Gratitude is a powerful act and a fulfilling practice!!
Here are some of my thoughts on the topic – – on this Thanksgiving Eve, for those of us in the USA! Thanksgiving, giving thanks, gratitude….it’s a fitting post for this upcoming holiday, no?!?! 😃
Soooooo, an attitude of gratitude. What is it, exactly??? WELL, let’s talk it out for a moment!
It’s a way to say “YES” to life and find true appreciation of the things outside ourselves that make our life richer, brighter, and more enjoyable.
It allows us to connect to something greater than ourselves and also to find a deeper connection to those very beings and things that draw in and influence our full appreciation! 🧲 <— Like a magnet!
Gratitude is cathartic and self-healing, both physically and emotionally. It is a full-on FEELING of cherishing someone or something and it provides instant positivity and a flood of feel-good emotions.
And though we look outside of ourselves to cultivate these feelings of gratitude, at the same time, it also results in the creation of space and the invitation to find more and more reasons to be happy.
It opens our eyes wider to appreciate life as it is, without any negativity to taint that appreciation. It is a conscious and heartfelt choice to see the goodness in life and to allow that to stand alone without weighing it down with “buts” and “howevers.”
SIDE NOTE: That is when we know that we are truly in a state of pure gratitude. When we can say, “I am grateful for ….. <fill in the blank>…..” and it just IS. And that beautiful statement can just float up into the sky, free, untouched, as is. There are no “howevers” or “buts” or refutes from another one’s views. There really can’t be because it is deeply felt and personal and genuine and the very truth of us and of any person that speaks such words of gratitude.
Gratitude even allows us to acknowledge the not-so-good moments and see them with a positive spin – – because so many of life’s valuable lessons are learned from hard times, unfortunate experiences, tragedies, and enduring through difficulties. And the sunniest of skies are often found after the darkest and cloudiest of days.
And again, allowing ourselves to appreciate the hardships as well as the joys in life create even more open doors and avenues for happiness to travel into our world! Since happiness is an internal response, grateful feelings allow the happiness inside to get a big boost!!!! They often go hand-in-hand!!
You know what else is a best friend to both happiness and gratitude?!?!?! LAUGHTER!! And I found this amazing meme that portrays how laughter provides light and ease, especially during times of heaviness or stress.
So, I suppose we could group gratitude, happiness, and laughter as the powerhouse trio of fulfillment and good feeling!!
Gratitude can be a game changer with so many benefits for our mind, body, and soul. It is a practice that “feeds every corner of our life,” as Rumi says!!
And it is something that we can have, practice, explore, and invite into our lives daily because it is a choice!!! It’s something that is always worth sharing because this gift of appreciation makes a meaningful difference to those who receive it AND to us who give the appreciation. 🎁
And why not give thanks during this holiday week of Thanksgiving?!?!?!? 🙃🤗❤️
Remember, our powerhouse trio + joy all snuggle and work together to enrich life and add lovely layers of fulfillment. And sometimes it is as simple as saying:
And I definitely choose to be grateful and I sure am grateful for YOU!!!!! Thank you for being here and filling me with this gratitude. 🥰
Wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving to all who will be celebrating tomorrow!! May you enjoy delicious food, be with amazing company, and find so many reasons to be grateful. 😊🦃❤️✨🙏🏻🦃❤️✨🙏🏻😊