This week, we are going to be talking about Gratitude. This is the time of the year where we gather and give thanksgiving for all the gifts in our lives. But really, wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of us had a regular practice of finding gratitude in our lives every day? Because gratitude can take a painful day or a painful experience and on a dime, bring up the roses and bring up the daffodils. Gratitude can help us see the blessings that come from our experiences, even the not-so-fun experiences!

Gratitude is not some platitude, something we do if we want to be spiritual. Gratitude is one of the fundamental archetypes of our soul. This is why, when you say, “I am so grateful for you,” something happens inside on a really deep level. You can’t explain it. You can’t put your finger on it. Something mystical just happens, and you begin to feel wonderful. It’s that simple.

Finding gratitude is actually a strategy for living a happy and healthy life. It is a part of consciousness that we can choose so that we can live in the bliss of life. Let’s say you are having a bad day, your kids made a mess after you just cleaned up the kitchen or your boss yelled at you or your neighbor dented your car and you are feeling really angry.

Of course, anger causes stress which puts stress on your heart and stress on your organs and stress on your brain. Right now in this world, we are all over stressed. So, finding gratitude is a strategy for being happy. Just say, “Okay, I am angry right now in this moment. But I am going to choose to find one thing that I am grateful for.” What you have just done is, by not staying angry, you have taken a contrary action, and contrary action is one of the keys of the universe for changing the neuroplasticity of your brain. When you take that contrary action and become grateful instead of staying angry, your whole brain shape changes, your thought patterns change. In that moment you can rewrite all beliefs and patterns that have stopped you from living your dream of having the success and everything else that you want. It really is so simple how just being grateful can change your life. But I am here to tell you that it works.

So how do we practice gratitude? It is very simple, you don’t need a degree. Just take a moment, connect with your feelings and with something you are grateful for. You can just stop and look at a tree and say, “Beautiful tree with your purple flowers, I am so grateful for you. You have given me such beauty for my eyes to rest upon.” And all of a sudden you feel better. You feel energy moving through you. I don’t know how that happens, that is the mystical, that is the mystery.

So, practice being grateful. Use the holiday season that is upon us to stay mindful of all the things you have to be grateful for, and watch your life begin to change!

Thank you for being with me today. I am so grateful for you joining me in the work of helping awaken our world. Have a beautiful, glorious, grateful day.