Gratitude

Gratitude is something that I have not always practiced, yet have at the same time. I fully appreciate the ridiculousness of that opening sentence. Like everything in life, gratitude is a practice, and sometimes we fall off the mark. I have always expressed thanks to people, sometimes I should do it more like when someone tells me something I already know. I should just say thank you instead of coping an attitude like they are insulting my intelligence. It's a big situation defuser.

When I first lived in France in early 2000s, I said thank you in French as much as possible– you say whatever words you know in the language as much as you can. It helped. People commented on how polite I was (if they only knew I was raise like a stray dog...). Please and thank you should be in everyone's automatic social decorum. Not that this is a social prescription guide, but a little civility and acknowledgment of the service from your fellow human being (and that they actually exist and just did something for you!) goes a long way. These little efforts have really helped me out.

I have been working another form of gratitude the past few months. It's actually something I've pick up from Tony Robbins which he calls 'priming'. It's a form of meditation. I thought I'd try it. So far I like the idea and the results. It really helps put you in a better, more positive mindset. I've incorporated it in my morning routine. It's coupled with a visualization process that's also linked to goal setting and achievement.

The exercise is about visualizing a moment in your life, big or small, that you can be really grateful for. Then, you relive or recall those positive and exciting feelings and really feel them. It helps if you put your hand on your heart. The physical connection with your heart is very powerful. (We even did this in acting class in L.A.– very effective). Back to the exercise, for a minute each, you do this for three different moments in your life. I also like doing a fourth one, a bonus one, of being grateful of a coincidence in your life where you were guided to it. It's a phenomenal way of thinking how the universe is guiding you and that life is happening for you and not to you. It's trusting that even perceived bad things are even good for you. That there is a silver lining.... This is also inline with Taoist and Buddhist philosophies. Nothing is good or bad. Accept it. Move on. There are other parts to the exercise, and the most notable one is the visualization of three goals and seeing them as done and feeling the results. I highly recommend watching the video and trying it on. That's all we can do– be open to trying on new things, acquire new tools, and see what works for that situation.

One thing for sure, and this is widely accepted, is that it is impossible to be negative if you are grateful. So if you are ever in a funk, think of something you are grateful for. Close your eyes, put your feet on the ground and your hand on your heart, and think of a moment you are truly grateful for and feel the excitement of that moment. It's a quick fix to shifting your (mental) energy to more positive.

Thank you.

Thank you for reading my post and thank you for being in this with me.

Sending you positive energy.

Best wishes.