Gratitude: The Secret Gem

“Gratitude is a fullness of heart that moves you from limitation and fear to expansion and love.” Deepak Copra

Gratitude is one of those words that fills your heart with pure joy and peace.  For the most part it has had a religious association but science is now starting to see the benefits of gratitude on health, happiness and prosperity. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude helps to develop a deeper connection to our soul and is an integral virtue for spiritual development.

People who express gratitude are more inclined to be happier, be more empathetic and compassionate.  These virtues go hand in hand.  When we are grateful for what we have we feel a deep connection to others when they are in pain.  Showing gratitude helps us to accept what is and opens the doorway for abundance to enter.

Gratitude creates abundance by shifting our thinking away from what doesn’t work in our life to what is working. It is how we learn to receive what we truly are entitled to.  Abundance is manifested when we believe that we are worthy and we can see with clarity our current blessings.

Oprah Winfrey the most successful woman in the world has written a gratitude list everyday for the majority of her career.  Is she grateful because of her success or is she successful because she is grateful?  My money is on gratitude being the secret little gem.

Robert Emmons an expert on the study of gratitude in his article Five Myths about Gratitude defines gratitude as,  ” A specific way of thinking about receiving a benefit and giving credit to others beside oneself for that benefit. In fact, gratitude can be very difficult because it requires that you recognize your dependence on others, and that’s not always positive. You have to humble yourself, in the sense that you have to become a good receiver of others’ support and generosity. That can be very hard—most people are better givers than receivers.”

He makes a valid point.  Gratitude is not a form of positive thinking it creates a shift in you that says I accept help, I am okay with giving compliments, I have humility.  For all the martyrs out there this can be difficult.

Three ways to include Gratitude into your daily life:

1.  Each day take a moment to reflect on how incredible life is.  Look at your body, feel your skin, watch a sunset, take a walk in nature, be in awe over the miracle of birth, Smile at a child, belly laugh, feel the deep love you have for your special someone, think about what makes your soul sing.  Be in awe about how incredibly lucky you are for all of this.  Breathe out gratitude.
2. One of the simplest ways to live gratitude is to write one thing that you are grateful for every night. Trust me when I say this… it won’t be long before there are two things to write and so on.
3. Another way to show gratitude is to give back to the less fortunate.  If you are grateful for the food that you eat, share it.  If you are grateful for the love that you get from your children, give that love back to your parents or someone else’s parents.

I have seen gratitude work its miracles… it’s a secret little gem.  Invite the powerful, transformative and healing benefits of gratitude to grace your life.

Love and light and all things nice, KR x

Simply Being Present

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

In today’s society people are generally busy, stressed and overwhelmed.  This constant busyness leaves little room to simply be present or little time for relaxation.  It creates a shift away from gratitude, where life’s little blessings are held. Stillness is important for general health and wellbeing.

Boredom is healthy.  Boredom gives our mind a chance to breathe, it brings our body and soul that much-needed sigh of relief.  Creativity flourishes where boredom lives.  Always being busy hushes the deep voice inside your soul that is screaming to express itself but can’t be heard above the busyness that exists.  Sadly in this technological age, boredom seems to be a thing of the past.    Have we forgotten the sacred act of just being?

Have you been longing to feel a deeper connection to life?  To have more gratitude? To simply be more present?

Here’s 5 tips to help you to live in the moment:

1. Spend time in nature: Take a moment to spend some delicious time in nature.  Connect with its exquisite beauty and peacefulness,  watch as you begin to feel alive after a few minutes.  When you are alone in nature you understand your connection with all of life and you realise how noisy life can be.
2. Abdominal Breathing:  Abdominal breathing is the most natural form of breathing.  Abdominal breathing increases oxygen in the bloodstream, increasing feelings of relaxation in the body.  When doing abdominal breathing be conscious of the stillness between each breath, this is where you will feel the pure love that radiates in us all, where peace exists.
   

   Photo courtesy of http://www.normalbreathing.com

3. Try meditation, Yoga or Tai Chi:   Meditation, Yoga or Tai Chi are useful tools to incorporate in your life if you are trying to appreciate each moment.  They allow you to be truly present, they help to reduce the mental mind chatter that seems to be always present and encourages deep clarity and patience.
4. Awareness – Become aware of your feelings…  Are you tired?  Stressed ?  Be conscious of your emotions, feel them… express them.  You don’t need to label them or even understand them you just need to be aware.
5. Make peace with the past – When you live in the past you are missing out on the peace and love that may exist in the present moment. Seek comfort in the fact that the past is just a memory now.

A mind that is living in the present moment is free from the pain of the past or the worries of the future.  When you start to live wholeheartedly in each moment you can really begin to appreciate the blessings that are unfolding in life in any given moment.

Right now I am choosing to live in this present moment, because in this moment my children are at school and soon the will be home from school and there will be chaos.  I think I might just stay in this happy place for the time being, for now this moment is all that exists.

Love and light and all things nice!

Kylie Riordan xxx