The Power of Gratitude and Giving Thanks.

Dear Reader,

Back in 1998, a dear friend gave me a gratitude journal. You can read about that journey here.

At 21 years old, I had no concept of gratitude. Writing down something I was grateful for each day for an entire year changed that.

Although gratitude can be used as a tool to avoid painful experiences or feelings in life, bypassing the natural human emotions we all have when we feel scared, disappointed, alone, helpless or hopeless, on the contrary, it can be a huge tool for healing.

Melody Beattie says it best in her famous quote on gratitude:

“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. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. It can turn an existence into a real life, and disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Gratitude IS powerful.

This year at Thanksgiving time, I’m thinking about what created this holiday. I read about it here and the first peaceful meeting and co-existence of the Europeans with the Native Americans in New England.

How will we continue to give thanks for this land that we live on? For those who came before us here on this land? How will we honor the past, give thanks for the present and open up to what Life has in store for us together as One human family?

How will you give thanks and for what this Thanksgiving?

Sincerely and thank you,

p.s. Want to know how mindful you really are? Check out our free Mindfulness Quiz by clicking here! It takes less than 5 minutes.

p.p.s. Need more resources? Head over to the coaching page for ways you can continue your healing journey.