An Attitude of Gratitude

The real test is being grateful when you get a load of crap, even more so if you were already in a crappy situation. I always try to be grateful as you never what will grow from it on the long term, at least lots of fertilizer for them seeds, creativity helps to find use for such things, makes it somewhat easier to be grateful whatever may come your way.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. -Melody Beattie

I am Grateful that I had an opportunity this morning to help someone in their job search. I saw a post on another web site this morning from a student looking for job search advice. I was able to add my comments to the list, about a job posting I saw yesterday, and hopefully can help her find employment. THANK YOU!

I am Grateful for hot showers... and for that matter, running water. I traveled once to a place where there was neither, it's not as pleasant. THANK YOU!

I'm grateful that I can be on this forum again, for what's it worth.

for everything i have

for everything i have had

for everything i will have

thank you!

I am Grateful that I understand that we are all a part of the same Spirit, and that this understanding now always moves me towards building bridges, peace and unity with others. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

I am Grateful that I am cautious to never develop an attitude of arrogance or hubris in any way. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

Let's see. when I see the pervasive threat to those I love, personal and flora and fauna and beautiful intricate life being stomped crushed callously into the ground, about which I can do nothing to protect beyond what I ineffectually have,
I am grateful for all that hasn't been desecrated yet.

Call it anticipatory grief for all I am grateful for.

Well, that is a degree of Gratefulness, I suppose :)

But the use of these words in your posting caught my eye...

"pervasive threat"... oh, are those things REALLY being threatened in EVERY POSSIBLE WAY as you say? Or only in a lesser way, and YOU are actually amplifying that negative energy to be worse then it is?

"about which I can do nothing about"... oh, is there really NOTHING that can be done about any of the things you do not like? Nothing in the entire universe? Again, the words you use, which define your perspective, are exaggerating the scale of the issue... you are again actually amplifying the problem to be worse then it is. You are taking your own energy, and empowering a negative idea/energy, just by thinking that way/using those words...your words/thoughts do matter.

I'm picking at your language to illustrate that the words you use... the words you think with... actually form your reality. They really do. There is so much pessimism in your post that you are essentially subconsciously telling the Universe that you actually "want an experience of a truly all-pervasive threat about which you can do absolutely nothing about." That is just what you just told the universe you wanted, and in it's own way, it will bring that to you. (unless you start thinking/speaking differently).

All that said, maybe you could look at your post in a different way...aren't you Grateful for:

- the fact that you HAVE loved ones
- the fact that you can appreciate beautiful flora/fauna
- the fact that you DO have some tools at your disposal to protect them
- the fact that you even exist to be able to do this!

As I said... it's all a matter of perspective.

Last Edited by Asyouprefer on 03/04/2013 06:58 PM

I am Grateful that I am continually presented with new opportunities in Life to learn more about myself, the things that I do and do not prefer, and to have the knowledge that I have the choice to choose between these things, and/or walk a middle path between them. Achieving Balance and Harmony both inside myself, and with everything else. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

I am Grateful to have the ability and the means to celebrate the birthdays of my close relatives at a nice family restaurant. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

I am Grateful that I have clean water to drink, whenever I want, for basically free. I have visited places where they are still drinking dirty surface water that collects in ponds, and they are frequently sick as a result. Having clean, fresh, abundant water is something that I am very Grateful for. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

Last Edited by Asyouprefer on 03/06/2013 07:55 AM

I am Grateful that Spring comes every year, and that we are given small hints as to it's imminent arrival... the increased calls of birds, longer daylight hours, temperatures rising, snow melting etc. THANK YOU!

Last Edited by Asyouprefer on 03/06/2013 08:03 AM

I am Grateful for the moments of levity, and lightheartedness that I experience every day. God wants us to laugh and enjoy our lives in every way possible. THANK YOU!

I am Grateful for God giving me the Courage to face the unknowns both INSIDE and OUTSIDE of me. I am not afraid. THANK YOU!

I am Grateful for having the money in my pocket today to buy groceries for myself and my family. Healthy, inexpensive food is widely available where I live, and I am very Grateful for that.

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

THANK YOU!

Last Edited by Asyouprefer on 03/06/2013 09:56 PM

To BE GRATEFUL is an awesome emotion. It allows us to accept ALL THAT IS! Even when it 'seems' bad it is accepted. All the realized BEINGS on earth today have found this truth. It is self evident = don't think so much = allow the concepts to dissipate.

One who is a sincere seeker of TRUTH will surely realize that he IS THAT!

Gratitude is a way!

Life is a mystery. To quote a song "We don't always get what we want....but we always get what we need", is a truth.

I have been down and out too many times....and unexpectedly something happens....it is wild and awesome!

We do not control our destiny as we have been conditioned to think....everything just happens.... accept ALL with gratitude....for in reality we are only an observer, witness.

Wise words^^^^ You've seen the light.

I am grateful for everything and what I have overcome.

I am grateful to be a witness to the Mother and Father Creator Source.

I am Grateful that I have can see past the things that appear to divide people (race, class boundaries, personal appearance, wealth, etc.), and that I recognize the commonalities between us all. I am grateful that I can remind myself of this often.

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

THANK YOU!

I am Grateful for having warm winter clothes! I often think about what it must have been like to work outside in the winter in the past, without all the high-tech fabrics and footwear that we have today. Another small privilege that we enjoy without much thought about it.

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

THANK YOU!

I am Grateful that I am friends with many of my neighbors, and that we look out for each other. People are ALWAYS looking for a connection with something, or someone... we want to belong to something greater then ourselves. And we do, we just don't always realize it, or in how many ways this is possible. So it is nice that, over the years, I have gotten to know many of my neighbors on a friendly basis, and say hello to them frequently.

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

THANK YOU!

I'm grateful that my spiritual world view doesn't force me to chant mantras, or to burn incense, or to bow towards Mekka, or to declare my gratitude about everything all the time, or in general put in any kind of effort to be at peace with myself and the Universe and prove myself in God's eyes.

I'm grateful my God is as laid back as I am.

I am Grateful for this as well... we can ALL know God in whatever way we prefer. Even if you don't want to know God, or don't believe in him/her/it, or don't have any gratitude at all etc.... that is fine too, it doesn't care. There is no judgment, just unconditional Love and acceptance.

BTW, I'm not posting these "I'm Grateful for..." threads because I feel like I have to, or because God is counting, or because I have to prove myself in any way... I do this because it something that I WANT to do, it increases my own positive vibration, and it puts me in the correct state-of-mind to be in the moment, which helps to reveal the abundance of the universe all around us. Also, ANY statement of gratitude, by anyone who wants to add to this thread or be inspired to do it in private, adds more positive energy to the world. And that is a very good thing from my perspective.

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

THANK YOU!

I'm grateful for you sharing your heart as not enough people do this now a days.

I am Grateful for the fact that I have had experiences, and continue to have experiences, that let me know more about myself, who I really am, and what kind of life I prefer to live. There is no such thing as a bad experience, unless you choose to see them that way. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

I am Grateful that I trust people inherently, and always look for their positive features and intentions. THANK YOU!

What are YOU Grateful for? Tell everyone here!

I am grateful that i can post without ego, not caring what others might think, or to feel pride!

I am grateful that sometimes something written or said thru this body/mind might help someone realize their infinite SELF!