Start with one thing

Gratitude should not be so difficult for those of us who live in the western world. We have so much to be thankful for; we should be blissful all the time. But this is not the case. If anything, more stuff, abundance and wealth seems to often disconnect us from what should mean the most.

We have to begin to change the way we think and what we focus on. When we are always focused on those things that we want to change, that are not quite right, that are less than our ideal (or our neighbor's), we loose site and sink into wanting and scaricy, which leads to unhappiness.

If we can turn that tide in our thinking by focusing on one thing that we can be grateful for: one person, one event, one circumstance that we are truly grateful for. For me it is my relationship. I have the easiest, kindest, and most compatible relationship I have ever known. We love and we laugh. We have ups and downs, stresses and challenges. But our kindness to each other, our love for each other and our commitment to each other sustains us through them all. When all the challenges of life buffet me, when moments of uncertainty come and confidence wanes; I turn to my relationship and feel grateful.

We each have to start with something in our lives that brings us back into our hearts, to moments and thoughts of gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful emotion. It can shift a rotten day, or turn you around when you are heading in the wrong direction.

Focus your thoughts on that one thing, really feel how fortunate you are to have that in your life. As you begin to feel gratitude, stay with it, let the feeling spill over into other areas of your mind. Once you have anchored the feeling of gratitude firmly in our being, stretch those feelings to more things you can be grateful for. If you stick with it long enough, your mood, your day and your life can change. You will be a happier person by far than you ever thought you could be.