| "O Lord that lends me life, | | | | grateful for everything I experience now!" |
| Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness." | | | | - Whenever you encounter a challenging person or |
| -- William Shakespeare | | | | situation, try silently repeating this intention (even if |
| Choose Gratitude for Spiritual Growth | | | | you're gritting your teeth while you say it!): "Thank you |
| Shakespeare really had the right idea! Choosing | | | | God for this opportunity to . . . learn and grow (or |
| gratitude is a huge key for success in everyday life, | | | | practice my patience or hold my temper, etc.)." |
| and perhaps even more so for spiritual growth. When | | | | - Find at least one thing to be grateful for every |
| you express gratitude for everything in your life, you | | | | morning. Even if you wake up feeling lousy, maybe you |
| can rapidly release negativity and make more room | | | | can muster up a word of thankfulness for your |
| for Spirit to touch into your heart and mind with healing | | | | toothbrush or a hot shower. |
| grace. | | | | - Place reminders around your home, office and in |
| Eight Ways to Cultivate Gratitude | | | | your car. Sticky notes or index cards saying |
| You can easily cultivate the skill of expressing gratitude | | | | "Gratitude," or "I'm giving thanks," "Thank you Spirit," |
| to enhance your spiritual upliftment. Here are several | | | | "Thank you, Father-Mother God," can be very helpful |
| ways to begin: | | | | while you're getting started. |
| - Keep a notebook beside your bed and take five | | | | - Frequently find reasons to thank your partner, your |
| minutes before sleep to reflect on your day and list the | | | | children, your boss, your coworkers, your employees, |
| things you are grateful for. You might be amazed at | | | | the grocery clerk and so on. Sharing your sincere |
| how this simple task uplifts and refocuses you each | | | | appreciation -- even for very small positives -- will start |
| evening. | | | | a process of mutual support spiraling upward. You'll |
| - Look carefully at the situation that bugged you the | | | | have more smiles and more success and they will be |
| most today, and see if you can find some element | | | | more willing to assist, share and cooperate with you! |
| within it for which you are grateful. Maybe you are | | | | Notice how you feel when you express thankfulness. |
| grateful it was not worse. Maybe you appreciate that | | | | When you repeat some of the processes a few |
| you are learning -- even if reluctantly -- from the event. | | | | times, you will generally observe a sense of warmth, a |
| Maybe you can be thankful for seeing it now with | | | | release of tension, a gentle sense of well-being, or an |
| some humor. | | | | upwelling of love, peace or joy. You might start smiling |
| - Thank your car, your bed, your home and so forth, | | | | or feel a bounce in your step. You may feel |
| for how well they support you. Your bed may or may | | | | reconnected with your spiritual source. You may feel |
| not really get the message, but it's great for you to | | | | renewed energy from your own divine essence. |
| acknowledge how your world supports you! | | | | When you speak or think words of gratitude, you open |
| - Repeat a short affirmation 100 times a day (or more). | | | | your heart and mind to a greater awareness of the |
| Some possibilities: When you are under the weather: | | | | presence of Spirit. |
| "Thank you for my healing!" When you experience | | | | In this expanded state of gratitude, you have moved |
| financial lack: "Thank you for my great abundance and | | | | out of negativity, restriction, constriction, limitation, and |
| prosperity!" When you are feeling lonely or | | | | into your Oneness with Spirit. Now you have choices |
| disappointed, "I'm grateful for the joy and loving in my | | | | for co-creating with Spirit in loving and joy. |
| life now!" Or simply, "Thank you for my life," or "I am so | | | | |