Where's My Gratitude? One of our most asked questions from those of us who feel and act from a gratitude-filled life is "Where's my gratitude?" A true practitioner understands that our attitude, thoughts and feelings create our reality and in the practice of mindfulness there comes a realization that gratitude is much more abundant than we may have been led to believe. In fact, gratitude is so abundant that it flows into each experience of living and brings a level of peace that seems to transcend the many limiting thoughts and emotions that we hold.
Gratitude is all about the power of letting go of what is not healthy for us by letting go of what we do not love. It is about finding a different place for everything that we are passionate or deeply attracted to. For example, there is nothing that I love more than music and I would not trade it for anything else. Music is my home, it is my blood, it is my food and it is my friends. It is one of my most loved possessions yet somehow it has taken on a life of its own - it is on my lips, on my tongue, on my pillowcases and as I wake up in the morning I realize that there is so much more to appreciate about this amazing human creation than that which I can hear in my head. All of which leads me to where my gratitude lies and the question is how can I bring this kind of bountiful energy into my life?
Let go of the things that pull you down and start thinking about the gratitude that is flowing through you. Visualize the unlimited source of all that you are - beautiful, rich, alive and energized. Imagine that all the good things that happen to you are absolutely the result of the kind thought, word or deed that you choose to think and say to yourself. The power of gratitude - more powerful than any weapon or superpower - is what sets you free from the ego and brings you into alignment with your true self. This self is the part that you are worthy of possessing and you have to remind yourself everyday that you are worthy of all that you desire.
When you use your mind to dwell upon these things, you will find that gratitude will begin to come naturally and without effort. Try to practice saying the phrase "where is my gratitude?" every time you find yourself experiencing any negative thing. Practice saying this so often that it becomes a habitual response to the things that anger you - and that when you see yourself angry you immediately let go of that anger by expressing your gratitude for whatever you are grateful for.
Once you develop the habit of saying this you will be amazed at how many things you experience for which you are grateful. The feeling of gratitude is a great healer. It can take the sting out of any negative feeling or emotion. Instead of letting those feelings linger like an angry snake, express your gratitude - and watch them disappear. Remember to say the phrase over as often as possible - and even after you have expressed your gratitude. The power of gratitude is really very powerful.
The greatest benefit of expressing gratitude is that it helps you make peace with yourself. You realize that in the end all that you have is love - and that is all you want from life. It is a good idea to meditate on gratitude - to let go of the resentments you harbor for others and to accept yourself as you are right now. Once you learn to appreciate the good in everyone and everything, you can let go of any resentment you harbor and concentrate on looking ahead to the future instead of worrying about the past.