Jun 2, 2021
If your desire is to leave something behind or have less of something in your life you will find yourself going in circles and manifesting more of what you don’t want. There is a saying that, "that which we fixate on persists” also “wherever you go, there you are.”
So, if we are going to be less stressed, less worried, less depressed – we first have to find a way to shift our brain to realize how much joy we already have and how much more we can make by simply counting the current blessings in our basket. The science of gratitude is the act of intentionally choosing to be grateful for everything in our life, even the challenges.
This is not to say that someone in dire circumstances can just positive think themselves out of them. That is not the conversation I’m having right now. But what if all challenges were opportunity, every failure a new learning to be grateful for? How does that feel versus the other negative thinking way?
Our negative ego is really good at convincing us that what we are afraid of will kill us if we try it. That trying and failing is a death sentence. The only thing trying and failing harms in most endeavors is the armor of that negative ego to keep up stuck in the illusion that we aren’t good enough, smart enough, capable enough to do the thing we are afraid to do.
F.E.A.R. = False Expectations (experience) Appearing Real.
Gratitude practice gives us courage, confidence, peace of mind, abundance mentality, hope, faith, energy you name it – in some ways it s the cure for most things – at least in the areas where mindset matters. It also helps us look at the world with a cleaner and clearer filter. Another saying, “we see the world as we are.”
If for example you are always in a competitive hoarding mindset it would be no wonder you find a world of competitive hording people who do not want to share their things or work with you. But what if you were more rooted in win-win – there is enough for everyone kind of mindset. How does this open doors if you see others motivated from that place?
As a lawyer who helps a lot of people in crisis – those that are wrapped up in the story of what went wrong and what they do not want – are any less resilient and it's harder to find a solution for them because they are unwilling to see one. This attitude drives people to “Justice Sue” in order to get revenge or “I’ll show them.” Thus, leaving us with “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” But if I can get people to step back, take stock of what they have control of – which in crappy situations may be their own reaction to the current circumstance or the person who wronged them. Then they realize that the other – who may very well have wronged them and be wrong, doesn’t control them.
The other only ruins the day if a person lets them. And this ability to see that – starts with an underlying practice of gratitude, an attitude of gratitude – the opposite of victim mentality. Things happen – but we do not have to be a victim to them – we can be empowered actors instead – and we can choose how we react.
So, as a Law of Abundance – starting the daily practice of gratitude in our lives is an essential building block to an abundant life. And being able to see things for what they truly are separate from negative emotions of shame, blame, anger and hate, etc. comes as a natural consequence of starting to practice gratitude – the other thing about starting a gratitude practice is – it is easy and a practice – you write one thing a day you are grateful for in your life, you may be very clear to thank people when there is any exchange between you and another.
It is a practice you can grow into and it fosters the attitude across all planes of your life. It requires a pen and notebook (but not really). It is nice to be able to look back at what you wrote. AND as a result of all of this little, tiny effort – you will start to rewire your brain – you will learn better and more, you will listen better and hear more openly, you will be more open, and the filter of other noise will quiet.
Studies show people with gratitude practices lead more healthy productive lives. Look it up – I have, and I teach this to my students with citations in my leadership management and wellness classes. As a lawyer my mindset has kept me happy and healthy and able to look at building versus avoiding. It has kept me open to new opportunities in business and resilient in the face of challenges – it also allows me to be a great advocate when my clients need that as I’m open to finding win-win, not bogged down in being righteously correct. Boundaries are necessary but a polite cordial attitude with opposing council can go a thousand, miles further than any argumentative grump.
In the realm of assisting people in thinking about their death – we all die – gratitude helps me help others reach this conclusion without stress. We come together in gratitude to be able to leave clear, kind, and thoughtful instructions to loved ones after you are gone – versus a mess and heartache.
At the end of the day, the first building block to having a life of abundance is gratitude because a person with abundant gratitude has joy no matter what circumstance they are in, and this faith and joy propels them to turn each and every situation into one of value, care and love. It allows them to build more positive energy vs. the alternative painful misery. And it all starts with the choice to observe daily, one thing you are grateful for in your life.
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