I am Grateful!
How often do you express these words?
I am a big fan of Cafe Gratitude, a Raw Food restaurant. I remember the first time I visited Cafe Gratitude. The first thing I noticed was that some of the dishes (named things like I am wonderful!, I am loved! and I am grateful!) took some courage to articulate. We are not used to saying these statements, much less ordering dishes by them.
I have come to a point in my life where I found myself expressing gratitude not only in situations where I feel gratitude but also as a regular practice. Following one of my teachers Nicole Daedone, semantics is very important; language has a meaning and the way we say things have a large impact on how it is perceived, not only for others but also for ourselves. We need to be grateful for what we have, regardless of what it is. I’m saying this because no matter who we are, where we are or what we have, there is always something to be grateful for.For instance, some people see themselves as ‘losers’ and they might not know even know that they see themselves as such. But the way they feel about themselves has an impact on their whole life. If I believe I am a loser, then I don’t feel that I deserve happiness, money or other positive things. Usually this attitude makes it difficult to articulate desires of what one would like to have, want to achieve, and want to become. Hate and resentment might be created, negative attitudes, jealousy and fear of strangers and situations that are unfamiliar. Being in this mental stage has a direct impact on how we communicate on a daily basis. Therefore, we need to pay attention to how we think and communicate: You are what you think!
One great way to start shifting patterns of behavior is to start to notice what it is you are grateful for in your daily life and express this as a conscious Act of Gratitude. I believe that we need to have the capacity to fill our heart with gratitude in order to be able to fully receive. When we have the ability to receive, then everything can happen. In the Bible the saying is, “ask and you shall receive.” I know that it might sound strange, but recently this happened to me: I asked for something very urgently and it came to me. So now, I really believe that my thoughts create my reality. I am what I believe! That awareness shifted my whole perspective to a much deeper level of gratitude awareness. And, that is why I am writing this blog post about being grateful. What I’m even more grateful for is that I know that I can trust.
Unfortunately, most people don’t even know what to ask for. Do you know your deepest desire? Do you know the fear that surrounds your hidden desire? What are you grateful for right now?