How did I learn to really feel grateful?

Feeling and showing gratitude is something that I started practising a few years ago. I admit that it has been a journey. Naturally the journey started as a child when my mother taught me to say thank you. This is a mother thing right? She was my first teacher and role model and hence a major influential one. I learned my lesson well. Now as an adult I am actually attempting to describe more than a thank you in this post; I am setting out to go a further step into the realm of genuine gratitude.

To put it bluntly It took me a lifetime before I readily acquired the daily practice of really being grateful. Maybe I am being too harsh because I have always had a feeling of gratitude. I just did not take the time to express it. On reflection, I can honestly say that people were my greatest influencers. Like for instance, a kind friend challenged me with a Facebook activity to write everyday for one week 3 things I was grateful for. Being someone who always accepts challenges I did it with perhaps a teensy bit of reluctance.

The person to whom I really attribute to impacting the most on my developing sense of gratitude is Oprah Winfrey. I believe that I was at the right stage of my evolvement to really process Oprah's words . You see I was relaxed and ready to meditate the Deepak Chopra way on that fateful afternoon. I was participating in the Oprah and Deepak 21 Day Meditation Program on Grace and Gratitude.

To me everything happens at the right time. We call it synchronicity. I was ready to hear Oprah talk about showing gratitude at the little things everyday. She made sense! Make it easy I heard Oprah say. I felt motivated! I immediately acted and started my gratitude diary. Honestly It only takes me a few minutes every afternoon. Yesterday I felt grateful for:

• tasting the flavours of the cold stewed pear for breakfast

• reading the last chapter of AfterLife by John Edward

• cuddling an 11 week old baby

The beach however, is a big thing that I am grateful for everyday. I love breathing in the colours, the breeze and the energy of my surf beach across the road. The beach regenerates me. This is yesterday's beach.



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Cheers
Angie

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