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Rather than my usual philosophical posts, I thought I’d share something that I put into practice several years back which literally changed my perceptions and, as a result, enhanced my peace and joy in life. Thankfulness.
I am not talking about the usual thankfulness most decent people possess, I am talking about an actual rampage of appreciation for everything and anything good and decent in your life; from the biggest to the smallest. Let me explain. We become the embodiment of whatever it is we focus upon. This is why a pessimist sees the world through a negative lens, but an optimist sees it through a positive lens. We also know that anything we do over and over again becomes a habit. This includes our thoughts, obviously. So, I was reading “Ask and it is Given”, by Abraham Hicks about ten years ago and the part that stood out to me was when she (or him, if you believe Ester Hicks truly channels) talked about a “Rampage of Appreciation”. The point was very simple. If we intentionally force ourselves to focus on what we appreciate, constantly, that will become an automatic habit. And it did.
Here is how far I took it. All throughout the day, any time I was not focused on a specific task, I would begin to think of things for which I was thankful. I would say them in my mind and just say “Thank you for (insert anything or anyone here)”. And that wasn’t all. I am a very light sleeper who tosses and turns throughout the night. So, as I lay down to bed, I would start reciting things for which I am thankful until I fell asleep. Then, any time I would awaken in the night, I would break right into the appreciation list, again.
I did this, and continue to do this, all of the time. So, it has become a habit. A good habit. It has been said that when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. And believe me, it absolutely changes how you see everything. It is important to understand that with each thought comes an emotion. Think about something fearful, you feel fear. Think about something happy, you feel good. Think about something you appreciate, you feel a great sense of thankfulness for that specific person or thing in your life. It literally has a physiological effect on your life.
By the way, if you haven’t noticed yet, I am always referencing our thoughts. After all, we are each the sum total of our thoughts. So if you are filled with fear; especially if you watch the “news”, you will embody fear. Remember, there is only one thing in existence over which we have complete control, and that is our thoughts. If you take control over them, you will take control over your life. You will live proactively, rather than reactively. You will feel a real sense of empowerment, not the fake empowerment so many politicians and pseudo-spiritual salespeople peddle to make you think you need them. YOU are the only thing which can be empowered. But, you must practice that. Being thankful for the myriad of things in your life which make you happy is the place to start.
If you keep focusing on the bad things in your life; things in your past, things you may have missed out on, things you didn’t do, those things will govern your existence. Free yourself from your mental bondage. You are free to think what you want. Do not live in the sorrows of your past. Instead, build your future by only thinking about what you love. Don’t forget, thoughts create emotion. So not only will your mind be free, you will FEEL the freedom and have a zest for life you never thought possible. Not only in this life, but in the life to come (Cliffhanger for a future post on life after bodily death).
So what are you waiting for? Write down a list of everything and anything for which you are thankful! There’s no limit to what you write. Our limitations are our own. Be free and turn off the TV!
Fantastic🥰