"No matter how bad things are in your life there
is always something good you can thank God for..."
~ Rick Warren

My first exposure to the concept of gratitude came several years ago when Oprah shared her experiences of applying gratitude to her life by using a gratitude journal. She shared the positive impact that writing down all that she was grateful for each day had in her life day. I have always been a glass half full person, and being grateful came naturally to me, so I didn't feel the need to actually keep a journal, but I did make a greater effort to set aside time each day to focus on all in my life I had to be thankful for.

As I became more enlightened about the Law of Attraction and the mind/body connection, and studied the philosophy of spiritual teachers like Dr. Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle , proponents of the positive impact of living a life of gratitude, I began to recognize the power of living in gratitude. So in addition to spending time focused on the blessings that already existed in my life, I began to pray with gratitude as well. I assumed that if what I desired in my life (for example good health, a sense of purpose, loving friends and family) was positive in nature and would not harm or hurt another, then that is something that God would also want for me. And so instead of asking God for good health, inspiration, or abundance...I started to pray with gratitude - and began to thank God for those things.

I've been living a life of gratitude for two years now and the impact it has had is profound. I've been through some challening times, including loss of a loved one, health challenges, and relationship difficulties, but I have been able to navigate through those time with a bright attitude and optimistic spirit. I believe this is because I have been able to create a pattern of gratitude that enables me to find the good in all circumstances (a problem no longer turns into a "why me," but rather is viewed as an opportunity for growth and enlightenment).

I recognized the impact this shift in perspective has created in my life earlier this week when I had to have a root canal done. I've had a bad experience with this procedure in the past so I was anxious about having it done...and then during the procedure there were a number of complications. When I was leaving the dentist's office I realized what a different experience this was from the last time. Both were difficult and challenging, but this time gratiude and positive expectation came to me so naturally I left feeling great. Never once during the two hour procedure when things were not going as they should did I start the pity party, the "why me" or "why is this happening?" I was able to easily keep my focus on the positive of the situation (yes, I really was able to find a positive aspect to what was going on!) and more importantly found great peace in prayer - no, not praying for God to get me through the experience, but using gratitude prayer to thank God for giving me strength and peace to get through it, as well as for the positive outcome that I knew was ahead.

If you don't believe that such a simple change in attitude can have such a profound impact, give gratiude living and praying a try...I have no doubt you will be thankful you did!!! ~ Andrea :-)