The Gift of Gratitude by Jacqueline Murray

Over twelve years ago when I was going through a really tough time, a friend of mine asked me “What are you grateful for in your life?” Well I was shocked and laughed. Grateful, grateful!!! I wasn’t grateful for anything. I was surviving everyday and only just. She asked me to send her five things everyday for the next two weeks of what I was grateful for in my life. I couldn’t think of anything at the time but I promised her I would. The first day she sent me a message reminding me. At the end of that day I sent her my five things. 

These were: I am grateful for my income. I am grateful for my income. I am grateful for my income. I am grateful for my income. I am grateful for my income. 

That was all I could think of. I wasn’t grateful for anything else except my income as it allowed me to provide for my family. During the two weeks I could feel a shift inside myself, a gentle stirring taking place. At the end of the two weeks she asked me to add other items. I wasn’t shocked this time. I could see what else I had to be grateful for in my life. This one ritual of daily gratitude changed my focus and perception of my world. I still do this everyday.

Gratitude touches each area of our life if we choose it. Everything in your life is a choice. How you choose to see and respond to your inner world and the world around you is up to you. No one else can do it for you. People can guide you, but ultimately you are the one to make the choice to shift and change your life. Is it time to see through the eyes of gratitude?  A starting point is acknowledging to yourself that it is time to see ALL that life offers you as a gift and see how being grateful for each experience will change your world. 

Gratitude touches us in many ways. It is the acknowledgement of these ways that touches our hearts and opens us up to the infinite possibilities that are available to us. Gratitude touches us upon the moment we stir from slumber and open our eyes to the world. The smell of the air, the feel of our body in between fresh sheets, the smell of coffee, the fresh aroma of baked bread, the smell of freshly cut lawn or the sun glistening upon the surface of the ocean. 

“When we are open to gratitude it is found in the most magical magnificent ways. Open your eyes, mind and heart to the gratitude that surrounds you and the beauty it will bring into your life if you allow it.”

There are many areas to look at in our life. Here are a few areas you can start thinking about: Yourself, Health, Finances, Career, Family/Relationships, Social, Spiritual, Fun/Hobbies, Personal Development, Community and Travel. I’m sure there is more you can add. The one that I found the most difficult was: What am I grateful for about me? I worked my way towards this one. At the time of starting my gratitude journal this one triggered me the most, as I wasn’t grateful for myself at all, who I was or what I was capable of. With perseverance, I found gratitude for myself and my gifts that I offer. 

In life sometimes we do things that we do not really enjoy or there could be an aspect that we do not enjoy and that is then what we focus on. For example in your career, there will be parts that you love to do, parts that you like and parts that you dislike. What can happen is that when life becomes unbalanced or stressed we tend to focus on what the negative aspects are and highlight this in our mind. What you focus on is what you receive more off. What happens when we are in this state is the negative that we focus on in our career starts to spill over into the other areas of our life. Our health, personal life, relationships, finances etc and then we start to see that our life is filled with crap, stress, nothing good happens to us etc. What if you focused on what you are grateful for in your career/work? Do you think it just might change your perception? 

Getting started with your Gratitude Ritual:

Gratitude Journal – get yourself a journal. Pick a journal and pen that brings you joy every time you use them.

Make time each day – allocate 5mins, 10 mins or more each day to write in your gratitude journal. It could be first thing in the morning or at the end of the day as you wind down. Write your gratitude list and read it over. Feel it in your heart.

Connect to self – before writing in your journal. Set yourself up, make a cuppa and get comfortable. Place your hands on your heart space and breathe, connect within. Allow yourself the space to stop, pause and breathe into your heart space and connect within. Connect to that space within that only you have access to. Look within and allow the magic to weave its way in and open you up to the gift of gratitude. 

Reflect – keeping a gratitude journal is a wonderful tool to use for reflection. We can read over all that we are grateful for and feel our heart expand further as we are reminded of all that we are.

“Gratitude opens our eyes to the fullness of life. It shows us that all we have is enough. Gratitude can turn the simplest of things into the most abundant of things. Gratitude gives us a sense of peace with our past, brings us peace and joy for today and gives us hope for creating a tomorrow.” 

I would love to hear if you already use the gift of gratitude or if you are just starting and would love some guidance.

You can also have a read of my other articles on the Holistic Bliss website which also give you more tools, questions and strategies.

You can also check out some love from clients I’ve worked with on my website: www.connectingwithjacqueline.com 

If you feel drawn to have a session, you can connect with me at:  connectingwithjacqueline@gmail.com

With Love and Gratitude

Jacqueline xx