What Do You Have to Be Grateful For?

Whether it’s a holiday season, or just another miserable day in your life, it might be really hard to find things to be grateful for, especially when times are everything other than the way you would like them to be.

There is a reason.

The first step in ‘attitude gratitude’ is to realize that you are reading this over the Internet. That places you among the wealthiest percentages of people that populate planet Earth.

There are people living in tents, and sleep on a blanket over mud. I know, because I personally saw this in the Middle East a few years ago.

Your family relations might be strained (to put it politely) and/or you may be having challenges of all varieties that seem to infiltrate your life, when all you really want is some peace of mind, and people in your life that love you, care about you, and that you can count on. Don’t we all?

The ‘reason’ I mentioned above is to re-structure how you VIEW what is going on in your life, so that you can truly see that there are, in fact, Higher reasons for anything and everything that is happening to you in your life. That reason is to get you to pull yourself up from within, to find much needed compassion – first for yourself, and then for those that seem to grate on your every last nerve.

Then, it’s time to really take an inventory of all you DO have, that you may really take for granted. Perhaps you have two legs and two arms. There are many that do not! Perhaps you have a “failed” relationship. Please realize that ANY relationship enters our life so we can grow. Growth is sometimes painful, however, the pain DOES pass.

Perhaps a tragedy has struck your family. There is a higher reason, and that is to get you to find a new way, over time, to create a positive change, cure, remedy, solution, law, cause, campaign – no matter what it is – it happened so that there CAN be a positive outcome for the many others that could be in the same situation, and/or to prevent it from happening again for countless other people.

Pain lessens in small degrees over time when positive focus and ACTION are taken to move you to the other side of the event that you may feel grief over.

Happiness, on the other hand, can NEVER be obtained “from the outside in.” It can ONLY come from within your mind, and how you view the situation at hand.

It is not money, or people, or events that bring us happiness, it is our BEING and expressing all that we are that CREATES our happiness, from the inside out.

No matter what your situation, you can find a way to view it from a higher perspective. You can look back on certain events in your life and see that the growth and learning was worth the suffering. However, suffering is NOT a pre-requisite to true inner happiness. The only prerequisite is your perception and view of the events.

I read a saying a while back: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right!”

When life, or one area of your life, has you at the bottom of the proverbial barrel, take an enormous look at the power of your mind. You can create a new way just by deciding to do so. Your conviction to transform anything in your life CAN be done with conscious attention, focus, determination, conviction, and perseverance.

It is often said that the most accomplished people had to undergo vastly great hardships. It is my firm belief that true “accomplishment” is when you view yourself with genuine love, full acceptance, appreciation and value. Furthermore, it would do you a world of good to view those that are on your sh** list with great compassion. They are acting out because they have not yet reached a level of growth and Self-realization to love Self enough, and so they act out on innocent targets. This of course, has nothing to do with YOU – it is all about their own perceptions!

Above all else, remember that you do have Divine assistance at all times. ASK for what you are requesting, and EXPECT to receive new clarity, inner guidance, direction, and support. Live with more trust and less fear. Live with more belief and less doubt – especially in yourself. No matter what anybody tells you – you ARE worthy, lovable, and quite admirable. THAT is what you must be grateful for – it is for who you are, and the true difference you are making. Even if you volunteer to feed the ducks outside – you are making a difference.

Now, look within and take a solid inventory of every quality asset you have: Every ability, talent, strength, and natural gift. Take that list, and bring it to the outside in your actions. CREATE the changes you would like to see in your life – simply by being all that you are.

There is so much to be grateful for. Did you ask: “What?” I’ll tell you. Be grateful for you, because this world needs you, and only you can make the difference you came into this life to make in your own unique way. It all begins in your heart. That, combined with your mind are the most valuable assets you can ever have – because you can create profound changes just by giving a smile. You are THAT powerful. Never take yourself for granted, and always follow your truth. You will then be grateful for being all that you are, and as a result, this world will be much better because of the difference you came here to make. Thank YOURSELF for being you.

© Copyright 2004 By Barbara Rose. All Rights Reserved.