Monthly Archives: April 2010

Gratitude Experiment: Day 69

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In a recent talk, Agape’s Rev. Michael Beckwith expressed the concept of letting go of what no longer serves us.  In this regard, he was observing that many of us have “pet peeves” which are actually more harmful than you think, and it might be time to to let go them. 

He said that many of us actually “love to hate something.”  That we get some sort of satisfaction and thrill out of our pet peeves that becomes almost an addictive “high” when we engage in them.  Therefore people with pet peeves tend to engage in thinking about them A LOT and even expecting that which they hate to occur.  “You see, I told you she would do that…ohhhh, that really gets my goat.  I hate that when she does that.”  Etc., etc. 

He followed this by expressing the idea that “the Universe doesn’t know the difference between what you love and what you hate, it only knows what you’re interested in.”  A statement often restated in one way or another by many New Thought/ancient wisdom leaders…because it is so true.

The Universe only knows what’s got your attention and what you’re emotionally caught up in.  The Universe “reads” the tone of your vibration and reflects back into your world more of the same.  This is why it may seem as if you are revisiting the same painful experience over and over again.  This is why complaining can have such a negative impact on our lives.

As practitioners of proactive gratitude, we can use this wisdom to remind us that when we are engaged in noticing and celebrating and documenting those things for which we are grateful, we are actively engaging in what we love.  We are actively vibrating with the energy of love, which the Universe “hears” and reflects back to us. 

So lets spend more time getting “emotionally caught up” in the energy of what is so wonderful about our lives. Let’s be really interested in the good that is all around us and the best in people.  Let’s allow ourselves to really enjoy the good and vibrate with the energy of love.  And then, let’s notice how, day by day, there is more and more to be thankful for.

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I am grateful that my children made it through their overnight camp successfully without even one call home.

I am grateful for the lush, lavish abundance reflected in the trillions of leaves on the millions of trees all around me.

I am grateful for the successful financial negotiations which are almost now complete.

I am grateful for the new skin product that miraculously cleared up my irritated skin.

I am grateful for the support and camaraderie of my “moms night out” group of fabulous women.

I am grateful for being introduced to an accupunturist and the miraculous work it is doing.  I feel great!

Gratitude Experiment: Day 68

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Evidence.  It’s what we human beings need in order to believe something.  We analytical beings require solid, prove-it-to-me evidence before we can fully accept something as true.  We can have faith, and many of us go on faith, but faith can be shaken and needs constant boosting in order to remain viable.  For example, in order to keep our faith in God, something we cannot unequivocally prove, we must continually attend religious services, read religious or inspirational material and perhaps be active in a study or support group.  Some of us need more factual evidence than others of course.

I believe in a Divine Power and a Presence that creates, guides and governs the universe and creates, guides and governs my life.  I believe we live in a friendly universe that constantly supports our highest good and our experience of joy.  It’s my faith. But how is this faith supported by evidence?   Have you guessed by now?  By the practice of…gratitude.

Practicing proactive gratitude daily builds evidence that I am cared for, that I am blessed, that I am loved.  I have evidence every day the Divine is present in my environment and that the universe is conspiring to support my experience of love and joy.  This evidence has, for me, done more than any other practice to support my faith.  For me now, it is not faith, it’s a fact.  When I look at the lists of gratitudes that I have written down in my journal and on this blog over the last few months, I see my proof right in front of my eyes. 

That’s why an essential element in the practice of proactive gratitude is to write your gratitudes down every day.  You are building evidence…in black and white.  It’s what your analytical mind wants…it’s what it needs to be convinced that you are blessed.  And, it is what it needs to be convinced that you will continue to be blessed and that more is on the way!  So, write them down…daily…either in your journal or here on this blog under the “comment” section.  Soon, you will have built the evidence your mind requires, and you will walk forward into your day, into your world, with the knowledge that you are loved and all is well!

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I am so grateful for the beauty of new, bright green leaves springing out in abundance of the trees all around me.

I am grateful for continued blessings in my efforts to become debt-free.

I am grateful for the closer bond my daughter and I forged these last few weeks.

I am grateful for my big protector dog who always on the job.

I am grateful for the successes this week in my business.

I am grateful for my husband’s work and how it fulfills him.

Gratitude Experiment: Day 67

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A friend of mine, Betsy, sent me a few of her gratitude quotes which she has hanging in the appropriate places around her house.  She is married with two children, one of which has not been the easiest to raise. (I think she’d say that is quite the understatement.)  Betsy’s a positive, loving and caring woman who bubbles over with life.  I’m wondering if quotes like these that she lives by have anything to do with her enthusiastic nature.

This one hangs over her kitchen sink:

Without these dirty dishes to wash I wouldn’t have hungry mouths to feed. I wouldn’t have the hands to hold and the people to love. Thank You Dishes!

This one hangs in the laundry room:

Dirty laundry reminds me that someone has worked, someone has played, someone has eaten, someone has slept, enjoyed their day just as they will tomorrow, if someone like me takes care of what they wear.

Reading these quotes are helping me shift my grumbly attitude about cleaning up messes and doing the laundry….the later I’ve disliked with a passion.  I’m going to think differently about it.  I’m going to look at each piece of kid clothing as I’m putting it in the washer or folding it and try to remember the fun she had in it that day.   I want to feel grateful for the fact that I have children.  And when I cook for my family, rather than thinking, ugh…another meal I have to prepare…who’s going to complain about which part of it?  No, rather than this, I want to begin to be grateful that I have a family to cook for.  Perhaps my attitude will spill over to my family who might begin to feel grateful that someone is preparing yet another meal for them.

If I can do this, I’ll have come a long way to transforming my day-to-day attitude and the energy I’m putting out into the universe. 

I once said to my husband who was complaining about stepping on little toy pieces on the steps, “You know honey, one of these day…and it will be sooner than you know…you’re going to miss seeing and stepping on those little toy pieces, because your children will be grown up and gone.  And you will miss them and the time you had with them when they were little.  So try to enjoy it while it’s here.”

I need to take my own advice.

Thanks Betsy.