Gratitude: the Legal Tender of the Universe

Show gratitude every day.Be grateful for all you have now.Be grateful for just today.What?Gratitude runs the abundance of the Universe. However, very few know how to live in it and use it. We hear platitudes about gratitude. But what is it really?Gratitude goes far beyond the ability to be thankful or appreciate things, yet, we know very little about how to really experience it or practice it.The dictionary defines gratitude as the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful. Isn’t that silly? It still tells you nothing about how to express it or feel it. And that is the point: gratitude is the legal tender of the Universe and yet, few no how to use it and exchange.How do we use it? How do we tap into it? Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling. And the mystery with it is that it is one of those things that you have to experience to do and do as a feeling. With gratitude your life becomes magical and fulfilled. Its inherent power is held by those that practice it. Yet, most people today still don’t know its magical powers because to experience them, you have to have it! It is the most magnificent metaphysical conundrum around! Yes, it is more than simply saying, “Thank you.”Gratitude is a celebration of the present. It magnifies good feelings. With gratitude, things and people are acknowledged for their immediate presence and their value and what they mean to us. It also brings us into the moment making us an active participant in our life.Gratitude can also detoxify negative feelings, and emotions. Anger, resentment, jealousy, and regret are unhealthy feelings to hang on to and they block happiness. Being thankful is a negative emotion antidote because it is incompatible with feelings such as resentment.Gratitude is powerful stuff.Gratitude makes us more resilient under stress. Thankful people bounce back more readily after facing a trauma or adverse situation. Having gratitude seems to grant people a perspective on life that is primarily optimistic.Gratitude increases self-esteem, or sense of worth. It helps you feel valued to remember what other people have helped you with or given you. It brings to mind how connected all of us are, and people feel better about themselves knowing they a part of something. Showing thanks also reminds us of the times we have given to others, and giving boosts our self-esteem.Gratitude helps us let go of thinking we can control life. Being grateful means we have things to be thankful for, despite what our environment or situation is. Many people discover, through gratitude, they receive more than they think they deserve.An easy way to cultivate gratitude is to keep a journal. You can list five things you are thankful for once a week, or you can write daily with more detail about your thoughts and feelings.Writing down your blessings will teach you the habit of gratitude that promotes good health, happiness, and better relationships.