Yesterday, many Canadians, including myself, celebrated Thanksgiving Day. This special day originated in the year 1879 as a way to ‘give thanks’ and to celebrate the harvest and additional blessings that the year had brought to date.
While I love Thanksgiving Day; a time to relax and gain an extended weekend, an occasion to eat an overindulgent, guilt-free feast, and time to spend numerous hours with loved ones, Thanksgiving Day should ultimately be Thanksgiving Year.
It is simple to slow down long enough to give thanks for one day, but did you know that it’s equally possible to make this effort all year long? Did you also know that the gift of gratitude is one of the most powerful tools in your manifesting toolkit?
What do I mean by the gift of gratitude? The gift comes when you begin to give thanks for everything around you – the beauty of raindrops falling down a window sill, the sound of birds chirping, the sweet words spoken to you by your loved ones, the yummy taste of a special treat, an argument you have which brings you an important lesson, watching an elderly couple hold hands, witnessing someone help a stranger, the laughter of a baby, the awesome feel of the cool side of the bed, your child or student experiencing success, the Jays winning big, or dinner already being prepared once you have arrived home.
You name it.
No matter how big or trivial the situation may seem, there is a gift in giving it thanks.
The gift arrives when you give thanks so often and to so many things, that your energy and vibration shifts. When your energy and vibration shifts, you move away from focusing on the negative and you open yourself to receiving more good from the Universe. In fact, you allow yourself to receive good.
Giving thanks is like giving the Universe permission to give you more things to be thankful for. Positive vibrations attract positive things.
Trust me; it’s a universal law 😉
Practising the gift of gratitude is as simple as celebrating Thanksgiving Day (well, minus the preparation of turkey and the clean-up anyway). Try spending one week writing a gratitude journal and notice the way your experiences begin to transform all around you.
A gratitude journal can be as simple as listing 5 things you are grateful for each day. Remember – you can be grateful for just about ANYTHING!
I love to work on my gratitude journal just before heading off to sleep, especially when I feel that I have had a challenging day. My journal reminds me that despite those challenges, I still have so many great things to be thankful for in my life. Bedtime is also ideal for journaling because it completes your day in a positive way and sets the intention for a restful and enjoyable sleep.
Children can begin learning about the gift of gratitude too!! It’s a wonderful way to embed positive vibrations that become a natural source of thinking as they grow and meet challenges along the way. Please see: “An Attitude For Gratitude,” in the lesson plan section of New Age Teacher: http://www.newageteacher.com/an-attitude-for-gratitude/ – it’s a great way for you to introduce the gift of thanks to your special little ones.
As I leave you tonight, I share with you, my entry for tonight’s gratitude journal and I hope that the gift of gratitude will be with you too.
- I am grateful for the delicious and healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner that I ate today which provided me with the nourishment and energy I needed to sustain a long day.
- I am thankful for the big win the Blue Jays had yesterday and giving me some breathing space with a few insurance runs 😉
- I am grateful for the warm, tasty coffee that Tim Horton’s provided me this morning (after a long weekend) that always gives me a sense of comfort and routine.
- I am grateful for my amazing colleagues who smile and bring joy to even the shortest breaks we may take.
- I am grateful for the time I got to spend with my loved ones over the long weekend. I’m thankful for the unbelievable meal that was provided, a special letter that I received and the laughs and joys shared between us.
- I am grateful for my students participating in a gratitude circle during community on Friday. I am thankful that they contributed such thoughtful responses.
- I am grateful for YOU! Thank you from the bottom of my heart New Age Teacher supporters. I am so thankful that I get to write to you each week and I am even more thankful when you share in the conversation. Please know that I appreciate you.
Happy Thanksgiving Year my friends.
Now, what are YOU grateful for?
