Gratitude

If there is any one thing that we can do to change our lives and set us on the path to greatness, it is gratitude.  Practicing gratitude on a daily basis makes us aware of everything in life that we have at our fingertips.  Suddenly, the Universe is presenting us with gifts: a beautiful sunset, a gentle touch, even a neatly folded up $20 bill in a coat pocket.  Being truly grateful allows us to acknowledge what we have, instead of what we have not.   Gratitude takes us from a space of lack or less than, and instantly transports us into a world of abundance that was simply here from the beginning.  What are you grateful for today?

An attitude of abundance

When we live with an attitude of abundance, we perpetuate abundance in our lives.  If we go throughout our lives concentrating on lack and "sacrificing" to give to others, we are literally shortchanging ourselves.  Even if we don't consider ourselves as having a lot to give, when we act out of love and give without expectation of return, great universal energies are put into motion that create love and abundance and bring it back to us.  Whether it's love, money, time or help to others, when we give freely, we will receive in kind.  When we hold back, hoard and cling to our gifts and resources, creative energy is stifled, snuffed out by our arms that hold...nothing.  What gifts do you have for the world today and how might you share them freely? 

Letting go

Sometimes the simplest answer to allow ourselves to move forward may be to just let go.  Bottled up resentments, blame and grudges block energy from the present and keep it rooted in the past.  Whether to let go and how to do it are choices we can make if it seems as though we can't find a way around a blockage.  "To forgive is divine" as the saying goes, and there is nothing more powerful than to forgive and move on.  To let go or forgive is not passive or submissive, rather, it is the ultimate expression of empowerment from our Source.  In this way we are choosing to come from a space of love, for ourselves and for others.  We don't have to agree with what has happened, but in the process of letting go, we allow the blocked energy to dissipate, freeing us to live in the present moment.

Time

"Time" may be one of the most misguided human constructs of all, er, time.  In reality, time does not exist; what we think of as the passing of time is really just lots of present moments back to back.   But, as humans, we are tied to the clock.  Always rushing, always hurrying.   In the act getting from here to there as quickly as possible, we perpetuate the lack of time in our lives.  We complain that there's not enough time and voila, the Universe delivers.  As a result, if we constantly have our eyes on the clock, we live outside the present moment, the only moment where time does not exist.  What a paradox!  How would it feel to not have to worry about time and only have our focus on the present?   What would our lives look like if we started thinking, "I have plenty of time to do what I need to do!" instead of "I never have enough time!"  Our stress levels would decrease, we may notice what's right in front of us, and, miraculously, we may never run out of "time" again. 

Opening

Opening our hearts to new possibilities, relationships and opportunities keeps our energy levels high.  When we are closed to change, or make decisions based on fear of the unknown, our energy levels stay in a very low and negative state.  Choosing forward motion and being open to change, we set ourselves up to ride the wave of success, instead of getting caught in the undertow of stagnation.  People who resist change battle themselves and the Universe, whereas those who open and move with the change accept what the Universe is bringing with gratitude and ease.  When faced with impending change, we may ask, how does it benefit me to resist this change?  How does it limit me?