I’m going to be honest with you. Gratitude is not something I used to practice often. I remember as a child praying to God each night before I went to bed thanking Him for my day and asking him to bless those around me. It was a mindless prayer. A prayer that even though I am not a prayerful person today, I can still recite for you without a second thought. It went exactly like this.

“God, please bless Mom, Dad, Jason, Jo-Jo, grandmas and grandpas and all my friends. Amen.”

Jo-Jo was the cat I had when I was three who disappeared on Halloween night, yet he still made a nightly appearance in my prayers because I had my system and why mess with a system that worked, right?

The thing is that as I grew up and moved through adulthood, finding myself out of touch with a religion that no longer inspired me, I found myself going through the motions of everyday life without much direction or intention. My soul wasn’t radiating love and it certainly wasn’t expressing gratitude. I was taking and using every bit of love, money, and good fortune that came my way without acknowledging the wonderful gifts that the universe placed at my feet. I became a shell of a soul and not the person that I knew I was created to be.

So, you ask, what changed? What internal shift occurred that propelled me on this journey of gratitude that I feel the need to share with you today?

As a writer, I know the importance of the climatic shift. The point in a book where everything peaks and comes together producing an outcome (in most cases) with a neat and tidy ending. Unfortunately, life isn’t a book and I’m still reaching my peak, but by being mindful of how my actions make others feel and acknowledging that everything good that comes into my life is a gift, not a right, I find myself living a life of gratitude that I can be proud of.

Now, full disclosure, on the home front, I still have work to do. We take the most advantage of and lose our patience with those we love the most because we believe they’ll stand by us no matter what. While that may be true, we should be gentle, kind, and patience with our loved ones. Yet, I still find myself losing my shit too often around these people I cherish dearly and forgetting my “attitude of gratitude.”

Are You Ready to Invite Goodness and Radiate Gratitude?

I decided to write this piece because I wanted to begin a journey of gratitude that we can share together. This adventure will open our hearts and bring more love into the world around us. It will allow us to be the best version of ourselves possible.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude isn’t just a trendy, psychological mind shift that exists only in the form of cleverly worded, inspirational internet memes, self-help books, and urban yoga classes. It is an actionable concept that can lead to better health, better living, and better creative flow.

Be thankful for the people who happen across your path every day. Be patient and considerate with yourself and others. And, most importantly, always be open to what possibilities lie before you.

Namaste.