Gratitude: grat.i.tude n. The state of being grateful; thankfulness. Derived from Middle English, from Old French, probably from Late Latin meaning pleasing.
Being in a state of thankfulness, expressing gratitude is both centering and the root of our vitality. Understand though that the spoken word ‘gratitude’ is just vibratory noise. In order to harness the power of gratitude, it must be felt on a visceral level. Feeling is an exercise in the expansion of awareness and is where we merge the conscious level to our subconscious level.
Let me explain by having you do the following simple exercise. You will need a pen and paper. Read the first point aloud and write down how it made you feel. Now, read the second point aloud and write down how it made you feel.
1) “I am grateful that the sun is shining today.”
2) “Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, I am grateful for this moment right now.”
Well, how did it go? Which point made an impression on a subconscious level? That is, made you feel thankful? Understand that sensation precedes manifestation. Feeling (visceral sensation) is the key. There are no borders nor boundaries for expression of gratitude. You can feel and express gratitude for your body, for your mind, for the simple fact that you are alive today.
You may be thinking this is great for someone already in a “good frame of mind” but what about someone going through a tough time that would find an expression of gratitude near impossible? Well, this is real life and we do certainly have those times when we struggle. Times when the stuffing has been knocked right out of us. Times when we find it hard to breathe. Times when we wake up and struggle to get out of bed. Times when were are not fit to greet the day.
When struggling, shift. Open and allow just a fraction, a sliver of yourself to feel gratitude for the fact that you have eyes that are able to read this post right now. To feel gratitude for your heart that beats rhythmically in your chest, to feel gratitude for your lungs that expand to provide you breath. I get it, some days it can feel like you should suit up for an inner battle. Painful, strenuous, heavy… the sting in life.
Start small, teeny. Start with these vital fundamentals (eyes, heart, lungs). Then, as time goes on, build on these and fashion new expressions of gratitude. Understand that some days you will evolve and others you may fall back a step or two. Just be persistent in a daily practice of gratitude and trust the process.
The most important step, yet probably the most difficult step for many is to start. Make the decision and find joy in the feeling. Thank-you.
If you enjoyed this post and think the words may help someone, please share it with your friends, family or colleagues. ~ Daphne