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Over the last few years, there's been a lot of talk about gratitude, and how the more grateful we are, the more we will have to be grateful for. If you've ever kept a gratitude journal, or done a related practice, you know how powerfully transformative it can be.
Some enlightened people I've known, get out of bed in the morning only after thinking of three things they are grateful for. Others end their day by contemplating what happened during the day that they are grateful for. The cool thing about this sort of practice is that no matter how many things are going badly in your life, when you ask your mind to search out the positive, it gets really excited.
You might be thinking, "Uh, no. It doesn't." But you'd be mistaken. Our minds love a good challenge. We like getting answers right. It's kind of a game. I remember one time I was asked to write down 100 things I was grateful for. Ughhhh, are you kidding me? I was not excited about this exercise---until I got started.
After a few solemn and predictable items of gratitude, I started having fun. I was grateful that the eighties were over. I was grateful to have cute feet. I was grateful for maple scones and Josh Groban and cotton underwear Who knew I was so grateful for so many things? Suddenly, I was the most positive person in the world.
This week, especially since it's Thanksgiving, I invite you to practice gratitude. You can do it the serious way, as in thanking God for the blessings in your life, or you can cheer yourself up by thinking of random things that you're grateful for. Either way, I guarantee you that you will have a better week and spread more happiness to the world than if you hadn't. You can't go wrong.
Enjoy this, and have a beautiful week.
