Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving, which originates in the intention to express gratitude for this year’s harvest. The US celebrates Thanksgiving in November, while Canada and Germany do this in October. Japan has a Labour Thanksgiving Day in November, and many other countries also know some kind of gratitude day. That’s a good thing, but here are 4 reasons to make a habit of saying ‘thank you’ every day; not just one day a year!
What ultimately matters, is not matter; what ultimately matters, is your mirth
1. You think more positive
When you express gratitude for good things in your life, you focus on what you want (and not on what you don’t want). This is a universal principle of the Law of Attraction, as described by New Thought writers and spiritual teachers, such as Napoleon Hill and Abraham-Hicks. When you’re thinking appreciative thoughts; positive thoughts; good thoughts, you’re focusing on good things! That is very, very powerful, and we’ll talk about the why & how in a just a minute.
Let me first make a note, and define ‘good things’. Many of us want a new car or more money. But ‘good things’ doesn’t stand for material stuff only. What ultimately matters, is not matter; what ultimately matters, is your mirth. You want to experience joy! Money gives you freedom, and freedom enhances your joy, as freedom provides you with more options to choose from on your path to happiness. But, in my opinion, true love, warm friendship and great health are the real riches.
Gratitude makes your life magic
2. You feel more happy
I make a habit of saying thank you every day, which makes me feel more happy every day, because showing gratitude creates happiness in itself. ‘Thank you for all the good things in my life; thank you for all the good feelings in my life’ is a generic appreciation that I like to use as a starting point. I then usually mention specific positive things around me (‘Thank you for walking under a beautiful full moon this evening’) or within me (‘Thank you for feeling such a happy cheerful mood this morning’).
We can all find things to be grateful for. Someone with a body overweight could think: ‘Thank you for the beautiful nature in my surroundings where I walk for an hour a day’; someone with a broken relationship could think: ‘Thank you for the good friends in my life where I receive some positive distraction each time’; someone with a financial challenge could think: ‘Thank you for the promising opportunities in my reach where I find a rewarding occupation very soon’. Gratitude makes your life magic.
Thoughts about abundance emit a frequency; vibration; energy of abundance
3. You vibrate more abundance
There are indications that we are more than our physical bodies. Many publications and religions speak of us being a non-physical entity (often called spirit or soul) in a physical body. In their fascinating book Ask And It Is Given, the spiritual teachers Abraham-Hicks make you realize that you are a part of Source Energy, from which all living things and material things on our planet (and in our universe!) are made. It is said that everything on this planet (and in our universe) is basically vibration or energy.
Several teachers of spiritual achievement and success principles have said independently from another that thoughts have a frequency – very similar to radio waves, passing through the ether. They also want us to know that the human mind is a transmitter and receiver of thoughts (which have a frequency), and that a certain thought has a certain frequency. A certain frequency equals a certain vibration/energy. Thoughts about abundance, for example, emit a frequency; vibration; energy of abundance.
The more positive you focus; the more positive you attract
4. You manifest more desires
This is why gratitude is so amazing. Firstly, you’ll feel good right now (because you think about; focus upon positive aspects). The Law of Attraction (which says that ‘like attracts like’) will bring in more thoughts that are positive and make you feel more emotions that are positive. It’s the short-term benefit of gratitude. But thinking and feeling good right now (and the compound effect of thinking and feeling better and better) is just one benefit of acknowledging good things. There’s more.
Because secondly, over time, you will attract situations and events into your life that will give you more of the good feelings you have vibrated, through that same Law of Attraction! That’s the long-term reward of your gratitude. The more positive you focus; the more positive you think; the more positive you feel; the more positive you vibrate; the more positive you attract! For which things in your life can you express your gratitude today?
Image: ‘Thank you’ written on a post-it note (credit: Thomas Giger)
