| Gratitude Journal: Attracting Abundance And Prosperity By Expressing Appreciation And Gratitude – In Writing.Submitted By: Elisabeth Kuhn
Keeping a gratitude journal can be a key part of living a happy and prosperous life. How so? Acknowledging all the things, events, and people we appreciate will quickly get us out of the “whining” mode and right into “happy” mode, increasing our vibration. And with that, we’ll begin to draw more of the things we’re already happy about. The law of attraction says that whatever we focus on we draw to us. And if you have ever any doubts about that, just give it a try. Ever notice how your days go from bad to worse as you grumble and resent all the things in your life that make you miserable – or that you THINK make you miserable. We won’t get into justifications here. It’s clear enough that if you think enough about them, that’s where you’ll stay, and that’s what you’ll keep getting. So what if somebody else had a hand in it? Do you really want to give them the satisfaction of successfully making you miserable too? You can turn things around. Express appreciation. In writing. For the unlikeliest things. The only condition: you must find a way, any way, to actually feel some appreciation. One of my favorites: I forgot who it was, but in response to tough times, someone said he would give thanks for the challenges that make life such a growth experience. Oh, look, another growth experience! Thank you! So let’s give thanks for all the learning lessons that bless our lives. But it doesn’t just have to be challenges. Sometimes the simple things, the things that we normally take for granted, work just as well as objects of our appreciation. Did you have a good meal today? Or yesterday? Are there people in your life who would miss you if you were gone? People you would miss? Express gratitude. Can you see? Hear? Walk? Talk? Express gratitude. Is today a beautiful day? Did the sun appear when it was supposed to? Express gratitude. Do you own or have access to something, anything, you enjoy? A book, a CD, a piece of clothing or jewelry (no fancy metals and minerals required)? Express gratitude. Chances are there are many things that deserve to be written into your gratitude journal. And why write them down? There’s something about the writing process that makes things so much more real. You’ve probably read all about the power of written-down goals. Well, gratitude, especially as a path towards greater prosperity and abundance, works the same way. Then watch what happens. Your vibrations will go up. You’ll feel happier. Things start working better. Maybe some new signs of prosperity come very quickly, maybe they’ll take a while. Either way, you can be assured that as long as you keep grumbling, you’ll keep swatting any incoming signs of prosperity away like flies. So stop grumbling and welcome all the good that’ll be flowing into your life. About Elisabeth Kuhn Please visit Elisabeth’s blog http://www.myfavoriteselfhelpstuff.com, which provides resources for body, mind, spirit, and prosperity. For a feel-good video, visit http://www.squidoo.com/secret2happiness. And for accelerating your journey towards prosperity, check out http://www.eft4moremoney.info ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Self Improvement, Self Enriching Products
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Law Of Gratitude Submitted By: Lori Klauser When you are feeling your lowest, I’m sure you can’t imagine one thing to be grateful for. When you think you are deprived, your feelings and thoughts revolve around what you don’t have. You may not believe you deserve for good things to happen to you. Being grateful and thinking along the lines of the good that is in your life brings more good to you. Admit it, even you are sick of hearing you whine. It gets you nowhere and it just brings more negative upon you. Why not give gratitude a try? Look around you and notice the good that is in your life. Even if it isn’t perfect, acting as if will bring you immeasurable things. We must be grateful for and appreciate the things we do have before more will be given to us. Say thank you for what you do have. If you concentrate on finding the good in every situation you encounter, you will find a life filled with gratitude and wonder. You have nothing to lose, so why not? If you don’t know what to be grateful for, be grateful for everything. Everything presents an opportunity for us to be grateful. It is an opportunity to learn and to grow. When you look at the things in your life, even if they do not measure up to what you perceive as perfect, be grateful. Appreciate what you do have. Pretend, fake it, force it if you must. It may not seem logical to you, it may not seem practical, but you will start to see changes. Your attitude may be the first to change. You will start to accept what you do have. You will start to act ‘as if’. If you expand your thinking in gratitude, it will boost your well-being. It is the forgotten factor in your happiness. It means taking nothing for granted. Be thankful that you woke up in the morning and have another day before you with limitless opportunities. Once you make a habit of looking at things and being grateful for them, it will help you begin receiving the abundance that you deserve. It will open you up to the fullness that life offers you to be a part of. Gratitude seems to be the secret that successful people have that the rest of us don’t. But it doesn’t have to remain that way. Gratitude is a very powerful force. After you accept what you do have and feel gratitude for it, everything will change. Things that you need will come to you. You have practiced and acknowledged feeling grateful for what you do have. That will free you and bring better to you because you have cleared the way for more. Whenever you encounter a problem, summon up gratitude. There are lessons to be learned everywhere. Be grateful for the problem and the lesson that you will learn. You may have gone without, you may be deprived of certain things, and you may have difficult circumstances and feel as if you have nothing. Accept what you do have. Be grateful for what you do have. It doesn’t mean that is what you will always have. It just means that where you are today is where you are supposed to be. Before you can get more, you must be grateful for what you have right now. Make it a point to write down three things you are grateful for in your life every night. It will open a path for more to come. Be aware of your feelings and never believe that all you have is all you can have. Make awareness a goal. You were destined for great things. Believe that is true. Be aware that thinking alone is not enough. Act as if. What you believe will come to you once you are grateful for what already is. It’s the law of the universe. © 2007 Lori Klauser About Lori Klauser Lori takes codependency one-step at a time delivering concepts that help you master healing. Visit Lori at: http://loriklauser.com. Receive her free e-book Traveling the Road of Codependency when you sign up for her newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Power of Gratitude Can Transform Your Life True inner transformation will come to you when you practice gratitude. Follow these steps to develop an attitude of gratitude. THE best way to raise your vibration and attract what you desire.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is to practice gratitude when you are following your path to personal development growth.
Think of it not only as a tool for transformation but as a way of life.
Now, if you have wrapped your mind around the fact that we are all energy then you realize there is no separation and we are all connected. Everything is energy with it's own rate of vibration that attracts things of like vibrations to it. That of course includes our thoughts. And thoughts, feelings and words of gratitude are some of the most powerful and they allow for great positive shifts to occur.
THE TOP 2 WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE
#1. BE THANKFUL IN ADVANCE: It has been said that the most powerful form of gratitude is the kind which you express in advance of your actual experience. The expression of faith that this requires allows for the most effective type of vibrational shift.
#2. FIND THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN BAD SITUATIONS: Focus on someone you have a conflict with or on a negative emotional situation in your life. You then look for things to be grateful for in those situations. They may not be obvious, but they are ALWAYS there.
Be grateful... that you only have to deal with this person once a month, that if it weren't for this situation - you wouldn't have met a new friend, that this situation now offers an opportunity for growth...
A newer, more positive energy will be come from this especially since you had to look deeper into yourself to find the gratitude.
OTHER WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE
KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL: It's a good practice to take 10 minutes a day to write down things you are grateful for and that bring you joy. They can be big or small as long as you tune into the feelings of gratitude for having them in your life right now.
Be grateful for: a stress-free commute to work, a call you got from an old friend, a delicious meal, a hug from your child, a compliment you received from your boss, a great night's sleep, an invigorating workout...
DO A GRATITUDE WALK: As you're strolling with the kids, walking the dog, or doing your chores, look around and rattle off as many things as you can think of to be grateful for. Tell the Universe out loud what you love about your life.
HAVE A GRATITUDE ROCK: This is something I first saw in The Secret movie. Find a small rock and keep it with you throughout the day and let it remind you to state something you're grateful for whenever you touch it.
WATCH A GRATITUDE AFFIRMATION VIDEO: Go to Wealthvibes.com or YouTube.com and watch free affirmation videos. Make it part of your daily ritual and a powerful gratitude exercise.
WRITE A GRATITUDE LETTER: Write a mock letter to someone very important in your life who would be excited for your news. Tell them how grateful you are about this wonderful thing that has happened in your life. Doing this exercise will bring about intense emotions and will put you in a joyful, grateful vibration.
"Hi Julia, The most exciting thing happened to me... I couldn't wait to tell you about it. I went to the gym a few weeks ago and was working out and got to talking to the girl next to me. I told her about the new web business that I just launched and she was so interested that she interviewed me for a local newspaper article. It created tons of traffic to my website and I made some big sales too. I am SO grateful that I met her that day."
TIP: You can even write this "as if" that something happened to try and attract it into your life.
DO THE MIRROR EXERCISE: Talk to yourself out loud while looking into a mirror. Express your gratitude and appreciation. If you use EFT, tap around at the same time. Later on, you can use this image of yourself tapping in a visualization for a quick, enhanced gratitude refresher.
Just make sure you practice gratitude every day. Create a routine that's easy and sustainable.
When it comes to creating and experiencing the kind of life you want, it's a law of the Universe that it will always deliver in the right time for the right vibration of your body.
So if you practice gratitude, you will energetically raise your vibration and speed up the process of attracting what you desire.
There is truly NO BETTER WAY to do that than when you have an attitude of gratitude. Click here to visit my website. It's a practical guide to learning the Universal and Spiritual Laws that will empower your personal development growth. Explains Law Of Attraction, Energy, Emotional Freedom Techniques, Wealth Consciousness and more. Includes practical tips, techniques, articles, audio & video clips. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/the-power-of-gratitude-can-transform-your-life-567836.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wonderful Products for Health, Well-being and Enrichment --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why You Should Show Gratitude To Yourself To Avoid Failure Have you ever watched or heard about a person's success story and believed that you could never do what he/she has done? Or have you seen someone come up with a revolutionary idea and thought to yourself that you can never accomplish such a feat?
If your answer is yes to either one or both of my questions, you probably have self-limiting beliefs and negative thoughts about yourself. These are what I would term as a person's inner 'monsters' and these 'monsters' are very common in most people.
These 'monsters', if not dealt with, will be the main reasons that will cause you to not show yourself enough gratitude for all the accomplishments you have obtained.
Conversely when you do not acknowledge your accomplishments enough, you will feel as though you have failed in life and ultimately this will really lead to your failure.
Now then, what are some of the most common inner 'monsters' that are hindering you from showering yourself with gratitude? There are probably truckloads of inner 'monsters' that everybody possesses but I will only cover the few that I feel are most detrimental to one's success if not identified early and dealt with.
In my opinion, the single most common and detrimental inner 'monster' that is hindering you from showing gratitude to yourself is that you feel you are unworthy of being shown gratitude at all. This alone could have stemmed from many internal or external factors. Some common internal factors possibly include inferiority complex, thinking or feeling that you are useless and can never achieve anything great or be successful.
External factors, on the other hand, can come in the form of the people around you telling and taunting you that you are hopeless and can never achieve anything great in life. These internal and external factors, when coupled together, will lead you to think that you have nothing worthy of being appreciative about.
While you may argue that you do feel that you are worthy of being shown gratitude and do not fall under the category of people I have mentioned above, perhaps you are plagued with the mentality that you have not done enough to be able to show yourself more gratitude.
You must understand that you do not have to do all the things required before you can start showing yourself more gratitude. As long as you have done what is sufficiently required and accomplished the task, goal or objective you have initially set out to do, then there is no reason why you shouldn't be giving heaps of credit to yourself.
Now, you will probably be asking 'what if I have been doing enough but I feel as though I have not given my best, then should I still show gratitude to myself?' Many people believe and constantly think that they have not given their best in everything that they pursue or hope to accomplish.
They keep thinking that they can do a particular task much better and go on to think of ways to improve or perfect their methods without actually considering showing themselves gratitude for the task they have completed.
While it is definitely good, and I recommend that you do it too, to constantly upgrade yourself and the methods you employ in completing a task, it is also prudent to note that you must first reflect on your current completed tasks at hand and take the time to congratulate or compliment yourself for completing them before moving on.
So far, I have covered three inner 'monsters' that have prevented you from showing gratitude to yourself. The next one I will be covering is just as important as the other three but personally, I feel that this inner 'monster' is the most overlooked one. This inner 'monster' is thinking and believing that your achievement is too small or not important enough for you to show gratitude to yourself.
In fact, this inner 'monster' is rather contradicting in the sense that you acknowledge that you have achieved something (which is great) yet you feel that it is too small to be appreciative about. We all have definitely achieved much success in our lives, be it learning how to speak when we were young to passing an exam with flying colours.
It does not matter how 'small' or how 'big' our successes are (depending on our individual definitions of 'small' and 'big') if we do not actually take the time and effort to actually ponder over them and congratulate or show gratitude to ourselves for achieving them.
By now, you would have probably realised the inner 'monsters' that are preventing you from showing gratitude to yourself and how it can affect your success. If you are interested to find out more about how you can overcome and suppress these 'monsters', take a look at the resource box below. And always remember that showing gratitude to yourself can go a very long way to ensuring your continual success. Amazing! FREE e-Book Reveals How You Can Wipe Out All Your Limits & Achieve Your Inherent Unlimited Potential For Wealth, Success & Happiness In Only 30 to 60 Seconds From Now! Only @ Ultimate Secrets of Success Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/why-you-should-show-gratitude-to-yourself-to-avoid-failure-185492.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Express the Six Dimensions of Gratitude So much has been said about gratitude lately that I almost didn’t write this article. Then, I stopped and listened to my internal dialogue. Did I really hear an inner voice saying that my readers might 'get tired' of the message? As I let that voice go, it was abundantly clear that the energy of Gratitude clearly wants to be expressed. One of the greatest gifts of Gratitude is the receptivity and openness that it creates in our hearts. Have you ever noticed a greater degree of expansiveness when you have identified and made intimate contact with this quality? Gratitude changes us. From an Enneagram perspective, Gratitude is an expression of the Essential Nature of Type Seven, the Enthusiast, and that energy within us. Have you noticed where you are and what you are doing when you experience Gratitude? I find that it requires awareness and an internal stillness. Truly, it can only be experienced in the present moment. On a very human level, it challenges any temptation toward self-pity, victimization, self-grandiosity or other form of narcissism, and uplifts us to our higher nature. Ultimately, Gratitude is an act of being a conscious partner in the play of the Universe. It grows our perspective of what it means to be alive. Intentional Gratitude is very simply, transformative.
There is a “continuum” of gratitude consisting of 6 dimensions. Each is identified below, along with a particular example or practice. 1) Recognize specific aspects of your life for which you are grateful. Identify some of the specific aspects of life for which you are grateful. For example, set aside two-three times/week to reflect on and write about what you are grateful for and why you are grateful for that particular experience. Allow yourself to feel the gratitude, so that you are not just thinking about it, but also noticing how it affects your heart. 2) Identify a ‘present moment’ awareness for which you are grateful; about yourself, about others, about your opportunities or about your life. For example, when you are in a particular situation at work, at home, with a friend or family member, you might ask yourself the following: What am I particularly grateful for about this situation? 3) Express gratitude to others. Identify 10 people (if you have trouble with this, start with identifying one or two people) who have had a positive impact on your life. How could you express your appreciation to these important people? For example, you might write a personal letter thanking each person for his or her specific influence on you and send it by snail mail. Can you imagine the impact that would have on them? 4) Find the gifts in difficult circumstances or difficult relationships and experience gratitude for those gifts. For example, see a person perceived as being the source of difficulty as a ‘teacher’ of something that you are learning. Asking yourself, “What is this person here to teach me?” is a powerful question. Many of my clients have found this to be a potent source of change in their lives. 5) Receive gratitude from others. Practice receiving gratitude and thanks from others. Sometimes, this can feel more difficult than expressing your gratitude. Even if this is so, acknowledge it and experiment with accepting positive regard and appreciation from others. (I know. For some of you, this breaks all your old rules.) 6) Be a person of gratitude. When you practice recognizing the gifts of life, expressing thanks and receiving the gratitude of others, you may notice that you’ll experience a qualitative difference in your life. You start to live from this quality. You become a force for this healing quality. This continuum of recognizing—to acting upon—to being/living from—naturally will begin to re-orient your life toward more expansiveness. I would love to hear from you regarding your experiences with this continuum. Howe-Murphy is author of the acclaimed self-discovery book: Deep Coaching:Using the Enneagram as a Catalyst for Profound Change (available at amazon.com). She is a global leader in Enneagram studies, a certified coach and a Riso-Hudson Enneagram teacher: www.lifewisecoaching.com Earning her doctorate from the University of San Francisco she directs the Enneagram Institute of the San Francisco Bay Area. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/how-to-express-the-six-dimensions-of-gratitude-553453.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 Steps to Gratitude Despite a Tough Economy Even with the harsh economic news - jobless rates up and the stock market down - we can still find a lot to be grateful about, especially during the holidays. Families and friends traditionally draw together for support in times of crisis and this year is no different. The gift of appreciation - a heartfelt thank you - can be a daily present this holiday season for those you love. And the cost won't cut into your tight budget at all.
Why, then, is it so difficult to say thanks? We are often focused on ourselves - Galileo may have proved that the earth revolved around the sun but most of us secretly believe that the world itself revolves around us. It is sometimes hard to pull out of that orbit and become more aware of the contributions of others. And we all tend to take good things for granted. Humans instinctively pay more attention to threats to their safety than they do to situations of security and pleasure. We are less likely to notice supportive behaviors, so positive acts are often ignored.
Other times we think that, by recognizing family members for their generosity, they are less likely to notice what they could appreciate about us. Actually, expressing gratitude leads to positive effects for both the sender and the receiver. But any change in behavior is difficult - and establishing life-long habits takes conscious repetitions. It may be hard to make the commitment to building this new skill, but it is well worth the effort.
Expressing gratitude not only makes others feel better, it also benefits you and your mood. When you focus on what you are grateful for you gain a wide range of benefits. These include sounder sleep, enhanced self-esteem, increased levels of contentment and improved connections with the world around you. Not a bad outcome - especially for a Sandwiched Boomer caught in the midst of parents growing older and children growing up. According to Willie Nelson, "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."
You need to become aware yourself of what you are thankful for before you can begin to acknowledge the part others play. Here are some steps to help you get started:
1. Begin to consciously notice what brings you joy. Awareness is the first step toward creating change. Set aside time to participate in the process of experiencing and acknowledging your gratitude.
2. Count your blessings. Each evening, note three things that happened during the day for which you are thankful. Be specific as you describe what happened to you. It could be a loving conversation with your partner, a hug from your teenage son, a lunch date with your mother.
3. Re-live and savor each of these events. Spend time re-creating in your mind the happiness of the experience. You will feel your body becoming more relaxed, your emotions more positive and your thoughts more focused. The joys of life are not only in present activities but also in remembering pleasurable occasions.
4. Think about what you did to open yourself to these moments. Then decide to direct your actions to include more of these delights in your life. Recognizing your own personal power will strengthen your belief in yourself as well as your willingness to consider the part others play in your happiness.
5. Realize why this piece of good fortune came your way. It will help you identify the people you're grateful to have in your life. You can then thank them for playing a part in improving your world.
Deciding to focus on giving thanks means a whole new mindset. As Albert Schweitzer put it, "To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude." When you follow these steps you can act on the gratitude you experience and live a rich life no matter what the economic environment.
(c) 2008, Her Mentor Center Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. & Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are founders of http://www.HerMentorCenter.com, a website for midlife women and http://www.NourishingRelationships.blogspot.com, a Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are authors of forthcoming book about healing the pain in family relationships. They offer free newsletter Stepping Stones. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gratitude Brings you Into Harmony With the Universe This is the seventh in a series of articles based on the teachings found in the success classic “The Science of Getting Rich”, written in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles. This book—now in the public domain--is essential reading for anyone who wants to become wealthy. It served as inspiration for the hit film, “The Secret”.
As we saw in previous articles in this series, Mr. Wattles explains in "The Science of Getting Rich" that there is one intelligent substance from which all things proceed, and the first step toward getting rich is to convey the idea of your wants to this formless substance.
In order to communicate successfully with the original substance, you must come into harmony with it. Mr. Wattles explains that the way in which to establish a harmonious relationship with the thinking substance is through a feeling of deep and profound gratitude.
You should relate with original substance by acknowledging everything that you receive. Many people, having received what they want from God, cut the wires which connect them to the source by failing to recognize the gift that has been given to them.
It makes sense that the closer you are to the source of wealth, the more wealth will come to you. And since gratitude brings you into closer harmony with the creative energies of the universe, the more grateful you are, the more good things you will receive, and the more rapidly they will come to you. To quote a passage from “The Science of Getting Rich”:
“There is a law of gratitude, and it is . . . the natural principle that action and reaction are always equal and in opposite directions. The grateful outreaching of your mind in thankful praise to supreme intelligence is a liberation or expenditure of force. It cannot fail to reach that to which it is addressed, and the reaction is an instantaneous movement toward you.”
Gratitude is you reaching out to God. And if your gratitude is strong and constant, the formless substance will react by moving all the things that you want toward you.
In addition to keeping you connected to the source, gratitude keeps you satisfied with what you have, which helps in keeping your mind focused on the things you want more of.
When you fix your attention on the common, the ordinary, and the mean, your mind takes these forms, and it these forms that you will impress into the formless substance and draw toward you. You should give your attention only to those things you want to draw into your life. Since the grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best, it receives the best.
In previous articles we explained the importance of having faith that you will receive the things that you’re trying to impress into original substance. The grateful mind continually expects good things, and expectation becomes faith.
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for all of the good in your life, and give thanks continuously. Being grateful will bring you into harmonious relation with the good, and it will move the good toward you. Marelisa Fábrega is the founder and CEO of "Marelisa Online", a website that offers tips, articles, and resources on how to become rich. You can visit her website at http://www.marelisa-online.com. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/gratitude-brings-you-into-harmony-with-the-universe-303346.html | | The Immense Power of Gratitude in Conscious Manifestation “Gratefulness is heaven itself.” William Blake
An “attitude of gratitude” is recommended by all the teachers of the Law of Attraction. Why is it so important? For one, gratitude can put you in the vibration of your desires fulfilled. Gratitude brings completion to cycles; when you are grateful ‘in advance’, you are feeling and responding to the completed manifestation cycle at a level of knowing. In other words, you are energetically in the fulfillment of your desired manifestations. The subconscious mind makes no distinction between what is ‘actual’ and what is imagined—its conviction comes from your emotional energy, based on intensity and frequency of those emotional states. With an attitude of gratitude, you repeatedly energize the emotional states of your manifested desires, and your subconscious mind will get working on matching your outer reality with your inner state of being. If you are trying to magnetize abundance, for example, then being grateful for all your abundant blessings puts you in the fulfilment energies of abundance, which is the perfect attractor energy for increased abundance.
But gratitude works in many varied ways. For example, being grateful for what is, including all your areas of lack or dysfunction, empowers you as an attractor force further. But how can you be grateful for your lack and dysfunction? And won’t that attract more lack or dysfunction? No it won’t—not if you’re grateful for what the lack is revealing to you. If you can feel grateful for the lack because it helps you to appreciate the sense of abundance, which is what you desire more of, then you’ve managed to be grateful for the full spectrum of experience. Without the lack, you likely would not be able to consciously appreciate and therefore choose abundance. From that state of acceptance, your choice for abundance will be met with far greater ease than it would if you were still energetically resisting lack. What we resist persists. What we resist, we create an internal polarity to, which fixes it in place. So gratitude for all experience is a very powerful means to dissolve the inner polarity and allow free movement, by choice, on the full spectrum of experience (in this case, the desired movement would be towards the abundance-end of the spectrum).
Dave Cameron explains, “…gratitude completes the cycle of knowing… What you like and what you hate are two ends of the same thing. For example, if you like being with your spouse and hate being separated from them, realize that you are working within the same essence, which is your spouse. It is because of the moments of absence that you appreciate and recognize the moments of presence. When you are grateful for both what you like and what you don't like, you complete the knowingness and you are released from having to experience what you don't like. …Some very significant shifts occur in your mind and soul whenever you are genuinely grateful for all things, even the ones you don't like. Gratitude will speed you through your growth and success more than any amount of hard work ever can. Gratitude completes the lesson, and as a statement of completion rings that tone of success, pulling to you the end result desired.” 1
When you can be grateful for the things you don’t like, you speed up the learning and hence, the need for those things in your life. “You cannot leave a situation permanently unless you appreciate the gifts it brings you, and all situations bring a gift, no matter how terrible the situation may appear to be.”1 In the case of lack, the gift may be the conscious appreciation of abundance and ease, which is necessary for sustaining it in life.
Life as God’s Love in Action
Without you, your consciousness, your life would not be. All the interactions with others and what is created out of that simply would not exist. Life arises out of you, through you, and for you. It is entirely dependent upon your consciousness. It shapes and moulds itself around you in a perfect fit, like a glove over a hand. The animated, gloved hand is you in life. The glove shifts as you shift. Take your hand out, and the glove collapses and is no longer animated.
The animating principle of this thing we call life (the glove) is the love of God for each one of us—it is God in action through the formless Substance. Imagine you are an invisible hand—invisible at the level of matter. The glove is there to allow you to see yourself and others, in order to enable experience. As fine-substance consciousness (invisible hand) in an ocean of consciousness, you cannot experience yourself apart from the ocean, and so you cannot encompass larger portions of the ocean, as you have no means of distinguishing anything consciously. The glove (i.e. matter, or the earthly realm of life) is there to enable distinction, contrast, and ultimately the experience of self and the possibility of encompassing larger portions of the ocean substance that is God, consciously. The loving embrace of the universe is your life.
The universe, upholding evolution by its love-imbued laws, hugs you tightly in a glove of life, which is love in action. Where you feel the pressure are the ‘places’ that need attention. The pain you feel, is you shrinking away from life’s embrace. This pain alerts you to where you have forgotten who you are and are resisting remembering.
Life hugs you tightly, always. You are moving consciousness—both awareness and life. You’re all of it, albeit, at different levels of consciousness. The god-you wishes you to remember who you are, the ‘small you’ is the vehicle through which that remembering process is focused. Resistance is what causes pain and delays learning. When you can be grateful for all experience, you release resistance and begin to yield and surrender to the process. The process (life) can then change from pain, to being benign, and then soon becoming a wondrous adventure.
When you are grateful for unwanted conditions that appear in life, you accept them with the faith that somehow they are for your highest good. Acceptance is a prerequisite to change. But also importantly, by your faith that the condition is somehow for your highest good, you become a commanding presence to ensure an outcome that is preferred (you choose either lessons or blessings) —and that outcome of blessing will occur far more quickly than if you resist and are embittered or dissatisfied with the condition. So be grateful for it all—the tight hug is for your highest good, and the pain is there so long as you resist. Engaging gratitude releases the resistance and enables you to move forward with the necessary learning, bringing completion and releasing the need for life to move in on you in that manner.
Rudolf Steiner2 explains that it is our consciousness that enables immortality; in unconsciousness, we do not know that we exist and so cannot speak meaningfully of immortality. Everything of your past has contributed to your current point of consciousness, and if you will be grateful for consciousness then you can be grateful for all of your past. When you can do this, you will successfully disengage from your past and be able to move resolutely forward with whatever new stories you wish to create for yourself.
In the Science of Getting Rich3, Wattles explains that there is one intelligent Substance from which all things proceed which gives you everything you desire. In his chapter on Gratitude, he states that the best means to relate to this intelligent Substance and be in a harmonious relationship with it is through profound gratitude. Failing to acknowledge our blessings “cuts the wires connecting” us to God. Energetically, failing to acknowledge creates imbalance, as there must always be a fair exchange of energies in all ‘transactions’. The universe will not be put off-balance.
Our soul lives in constant gratitude for all experience, and in this regard, lives closer to its source. When we emulate the soul we too shall live in close connection to the source of our abundance. Wattles explain the power of gratitude at accelerating manifestation because it “draws the mind into closer touch with the source from which the blessings come.”
Further he points out that gratitude always reaches what it addresses and there is an instantaneous reaction of a movement towards the person who is grateful. This is an experience we all can validate. Think of giving a gift to someone who is profoundly grateful to you for it. You are drawn closer to that person. Contrast this with gifting someone who does not acknowledge the gift, or worse, refuses it. You will feel antipathy towards that person, which draws you away from them. Hug somebody who stiffens or shrinks away, and then hug somebody who hugs you back warmly—which person is more inviting? This is another important aspect of the Law of Gratitude in action.
“Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you. That is a statement of psychological truth.”
It’s important that you ponder on the power of gratitude in all aspects discussed, and see where you can work these principles in your life. Gratitude is one of three keys of manifestation; these are:
• Imagination/Desire
• Gratitude
• Faith
Imagination and desire are needed to direct the formless Substance—this constitutes our engagement in life, whereby we become increasing consciousness by exerting choice and experiencing the effects of those choices. Desire is the level at which we work with the gift and power of free will as the means to come to know the self as love.
Gratitude releases our blocks from their locked-in positions, speeds up full learning, and gives back to the universe to maintain balance and harmony, and the universe in turn responds with the joy of greater giving. But these are its effects. The essence of gratitude is love, and the highest form of gratitude is unconditional love.
If you’re not sure what unconditional love feels like, try being grateful for all that is in your life that you tend to resist…be grateful for all those in your life who trigger you into less-than-love behaviours…be grateful for all past experiences that caused you pain…be grateful for all present conditions you’d rather not experience. Apply the principles discussed above, in which gratitude completes the spectrum of experience and thus the cycle of learning. Be grateful for the contrast and the resistance, for in letting go of the resistance, you gain conscious awareness and greater freedom to access, by will, the good end of the spectrum. In doing this, you will feel your heart expanding and will begin to glimpse unconditional love, and the state of being love in life. Furthermore, gratitude brings wholeness, which confers healing. As gratitude opens the heart—which is the province of miracles—, the effects of developing an attitude of gratitude in life are far-reaching.
“Wholeness is Holy; wholeness is healing. That is the essence of all miracles—physical, mental, financial, and social. Whatever has been torn apart comes back together into a state of wholeness. Love supports wholeness and wholeness support love. Through that common bond, love can heal anything.”4
Many people wonder how to operate from love in life, and the answer is by way of gratitude. Gratitude is the energy that connects us to the love that we are. Gratitude is love; gratitude for everything is unconditional love. Gratitude is the surest way to merge with the source of creation and to wield its power.
“…for this is the universal law of command. Love commands the universe, the adamantine particles, the one spirit, the heart, and all of life.”4
There is no energy or healing process that is more powerful than the application of gratitude, for gratitude is love. As a force of unconditional love, gratitude will activate the hidden workings of the cause and effect of love that operate in the universe, which is expressed in life as being in the grace of God. This force is separate from the usual cause and effect of effort and operates at a higher level of Intelligence referred to as the Holy Center of existence.5 In addition, as Wattles points out, faith is born of gratitude. Faith increases the more we dwell in the love that we are. Faith brings you deeper into the fulfilment energies of what you desire, which confers complete certainty that allows you to surrender the how-to of life and flow in divine guidance and synchronicity. All three energies generate a connection to life that is teeming with vitality and passion, and with passion, you are easily spurred to take bold action when opportunities appear.
Manifestation is an interactive dance with the Creator, and at each step there must be an exchange of energies in order to remain in balance and harmony with the laws of creation. That exchange is powerfully achieved in continuous gratitude.
If you will ponder on the power of gratitude, you will certainly understand the importance of nurturing a habit of gratitude. Not only does it aligns you to attract your god-given resources and dissolves all the blocks to receiving them, but it also restores your wholeness so that you operate from greater personal power. Gratitude is the keystone of manifestation; gratitude brings you closer to the source so that you can easily imprint your desires on the formless Substance, and it begets faith, which keeps you in a vibrational match to your desires. What you do towards increasing a grateful mind will have the largest repercussions for you in manifesting your dreams.
The next article in this series continues with this important topic, and provides a set of affirmations to support you in developing an attitude of gratitude.
Anita Briggs writes articles about The Spirituality of Wealth, a program to develop the consciousness of abundance that contains activations of the Inner Mastery Tools and the Affirmation Enhancer Tool. Other articles written by the author related to affirmation can be found on the web. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/the-immense-power-of-gratitude-in-conscious-manifestation-216351.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top Ten Reasons to Adopt the LAW of GRATITUDE What would your day be like if you started and ended it by simply noticing all that you have in your life? If you count all your assets, you always show a profit. Gratitude is a natural high. When you live in tandem with your spirit, appreciating all of life and what you have, you discover more joy and kindness in the world. Miracles happen everywhere all the time, but only those with an "Attitude of Gratitude" seem to notice them. This circle of peace grows and you return to your natural state of joy, love and peace, knowing you are whole and complete just as you are. "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." ~ Cicero The following is a list of the top ten reasons to adopt the Law of Gratitude in your life: One. Being in Gratitude Only Has Positive Side Effects. Positive emotions make you feel good and offer a sense of comfort. When we take a few moments to express our appreciation inwardly or to another, immediately we begin to feel happier, more relaxed, more optimistic. Two. Feelings of Gratitude Provide Short-Cuts to Miracles. Negative thoughts and feelings create an interruption in the natural flow of life. When you are feeling positive and grateful you accelerate what it is that you desire. Consciously appreciating what you already have is the short-cut to manifestation and the secret to personal fulfillment. Three. Thoughts of Gratitude Flood Your Body with Immune-Boosting Endorphins. Studies also provide evidence that a positive, appreciative attitude enhances the body's healing system and general health. When you hold feelings of thankfulness for at least 15 to 20 seconds, beneficial physiological changes take place in your body. Levels of the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine decrease, producing a cascade of beneficial metabolic changes. Coronary arteries relax, thus increasing the blood supply to your heart. And your breathing becomes deeper, raising the oxygen level of your tissues. Four. Feeling Grateful Puts you Back into the ‘Flow of Life' at the Speed of Thought. Thoughts create things. If you are feeling and thinking positive thoughts, you create positive situations. You draw positive people to you. Like attracts like. Five. Gratitude Unlocks the Fullness of Life Feelings of gratitude turn what you have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast or a house into a home. Gratitude makes sense of your past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Six. Feelings of Gratitude Give You a ‘Natural High'. Grateful people tend to be more optimistic, a characteristic that researchers say boosts the immune system. Studies indicate that daily gratitude exercises result in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. Grateful people experience less depression and stress, are more likely to help others, exercise regularly and tend to make more progress toward personal goals. People who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved. Seven. Gratitude Provides an Immediate Sense of Well-Being. Gratitude, it turns out, can help us better manage stress. Gratitude research is beginning to suggest that feelings of thankfulness have tremendous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems, especially stress. Eight. Feeling Grateful is the Main Cause of ‘Sustained Joy'. Focusing on the gifts one has been given is an antidote to envy, resentment, regret and other negative states that undermine long-term happiness. Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. Nine. The More You Give -- The More You Receive. You always get more of whatever you appreciate. When you express LOVE, GRATITUDE, and SINCERE APPRECIATION, you naturally expand. Consciously appreciating what you already have is the short-cut to manifestation and the secret to personal fulfillment. The more you assist others, the more you will assist yourself. Ten. When You Are Genuinely Thankful Anger and Fear Disappear. One of the incredible truths about gratitude is that it is impossible to feel both the positive emotion of thankfulness and a negative emotion such as anger or fear at the same time. To Practice This Thought: • Be lavish in your gratefulness. • Make gratitude a daily ritual. • Be thankful for whatever forces you to deal with your own strong emotions. • Set aside an hour or two to do nothing much except be grateful. Focus on what is working in your life and what IS right in the world. It doesn't matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may be. Before long you will notice that more things will fall into place with little or no effort on your part. Gratitude is a wonderful tool to use to feel good fast. Amirah, a 25-year Intuitive Coach, Author and Speaker. w Author of eBook, GET Better LOVE and MORE of IT! She offers free help through her monthly newsletter, http://www.soulmystic.com/newsletters.html and free articles. Email her at Amirah@soulmystic.com, http://www.soulmystic.com. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/top-ten-reasons-to-adopt-the-law-of-gratitude-32216.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path (6): Gratitude – What’s Your Perspective? By Carl “J.C.” Pantejo, Copyright April 2008
“Prosperity: The eternal flow of all that’s good in life…”
(*This article is based on the ideas presented in the book “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor,” Copyright August 2007. Pantejo - Y.N. Vurce Publishing.)
Note: Throughout this article The Original Substance is the name used for: GOD, The One, Gaya, Infinite Intelligence, The Universe, etc. Please substitute this name with the name/word you feel comfortable with.
It was Monday morning and we (U.S. Navy Field Medical Service School students) were performing the mandatory, “Full Pack” forced march in the hot Southern California sun.
A fellow Corpsman hobbled up to me, obviously straining from the weight of his backpack – a U.S. Marine Corps issue Alice Pack, weighing about 65 pounds. Through clenched teeth and intermittent, uncontrollable grunts of pain, he said “Chief! Why don’t you look as miserable as everyone else? Aren’t your feet ground beef by now? Jeez! My neck, shoulders, and back are killing me too!”
- Legless in L.A. -
I looked at him and said, “Believe me, I’m in as much pain as you are, but it’s Okay.
I was in L.A. (Los Angeles) last weekend and I saw a legless man on the sidewalk. He was begging for coins. I plopped a few coins in his cup.
For some reason, I decided to say hello. When I said hello, he acted like he didn’t understand me. He looked Hispanic, so I said, ‘Hola, como esta usted?’
Finally realizing that I was speaking to him, he said, ‘Bien, gracias, y tu? By the way, I speak English.’
Obviously, he was overjoyed that someone was taking the time to converse with him. We chatted for a good 15 minutes.
I listened to his life story. It was full of tragedy and triumph. I noticed that he was actually a very intelligent man. We talked about family, economics, politics, and technology. Finally, thinking that I could now comfortably ask questions of a more personal nature, I asked him why he was in his current situation (legless and begging for coins on an L.A. sidewalk).
At first, I thought I had crossed the line of propriety because he stopped talking and closed his eyes. But after a few moments, he smiled a big brown-toothed grin and said, ‘Because I’m waiting for Halle Berry to marry me. She loves legless men, you know.’
We both laughed.
I didn’t push the issue any further. I gave him a little more money and thanked him for his stimulating conversation. And with a good-bye and handshake, he said, ‘Son, you are, indeed, a kind soul and destined for greatness.’
Maybe he was delusional. Maybe he was a drunk or a drug addict. Maybe he was running away from something very painful.
But I like to think he was a messenger.
The point is this. If a legless man begging for coins on the streets of L.A. can smile, survive, and also be kind, what the heck do we have to complain about?”
After a quiet moment, the Corpsman managed a smile/grimace and said, “Understood, Chief. This march ain’t nothin’.”
(We were both grateful to have legs that could hurt.)
And without further complaints, we both charged on.
- Attitude and Results -
Oddly enough, in spite of the sun, the whole-body pain, fatigue, and constant harassment from our Marine Corps Instructors, we finished the full-pack, forced march in record time.
Our superior performance earned us some bennies too.
We didn’t have to perform the post-exercise sanitation (that is, cleaning up the areas where we had slept, camped, and marched through in the previous 6 days). It was a lavish respite from the usual drudgery.
And we enjoyed every minute of it.
- The Law of Gratitude -
The Law of Gratitude is a Universal Law, a Life TRUTH.
Unfortunately, through ignorance or unbelief, many people discount the awesome power of simply being grateful.
Everything about gratitude is positive.
It brings you closer to the Original Substance. It puts you and the Original Substance on the same wavelength. Gratitude keeps you optimistic and looking forward to the next good, big thing that is coming your way.
It prevents you from entering into a scarcity mentality and reminds you that abundance is everywhere.
To get what you want in Life you need to follow this Universal Law.
- Reciprocity -
The Law of Gratitude is a wonderful, reciprocal process. When you are grateful; that is, sincerely thankful for everything (past, present, and in the future) to the Original Substance, you are emanating a strong, positive force.
This force affects everything in its path.
Since the Original Substance is in, through, and around everything, IT and all touched by your gratitude respond in kind. Hence, a magnified wave of positive force instantly moves toward you.
Strong and constant gratitude will continually move the fulfillment of your desires to you.
NEVER, EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF GRATITUDE.
- Ungrateful People -
People without gratitude are engulfed with negative dissatisfaction. This negativity attracts more negativity (and so it goes).
They dwell on what they don’t have.
They don’t realize that by being grateful they can have it all.
- Discipline of Vision -
Ignore any appearances of lack and remember that it is just an illusion, a façade supported by false, pre-conditioned, negative beliefs.
If you look at (and take) the best in life, you become the best. The reverse is also true. Giving your attention to negativity only leads to misery. Attend to the good things in life and your life will be filled with good things.
Your thoughts will always create your reality.
You can be disciplined and choose your thoughts; and hence, choose your path. Or you can haphazardly let others choose for you. You can be the architect of your life, living it by your own design. Or you can live your life by default, letting others tell you what to think and do.
Do you want to be a drone, mindlessly fulfilling other people’s wishes without reaping the rewards of your labor?
Think of this.
Fast forward about 20 years in your life. Will you be able to happily say, “This I did for me.”
Now back to the present.
What kind of life do you want to create?
- Gratitude fosters Faith -
It is much easier to have faith in Universal Laws when you are grateful. Faith can be your shield against negativity. Faith continually increases as the universe responds with its magnified positive energy return.
That is why grateful people always have Faith (in themselves and in the Universe). They expect positive things to happen – and it does.
Their faith turns life into an endless string of exciting and heartwarming adventures. It’s a wonderful, snowballing effect of reciprocal goodness – a beautiful dance with the Universe.
- For All (all the time) -
Remember that Universal Laws work perfectly, effortlessly, for everyone – all the time. The Original Substance does all this (and more) for you 24/7.
IT arranges the unfathomable complexity of the universe to deliver you whatever you desire.
Be grateful for that!
- Your Choice -
Negative dissatisfaction alienates you from the good things and positive people in life.
Remain thankful to the Original Substance (for all that IT is and does).
Being thankful will make you an active partner with the Universe, co-creating your own riches, and continually moving a stream of true prosperity toward you.
It’s all within your total control. No one can keep you from being grateful. You can be cynical, another victim in the masses of unhappy people who blame their lot in life on something or someone else.
Or you can be a happy, thankful Winner.
Miserable Victim or Happy Winner? Choose. You can’t be both!
It’s all up to you.
I can still remember what the Marine Corps Instructors used to shout into my ears: “Son, Take Charge of Your Life!”
Take charge of your life, indeed!
- Parting Thoughts -
“The surest way to get a ticket to nowhere is to NOT know
where you want to go.
And if you always want to receive the leftovers in life; the crumbs from the table, wait for everyone else to choose first.”
Carl “J.C.” Pantejo (August 2007)
Make a choice, my friend.
You will be delightfully surprised at what happens next…
“Until next time, be brave enough to take a Different Path.”
Your Friend in this Intrepid Journey called Life,
Carl “J.C.” Pantejo
Law of Gratitude, Faith, Universal Laws, free will, choice, reciprocity, prosperity.
Note: If you want to read more about Universal Laws, success, unconditional love, exorcizing past personal demons, and the Illusive Secret of Happiness, please read the following articles:
“Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path: Guardian Angels and Universal Laws.”
“Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path (2): Trying too hard?”
“Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path (3): First, Be Effective.”
“Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path (4): Intend. Be Certain.”
“Alternative Notions of Life, a Different Path (5): Why me or why not me? Your choice.”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ series, articles (1) – (22).” (This is a series of articles about love, romance, Asian/Western relationships, relationship analysis, and more.)
“How Dare She! Out of Desperation I Learned How to Forgive”
“Remember Who You Are!”
“Need to Heal Your Broken Heart? Read on. Overcome Heartbreak and Learn the Illusive Secret of Happiness.”
“Simple (and Priceless) Life Lessons from the Most Influential Prosperity Mentor in My Life - My Father”
And much more!
(By Carl “J.C.” Pantejo and published internet-wide, keyword: [title of article] or “Carl Pantejo”)
Pantejo@ynvurcepublishing.com He is a retired U.S. Military veteran. Believing that school was too boring, he dropped out of High School early; only to earn an A.A., B.S., and MBA in less than 4 years much later in life – while working full-time as a Navy/Marine Corps Medic. In spite of a fear of heights and deep water, he free-fall parachuted out of airplanes and performed diving ops in very deep, open ocean water.
Carl “J.C.” Pantejo
Pantejo@ynvurcepublishing.com
Author, “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor,” Copyright August 2007
Founder, Y.N. Vurce Publishing
http://www.ynvurcepublishing.com
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