A Seed of Gratitude

A few years ago I happened across this YouTube video called, “The 15 Minute Miracle Method,” which was a daily gratitude exercise.  The woman in the video talked about the exercise as a means for manifesting the desires of your heart.  I diligently began doing the Gratitude exercise, which consisted of making a list of 10 things that you are grateful for while feeling the Gratitude and then making a list of 10 things that you desire, feeling the Gratitude as if you already have it.  At the time that I committed myself to doing this Gratitude exercise, I couldn’t quite get myself to the feeling of Gratitude, like she talks about.  The feeling of Gratitude is key.  After a few months, I stopped doing the Gratitude lists because I couldn’t see the results.

Little did I know that a seed had been planted.  I couldn’t see it, and at the time, I couldn’t feel it, but it was a start.  I’ve been back to doing my daily Gratitude list now for quite some time, as I started back up after reading The Magic and committing myself to living in Gratitude.  I look back at this video and realize that this video helped plant the seed of Gratitude in me.  I didn’t appreciate Gratitude then as I do now, but once that seed is planted, it begins to grow in your life.

I’d highly encourage you to start making a daily list of 10 things that you’re grateful for in your life.  And while you make that list, feel as much Gratitude as you can for the good in your experience.  The power for change in your life comes in feeling the Gratitude energy flow.  And when you make this list a daily habit (which, as the video discusses) for at least 30 days, it will begin to become a normal part of your day.  You don’t have to do it in the morning, though the morning is preferable, but you can carve the time out during your day or even in the evenings before you go to bed.  Whatever you do, make time for Gratitude and you’ll be amazed at the changes that you’ll start to notice in your experience.

 

Gratitude’s Works on the Job

Last year, Gratitude blessed me with my ideal job.  After two years of interviewing and hoping without results, Gratitude delivered me four job offers in the span of only months.  It only took me using the power of Gratitude to pave the way for the job that is perfect for me.

So I’ve been on my job now for eight months, and I love it.  I love that I’m doing work that I enjoy.  I’m grateful that the work environment is more relaxed and inviting.  I love it that my coworkers are a pleasure to work with and that my management have been great as well.  I can’t begin to explain the appreciation that I have for the flexible work hours that provides a healthy life/work balance.

There’s a caveat to my perfect job that I’ve been working with Gratitude to help me overcome.  My organization over the past odd months have been experiencing some financial issues.  These issues have been passed down to affect employees in the form of pay cuts, which would have amounted to a 20% pay cut.  At first, I started to feel a wave of worry creep up, but I told myself, to focus on the loves I have for my job.  I kept affirming what I was grateful about my job and that I was grateful that everything would work out.  When friends would bring the subject up, I would say that I was grateful that I was employed because a pay cut is a blessing compared to layoffs that others were experiencing.  I was told to “face reality,” but I kept my steadfastness on Gratitude.  It doesn’t matter what my physical “reality,” is showing, if I do my part in keeping my mind focused on Gratitude and the good in my life, Gratitude will do its part.

A day or so later, after I took a stance to not entertain the “dooms day” mentality that so many of my friends and comrades held, leadership announced financial improvements.  The pay cuts were declared to be reduced.  It was like magic that I saw the power of Gratitude in action.

And then again, more recently, it was announced that the pay cuts were being reduced again.  Now, the pay cuts have been reduced by 50% from the initial forecasts.  I’m so grateful.  It does my heart so good to see the love, care and protection that Gratitude provides, when you allow her gifts in your life.

The financial issues are improving, and I expect that very soon, more pay cut reductions will be announced until the situation has been completely resolved. 

What I have learned from personal experience in living with Gratitude, is that you have to be grateful for the desires of your heart before you see them in your life.  Many people don’t understand this concept, but it is so important. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.—Hebrews 11:1 (New International Version)

Spirit values faith, and good works in your life require faith in Gratitude and Love to work things out.  In church yesterday, the choir sang a beautiful song that said, “I See God’s Grace through the Eyes of Faith.”  It is the way to seeing the resolution to so many things that may pop up in our lives.  When we let go—let go of the worries and need to control outcomes—then we can allow Gratitude to take charge.  And take charge she will!       

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  

 

I am Worthy

By The Happy Chance

 

I considered myself to be a yes in so many ways:  attractive—yes, successful—yes, talented—yes.  But in the category of romantic relationships, I was a no.

Not that it mattered most of my after high school life.  In college, I made up my mind not to get involved in any serious dating, as I wanted to focus on my education.  I did some dating then, but nothing too serious.  And nothing that would detract me from college.

And then after college, it was my career.  As a career woman, I wanted to make sure that I had a fulfilling and successful career, one that would allow me independence and the lifestyle that I wanted.  When I entered into a relationship, I wanted to be able to bring something to the table and be able to grow with my mate together in a relationship.

Then life happens, one thing after another. I was never ready and “worthy” for a satisfying relationship.  I needed to do this and then do that.  And when problems came up, some of them major life issues, I wanted those to be resolved and to have my house in order, so to speak.  I wanted to be perfect and ready for that special relationship, one that would lead into marriage.

So it didn’t matter then that I hadn’t found that someone.  But at thirty something, it matters now.  Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who talked about the “princess” syndrome that some woman have when dating.  Some women overcompensate for their low self-worth, thinking that if they demanded the princess treatment and respect from men, this would somehow fill that void of self-worth within them.  So they demand that special attention, without reciprocating the treatment and respect to the men they date.  As you can see, this creates a problem. 

This discussion on women and self-worth lead me to really think about why in the area of romantic relationships, I hadn’t attracted my ideal mate, my husband.  I really gave it some thought and came to the realization of what my issue was:  I never felt that I was worthy. 

There was always something that I felt was a priority, something I had to accomplish before I could settle into a fulfilling love relationship.  I now know that I had unintentionally been giving off single vibes, vibes that would attract a life of singlehood if I continued on that path.  That would be fine, if it was the life that I wanted.  But I never wanted to be single all my life.  I saw myself as married to an amazing guy.  Luckily, I came to that realization in good timing, and I’m so grateful that I did.

Gratitude, as with other areas of my life, can shift both my conscious and unconscious feelings of unworthiness.  If I allow her to.  Like any other relationship, it’s a give-receive exchange.  I give my love and praise to Gratitude, and in return Gratitude gives love and unimaginable gifts back.  In this case, I’m using Gratitude to restore the feelings of worthiness in me.  Because in order to attract a loving relationship, I must first start with that relationship within.  I must first love myself for others to see that jewel within me, and an expression of that self-love can manifest into a romantic relationship.

Some of the things that I’ve been doing to transform my feelings of unworthiness is to use affirmations.  I say affirmations to myself, such as, “I am worthy,” “I am grateful that I am worthy,” or “I love myself so much.”  I muster as much Gratitude into those affirmations as I can, feeling the Gratitude deeply. 

In the book, The Magic by Rhonda Byrne, one of the exercises for a day is called “The Magic Mirror.”  In that exercise, you state while in front of the mirror, “Thank you,” with as much Gratitude as possible.  She uses the analogy of Michael Jackson’s song The Man in the Mirror to show, that if we send a bit of Gratitude energy to ourselves, it would transform our lives.  Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world.  So as we work to improve the world inside us, we begin to attract outside experiences that reflect our improved state within.  It’s all about loving ourselves and feeling the Gratitude for being who we are.         

It’s all a learning experience and a journey, improving the self-love and self-worth.  As I continue working on being Grateful for me, who I am, and the contributions that I make to the world, I’ll begin attracting improved circumstances in all areas of my life—including the one area that’s been alluding me for years—romantic love.

What do you think?  Do you have any experiences that as you begin feeling better about yourself, that you began having improved love relationships?  Have you had the experience of realizing that some of your self-talk thoughts haven’t been loving thoughts about yourself?  It’s quite an eye opening experience in realizing the feeling of unworthiness impeding on attracting a loving relationship.  But it’s very empowering to know that once you recognize this within yourself, that Gratitude can change it.