Expressing gratitude and thanks for our lives is a wonderful ritual that has a healing effect on body and mind. Every time you say “thank you” you remind yourself of all the beautiful things you have in your life and lighten up your day. Expressing gratitude on a regular basis makes us happy!
A wonderful exercise to try is purposefully expressing your gratitude. Find a peaceful moment and make a list of all the beautiful things you have in your life, like your home, your children, loving cat or dog and flowers. Take a moment to reflect on your list and experience the feeling of gratitude that you feel for having all these things. You can even practice gratitude when you are out and about; if you are walking in the park, silently give thanks for the beautiful day, the blue sky, fresh air, birdsongs and all the green trees and plants you are surrounded by. Try to give thanks for everything that comes your way and all the wonderful things that each day brings. Many people also enjoy evening gratitude practice; each night make a list of all the precious things you experienced during the day, like uplifting sunshine, a happy smile from a child, a nice phone call from a friend, delicious food you have eaten, a warm cup of tea and more.
Another excellent thing to do is to make a list of all your dreams that have come true. Without realizing, most of the things you have in your life today have once started as a hopeful dream; a dream of a special career, to have children and a nice home, a beautiful garden - or maybe even to travel the world. Once expressing gratitude becomes habitual, our minds become accustomed to notice all the wonderful things in our lives.
In addition to making us happy, gratitude also has a higher purpose. By appreciating what you have, the Universe receives your gratitude and wants to give you more. Being excited for what you already have, entices the Universe to reciprocate. Life is so glorious in the way that every time we appreciate something we are grateful for, more abundance and new experiences are attracted to us. By showing gratitude you open yourself up for more good in your life. So easy and so generous Life is!
