GirlsGuideTo | Gratitude: The Key to Abundance

As we begin to approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded to express gratitude and appreciation for all that we have. Many of us reserve our gratitude for the “good ol’ times”- the moments when something especially good happens and everything is going well. But gratitude is not meant to be locked away for special occasions. Gratitude is finding value in all circumstances and maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving beyond the holiday season.

If you’re searching for more joy and abundance in your life, you have to start being grateful now! When we learn to practice gratitude on a daily basis, we begin to recognize what’s valuable to us and appreciation some of the “hidden blessings” that are often taken for granted: good health, family, a home, a job, a meal. This doesn’t mean that you have to be complacent with what you have, but if you commit yourself to practicing gratitude on a daily basis, you’ll soon begin to see how a simple shift in perception can help shape your world and add abundance to your life. According to best-selling author and life coach Mike Robbins, “Gratitude not only makes us feel good, it’s also one of the greatest attractors of abundance, love, peace, success, health, connection and more. The more we focus on what we already have, the wonderful aspects of our lives and what we appreciate, the more we end up having to be grateful for.” Practicing Gratitude Being thankful is a conscious decision. Instead of dwelling on what you lack, focus on what you do have. Dr. Robert Holden, author of the best-selling book Happiness Now, suggests: “To get started, say out loud 10 things you are truly grateful for. Notice what this feels like to hear yourself say it. Are you having fun? Does it feel silly? The gift of gratitude is that it helps you to enjoy your life as it happens, here and now.” An important part of practicing gratitude is maintaining a positive attitude. Eliminate any aspects of animosity, sarcasm, and self-loathing. In other words, instead of thinking or saying to yourself, “I hate my job, but I am grateful for having one,” ditch the “negative Nancy” talk and focus on the fact that, you have a job! There are so many qualified individuals who are still searching for jobs as a result of the layoffs from the recent recession. Flipping burgers and organizing clothing racks may not be your dream job, but at least you have one. "A grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things." -Plato There will be times in your life when you find it difficult to be thankful. There will be days when it feels like the world around you is crumbling before your eyes. But if you learn to maintain an attitude of hopefulness, secure in the understanding that “this too shall pass,” you will begin to attract more reasons to be grateful. This understanding is the key to a more abundant life.

About the Author:

A former youth counselor with a background in public speaking, Yamarie Negron is now a freelance writer specializing in topics relevant to self-awareness. Throughout high school and college, Yamarie was actively involved with youth outreach and community service programs, to which she credits her desire to help and encourage others.

Aside from being a writer and Internet Advertising Associate for a successful corporation, Yamarie also contributes articles to Hollypinafore.org- A female network dedicated to the empowerment of women.

"Writing and encouraging others has been therapeutic for me throughout some of the darker moments in my life- A way to become motivated and provide support to others," says Yamarie, who believes the key to a successful, positive, more in tuned lifestyle is self-love.