Attracting and creating positive things in life can be as easy as counting your blessings each day. You create your own reality. Our thoughts = creation. If our thoughts are attached to emotion (either good or bad) that speeds up creation.

Gratitude means thankfulness, noticing simple pleasures and acknowledging everything that you receive.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more,” said Melody Beattie. “It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

Embracing the power of gratitude in your life can help shift the focus from what you are lacking to the abundance that already exists in the present moment. We spend this time of year acknowledging all that we are thankful for, but why limit it to a single season?

Behavioral and psychological studies have shown that gratitude can increase happiness by 25%. Giving thanks makes people more resilient, strengthens relationships, improves mood, health and even reduces stress.

Psychologists, Michael McCollough and Robert Emmons conducted an experiment on gratitude and its impact on well-being. In the study there were three groups. Group one was told to keep a diary of all events that occurred during the day without any further instruction. Group two was told to only document unpleasant experiences and the last group was instructed to make a list each day of all the things they were grateful for. Results showed that those who practiced daily gratitude exercises had higher levels of enthusiasm, determination, energy and optimism. This group also experienced less depression and stress, was more likely to help others, exercised regularly and made more progress in achieving personal goals.

When was the last time you sat and thought about all the great things in your life? Big or small? There are simple ways to do this each day and it will only take a few minutes.

Dr. Emmons said, “To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings.”

Start an appreciation or gratitude journal and write in it for 5 minutes at the end of your day. By listing all the positives in your life you will become more mindful of them. There are even apps and websites that you can use to create a journal online. Even if you don’t do it each day, make a commitment once or twice a week to reflect on the present moment.

Another way to practice gratitude, is telling someone what he or she bring to your life. Write them a letter, stop by their work or even send a simple text message. Tell them how they enrich your life by being a part of it. This will not only make their day, but it will also help you to find greater happiness in your own life.

Once you embrace a mindset of gratitude, you will find that you appreciate the simple joys in life. You will find yourself attracting more positive people and experiences. Gratitude should not be seasonal or a reaction to getting something you want, but instead a year-round thankful attitude.

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© 2012 Inspired Living, LLC

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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv

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