Cultivating Gratitude: The Power of Thanksgiving in Everyday Life

We've heard so much about gratitude in the last few years, and there is a good reason for it. Practicing gratitude every day is a health-giving, positive habit to cultivate. It just makes your life better.  

Usually, I journal every morning and start with a paragraph of all I am grateful for. This helps me drop out of my head and into my heart, where I communicate back and forth with God, or you might say that quiet, still inner voice. It is incredible to me what flows through the subconscious onto the page. Recently, though, I had many deadlines to fulfill, and instead of journaling, I went first to work on the computer, thinking I would get to the journaling later. The problem was I never got to the journaling and therefore the gratitude list, and day after day went by.

I started feeling tired and achy with sore joints and a persistent sharp pain over my right temple. I rarely get headaches, so I knew it was because I was worried about some ongoing issues. My mind was dwelling on fear. I knew this was why I was physically hurting. I realized I needed to check in with God and express gratitude for all the good I have in my life, not on the worries. 

Something is Always Happening in the Supernatural

When our minds are stressed and worried, we miss the positive things God is doing in the background, in the supernatural.

Practicing gratitude and having thankfulness changes everything. It raises your vibration and shifts your mindset. You become open to seeing more truth about your situation and the miracles happening in your everyday life, despite the hardships you might be going through. It might be as simple as smiling at someone as you walk down the street, and they smile back. That is a joy to me that a total stranger and I can have that lovely moment together.

When your mind is beset with fear, anger, resentment, insecurities, and worries, you cannot see the beauty in the moment. It's there, sometimes you have to look for it. Cultivating gratitude helps you do that. The apartment we live in is a joy for me every day, from the lighting at night on the curved pathways adorned with tropical plants to seeing the palm trees silhouetted against the early morning rising sun or how the brick paving is so intricately designed and displayed. I could go on about the creativity and thoughtfulness that went into the design and landscaping of these buildings and grounds. They won an award, and it is obvious why. The miracle is that I am here, and what was I doing? I was worrying about things that were out of my control and may not even happen. What a waste of my precious time. Many people do not have an apartment and live on the street, in a shelter, or a subway in a war-torn country that is being bombed.

When our Mind gets Stuck in the Past

I believe that all things are possible with God, but I wasn't believing that with my whole heart, mind, and strength. My mind was stuck on what happened in the past and that it might happen again. I was reminded of this in my journaling; the aches in my body left when I completely let go and released my worries into the arms of love. I saw the fearful belief I was harboring and could let it go too. Hearing from this unconditional love, and experiencing that truth that I was loved and would be taken care of made me feel confident and at peace that everything would be alright.  Instead of seeing what I didn't have, I saw what I did have and all that I have been abundantly blessed with in the here and now and my whole life.

Roman philosopher Cicero said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others." I look at my past not regretfully but instead see the richness of life and the gifts I was given to overcome life's challenges. 

Gratitude can mitigate toxic, negative emotions like envy, resentment, and regret - emotions that can eat away at our happiness.

This doesn't mean we don't heal such issues as trauma or unhealed childhood events that need to be addressed. We do that when necessary with someone who can help us through difficult things. Practicing gratitude is like a natural upper; it is an integral part of our day to keep us healthy in mind, spirit, and body.