3 Ways Gratitude Can Change Your Life

It’s that time of year. Thanksgiving is approaching, and in addition to busying ourselves with planning (or anticipating) the big feast, many of us are itemizing the things in life for which we are grateful. Beyond our friends and family, our health and the various and sundry material possessions, however, consider being grateful for the present moment… and for gratitude. More than any other emotion, gratitude can change your life!

1. Letting Forgiveness Flourish

When you’re grateful for your life as it is and not afraid to show it (you can’t walk around complaining and expect to see a result), an amazing thing happens. You can look back on situations that may not have gone as you’d have liked, or people who have hurt you, and find forgiveness, which is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. By letting forgiveness flow freely into your heart – because you know and appreciate the fact that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be at this very moment – you open yourself up to a whole new world of possibilities.

2. Mastering Manifestation

On that note, gratitude is the first step in creating personal prosperity in the future. One surefire way to help bring something you want into your life – a relationship, a situation, a job, more money – is to give genuine thanks for the things you have now. If you’re not happy with your life as it is on a broad spectrum, odds are that there’s still plenty to be grateful for. Even if it’s the wisdom to see your shortcomings clearly and the ability to do something about them, take the time to smell the roses in your current garden… it will only help you to nourish next year’s crop, to be even more bountiful and beautiful.

3. Finding the Power Within

Finally, it’s important to remember that happiness is not some external state that comes via accumulation of goodies or finding your “perfect” partner. It’s a force that bubbles up and resonates from within. When you appreciate where you are in this very moment – not just where you’ve been, what you’ve already achieved, or where you want to go – you’re sending signals to the universe (and to everyone you meet) that you are a positive person. Whether you achieve this via yoga, meditation, self-exploration via the Tarot, any other source or some combination of methods (which is most likely), there’s a universal truth involved in cultivating appreciation (of yourself and your life). Like attracts like. The more content and grateful you are for what you have, the more good will come you way. And that includes people who express their gratitude for having you!