How I Practice Gratitude

Each and every day I wake up and say thank you.  Thank you for my restful night’s sleep. Thank you for allowing me to open my eyes.  Thank you for feeling great.  Thank you for the day’s opportunities that will present themselves to me today.  I then get out of bed, start my bath and proceed to make my cup of coffee.  Once the tub is filled and my coffee brewed I begin a 10 minute meditation session.  I breathe 3 deep breaths and then focus on short breaths just releasing any morning worries or inadequacies that may hinder my perfect day.  Breathing in and out I think of nothing but my breath.  Breathing love in and gratitude out.  After my session I dry off, robe up and as I get ready for my day I listen to 20 minutes of motivational or inspirational words.  I listen to Joel Olsteen, Jack Canfield, Oprah Winfrey or anyone I feel will lift my day.  I listen as I put on my makeup and get dress, multitasking yet focusing on the words of my speaker.  Now that I am ready for the day I head out in my car to my business obligations.  I turn off the radio in my car and spend 10 minutes praying.  I take this time to thank God for my blessings and to heal or help those in need.  If I have recently been in contact with someone with a certain need  I will pray for God to heal all those suffering with that condition.  I don’t just ask for healing for the one I am aware of, but all suffering.  I always offer blessings outward to the whole world not just in my world.

As I come across people during my day I do my best to lift them up with positivity.  If the person is already positive I tap into their energy to raise us both.  Those that are negative I will always compliment  them in a genuine way.  One positive thought or action can negate 100 negative thoughts.  I will do this whether I know the person or not.  There is nothing greater than telling a waiter that they gave me exceptional service and thanking them with all my heart.  I tell my husband daily that I love him and I am so grateful God put him in my life.  Yes, put him in my life.  My husband and I met against all odds but with God’s love he landed us together.  I will tell that story in my stories of gratitude.  I also tell my daughter that I am so proud of her and my son-in-law whenever I see them.  They have within one years time graduated college, gotten married, suffered a great illness, shared the loss of an immediate family member, had my beautiful grandson and bought their first home.  Not many would withstand that type of world wind of life experiences but their love and determination made them successful.  I continue my day smiling at unknown people passing by me.  I always try to make eye contact as I smile to reinforce my sincerity.

Gratitude doesn’t stop for me when I climb into bed.  For me this begins my nightly routine.  I snuggle into my warm, comfy bed, prop myself up comfortably and begin 10 minutes of meditation guided by the Calm app.  I choose a topic to meditate to that may pertain to my day.  For example,  I may have a big presentation coming up the next day so I choose to mediate on focus or perhaps I felt a bit uneasy regarding a friend’s upcoming surgery so I will choose calming anxiety.  I always hold my gratitude stone in the palm of my hand after meditating and saying thanks for one big thing that happened to me that day that I am most grateful for.  I focus on one thing and don’t set my stone down until my heart feels full.  I then say “Thank you God, I love you and I will talk to you in the morning”.  In doing this daily practice I add 60 minutes of gratitude to my day without finding time for it.  It just interlocks into the things I am already doing.

Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt only by heart.