New Blog - Gratitude

How original! I am starting a new blog!

I've been thinking lately, "What is it we all want out of life?" We all want to be happy and healthy. For me, that means being happy and healthy in all areas of my life: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, professional, financial, family, and friends. Of course being happy and healthy may look different for all of us at various times in our lives. Since I think best when I am expressing my feelings, I decided to start this blog. Hopefully, as you follow my ramblings, you too can focus on what makes you happy and healthy. I am hoping to bring light to my life and yours. So here it goes...

I think one of the most important first steps to take toward enlightment is gratitude. I really don't think we can be happy until we are grateful for what we have. A couple of years ago when The Secret came out, everybody was talking about seeing yourself with what you want instead of complaining about what you don't have. My friend and I were trying to figure out what all the fuss was about. We both had been doing something similar to that for years, but she told me that one difference the movie talked about was that we should say thank you all the time. I find myself remembering that every time I feel disconnected to the grace around me, every time I start feeling sorry for myself for what I don't have or when I can't see that I am moving towards what I want. It never fails, when I remember to be thankful for what I do have, I feel a greater connection to the world around me, my spirits lift, and I am happier with life. It's hard to believe that it is that simple.

I often tell my kids that God doesn't make the bad things in our life happen, he allows them, but he doesn't like them. So when something bad happens, God gives us little gifts to make up for it. The bigger the hardship, the bigger the gift. So, very night before I go to bed, I have been taking time to thank God (or the Great Spirit or the Universe) for everything good thing that happened that day. I give thanks for all the gifts, from the tiniest (hitting all green lights when you are late) to the biggest. Give it a try for a week and feel the magic.