Gratitude and the
Power of Thought
"None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude.
Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves,
and spend without fear of bankruptcy."
-Fred DeWitt VanAmburgh
I’ve learned that the more I focus on what I am grateful for, the more good things I attract into my life. So, as 2009 comes to a close, I reflect on several things I am grateful for:
- My health and the health of those I love.
- My family: my marriage of 28 years to the same man, who is just as wonderful as the day I met him; our daughter, who graduated from college in May and has grown into a beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful and generous young woman; our two wonderful pets, who represent pure unconditional love; parents who have loved us unconditionally and now are in a place to receive assistance from us as they age gracefully.
- My wonderful church family and my relationship to a gracious and loving God.
- Meaningful work – I am compensated well for doing what I love. I feel appreciated for my contributions, which make a positive difference in the lives of others.
- My friends are people who lift me up and whom I aspire to be like; I have minimized contact with those who pull me down.
- Our beautiful planet and the places I have visited this year: Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Hawaii, San Diego, Scottsdale, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, New York City, south Florida, and several places within my own state of Washington.
This is a great time of year to celebrate your achievements and be grateful for your accomplishments, experiences, and learnings over the past 12 months.
Even if some things did not go as you had hoped or planned, there is often a hidden gift. For example, I recently learned that a friend of mine had bought four expensive non-refundable airline tickets to move her family from Zimbabwe to New York City. Because the US Embassy had made a clerical error on the visa for one of her kids, she and her family were denied boarding on the flight and their tickets went to waste. The travel date was in August of 2001. My friend's grief over her missed opportunity turned to gratitude when she learned a month later that the unimaginable had happened in New York City on 9/11/01.
Someone recently emailed me a story that exemplifies the incredible effect that attitude plays in our lives. Click here to read this powerful story.
Below you'lll find questions designed to assist you in celebrating your wins for 2009 and clarifying your intentions for 2010. Take some quiet time between now and the end of the year to reflect on these questions. You can copy and paste them into a document so you have room to type or write your responses.
Gratitude for 2009
“All that we are is a result of what we have thought.”
- Buddha
It's so easy to forget all that one has accomplished. Celebrating wins from the past year is an important part of moving forward. As you answer these questions, think of this as rocket booster fuel that will help propel you into the coming year. Now is the time to acknowledge the many small and large wins you've forgotten you had over the past year.
- What was the overall theme for you? In other words, if someone were to make a movie about your life over the past year, what would the title be?
- What were your three biggest wins this year?
- What were the top three lessons you learned this year?
- What one personal quality did you most develop this year? (For example: patience, courage, integrity, humor, etc.)
- What are you most grateful for right now?
What You'll Attract in 2010
“Imagination is everything. It is the
preview of life’s coming attractions.”
-Albert Einstein
As you set intentions for 2010, use these guidelines:
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Phrase your choices in the NOW, as though you’ve already achieved it.
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Phrase your choices in the POSITIVE. Focus on the solution rather on what you don’t want. The mind doesn’t translate words of negation, such as not, don’t, or stop, because it thinks in pictures. If you set a goal that "I will quit smoking," it's hard for your mind to see a picture of NOT smoking. If you set a goal that "I allow myself to be a nonsmoker,” you can picture being a nonsmoker, as that’s something you can see -- other people who aren’t smoking. Create goals or make choices that the mind can visualize.
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Eliminate the word “WANT.” Would you rather want the perfect relationship, or would you rather have the perfect relationship? Would you rather want good health, or would you rather have good health? “Want” equates with deprivation, so avoid putting the feeling of lack in your goal or choice statements.
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- What are your top three priorities for the coming year? What's most important to you and why is it so important? (The WHY provides energy and motivation to help you accomplish your goals.)
- What will support you in attracting what you desire in the coming year?
- Imagine that things are already the way you'd like them to be and write down the results you expect in each of the following areas - in specific and measurable terms, beginning each statement with I AM or WE ARE.
- health & wellness
- relationships
- prosperity (finances, career)
- personal growth
- contribution / making a difference
- recreation
Health & Wellness Example: I am enjoying living at my perfect body weight of 130 pounds and I love the way I look and feel in my new size 7 clothes.
- What will it cost you to not follow through with your intentions?
Health & Wellness Example: I will have low energy and my self-esteem will remain lower. My blood pressure will remain elevated and I will be limited in the kinds of activities I can participate in.
- What action will you consistently take in order to attract what you choose in each of these areas?
- health & wellness
- relationships
- prosperity (finances, career)
- personal growth
- contribution / making a difference
- recreation
Health & Wellness Example: I am doing 30 minutes of cardio exercise six times a week and I am working out with my personal trainer at the gym three times a week. I am choosing my foods and beverages according to the plan designed for my body type. I am monitoring everything I eat by writing it down.
- What requests will you make of family and friends who can support your efforts?
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Consider sharing this process with your spouse or significant other. It serves as a great way to connect and plan for the future together.
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- Set your priorities and focus on what matters most (do this and you'll be amazed at how fast you can start crossing things off your to-do list).
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- Relax and enjoy a less cluttered environment.
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