Gratitude
Here's a quick question: You've got a bad cold. Do you moan and groan about your misfortune, or do you crawl into bed, grateful to be able to pull the covers back over your head and give your body the rest it's asking for?
Probably a little of both, right?
Here's a secret: the more you're able to shift into a perspective of gratitude, the easier life becomes because you move through the stressful parts more quickly.
Let's face it, it's easy to be grateful for pay raises and rainbows and new babies. But the challenge comes when life becomes trying and the natural response is to contract and become fearful.
How can I feel gratitude when it's the last thing on my mind?
Well, if you're in a really lousy place, acknowledge that you're in a really lousy place. Say, "I'm hurting right now." And pay attention to where you feel that sensation in your body.
After you've acknowledged, "What is," take a moment and:
1. Get quiet, close your eyes and breathe deeply,
2. Imagine opening your heart,
3. Invite the frustrations to leave your body
Give them a vile color as they leave and bless them
4. Think of something or some place that makes you
happy
5. Then, invite calm and peace and open space
6. Breathe in your favorite color
7. If you're still agitated, just listen to yourselfbreathe.
When you slow down and simply breathe, little miracles can and will happen. You will find yourself amazed by the fact that your heart beats of its own accord and you breathe without any direction.
Your problems won't magically disappear, but by breathing into them I suspect they'll feel less daunting. Is it possible to reframe those problems as opportunities to learn?
Here's a challenge for today: when you lay in bed tonight, before you go to sleep, review the day and think of three more things for which you are grateful. Is it the warmth of close friendships? Good health? Or a soft bed in which to sleep? Say them to yourself and notice how you feel. Repeat nightly.
I do this with my kids every night. Some nights you can hear the scraping at the bottom of the barrel as they try their hardest to eke out something positive from what they've decided was an awful day.
Think of gratitude as little sparkles that surround and infiltrate your life.
Carol Moss, LCSW, Life Coachhttp://www.CarolMoss.comSign up now for FREE e-course: "21 Days to Re-Ignite Your Inner Sparkle."
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting
More Alternative Information:
Related Articles
Taking Control of Your Health & Well-being
Taking Control of Your Health & Well-beingby Georgianna Donadio D.C.
All The GREAT Benefits You'll EXPERIENCE When You QUIT Smoking!
Within 20 minutes ???? you can expect??..
What Exactly is Alternative Therapy and How Does It Boost Your Health and Well-being?
My first yoga retreatI never wanted it to stop. It was a wonderful feeling of joy, love compassion and connection to everyone who was there with me.
Manipulate The Body And Mind With A Portable Massage Table
A portable massage table can be very essential tool. Massage therapy is a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissue and joints of the body and using a portable massage table can make giving and receiving a massage that much easier.
Illness - What Can We do About it?
Illness concerns everyone. How can we approach it? And what is the reason behind illness? Whether you need to stay well or get well, lifestyle changes are essential to help you win the fight against illness.
Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy is a massage session that takes place in a warm, comfortable and quiet area as you lie on a specially-designed table. Sometimes, soft music is played for relaxation.
Constipation Remedy Using Apples and Other Juices
Here are two constipation remedies that you can use for a mild case of constipation and for a chronic case of constipation.Apple and Pear JuiceIf you have a mild case of constipation, you can use this remedy to get results.
Gearing Up for Flu Season
Well, flu season is coming upon us quickly, and most people would love to skip getting sick this year. The biggest question is?How? Here are the easiest ways to keep yourself and loved ones free of the nastiest of colds this (and every) year.
Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief
I recommend drinking a morning smoothie if you have constipation or if you have skin problems like acne. Drinking a high fiber smoothie relieves and prevents constipation.
What Is Reiki?
Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing in which a properly attuned Reiki Practitioner serves as a conduit for Universal Life Force (or ReiKi). The Reiki practitioner opens them self up as a conduit for a semi-sentient energy summoned from a higher source to facilitate healing or correct a person's aura.
Body Work
Body Work is more than just a massage, it's a whole concept. Body work theororizes that within our anatomy, is a story of unresolved problems and past traumas -- both physical and psychological.
The Benefit of Royal Jelly
Royal Jelly is a milky substance produced by the worker bees in a beehive. Their glands give off a rich jelly, called royal jelly, which is manufactured solely in order to nourish the young larvae and sustain the queen.
Improve Your Eating Habits To Save Money On Prescriptions!
Do you like the arthritis pain relief you get from over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pills (like ibuprofen)? But do they "bother your stomach"? Take an honest assessment of your eating habits. Think about your diet before you declare the cheaper NSAIDs off-limits and switch to the more expensive coxibs like Celebrex® or Bextra®.
Health Benefits of Tea
Tea: It Does the Body GoodStudies that support the health benefits of tea drinking keep filling the headlines. There's simply no denying that a daily spot of tea does the body good.
Garlic - My Favorite Healing Herb
Garlic is a wonderful healing herb and, unlike many of the other herbs, it tastes great and can be incorporated into a variety of meals. Garlic has been used for over 5000 years as a healing herb and has strong antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
Vitamins And Minerals
It is obvious that each of our bodies is unique - there are not two human beings that are exactly the same. That is why I encourage every one to eat the best that they can and get plenty of vegetables as the first source of vitamins and minerals.
What is Hypnosis?
Before anyone experiences hypnosis and starts using it to make wonderful, beneficial changes in their life, this article is designed to perhaps to answer a few questions you may have and also to dispel a few myths and misconceptions about hypnosis.You know, I still meet people that believe that experiencing hypnosis is like being unconscious.
Healing Waters of California
Back in the late 1800's the railroad came to life. Track was laid from one end of the country to the other, creating a method of transportation that the average citizen could use to get to the west coast.
Title: Using Rhubarb for Constipation
Vegetables like fruits and their juices have healing properties because of the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals they have. For constipation, vegetables are an excellent source of minerals and fiber.
Organic Juices for Constipation
Organic fresh made juices have cleansing and laxative action, which will help you eliminate constipation. Taken regularly they will help you have daily bowel movements.