gratefully,
Denise
I’d love to hear from you and what you found to be grateful for in your life today.
Free Coaching Session with Denise