Gratitude—everyone’s talking about it, amirite?!

And there’s good reason.

Gratitude is the tool we can all use to flip the switch on where our focus lies.

Lack is a huge mindset in our culture, and in the collective consciousness. We have created this idea that we don’t quite have enough, and striving for more seems to be the religion of the day.

Comparing who has what and then creating a plan to get some of that ourselves is a race no one is winning, because there will always be another finish line to look ahead to. It’s literally endless.

We can’t quite feel content, even when we want to.
We can’t quite feel satisfied, even when we want to.
We can’t quite measure up, even when we want to.

Enter gratitude.

There is a quote by Regina Brett that says if we stand with a bunch of people and throw all our problems into a pile, we would immediately take ours back after seeing the hand others were dealt. Our perspective changes on what we believe to be awful, painful, unbearable, or unimaginable. Our gratitude muscle starts to flex.

Gratitude comes in and says, “What is good about this that I may not be recognizing?”

Sometimes, it’s a blessing that we don’t get the job.
Sometimes, it’s a blessing that we were late to the meeting.
Sometimes, it’s a blessing that we broke off the relationship, even when we still love the person.

For the last year, I have done a gratitude list every night, which takes about five minutes. These five minutes I gift myself have deeply changed how I view everything in my life.

Many of us have an unconscious habit of focusing on what isn’t here versus what is. This deeply entrenched way of living is blocking us from so many blessings that are currently awaiting validation, appreciation, and acknowledgement: things like clean water, food in our fridges, bathroom facilities, a warm bed, a text from a friend asking how we are doing, and a car that gets us where we need to go.

But it’s not just the “big” things or the things we have quantified and qualified as being “big.” It’s the small things, too: the smell of the air after it rains, the beauty of a flower in your back yard, the way your lover says your name, or the high you get after someone compliments your work.

And by appreciating and acknowledging these blessings, you attract more. Why? Because you have changed the vibration that is emitted from your heart. You have changed your viewfinder. Your focus expands to all things—not just the things you were taught or told were important. You stop limiting yourself or what something could be.

You start to stand in awe of all you are surrounded by.

Metaphysics is the study of energy and how it works. Many experiments have been done around the power of the vibration emitted from our hearts. Our hearts have an electromagnetic field that extends about a foot and a half from our chest. This field is determined by our feelings. It determines what comes in, how we interpret it, and how we experience it.

HeartMath did an experiment on how this electromagnetic field affects our DNA. A subject and a piece of their DNA is physically separated, sometimes by hundreds of miles. When the subject was told to hold the feelings of love, gratitude, peace, bliss, and contentment, the DNA strand relaxed and spread out. The actual material of the DNA changed based on the feelings of the person. When the subject was asked to hold the feelings of anger, resentment, limitation, hate, and rage, the DNA strand tightened and shrunk. Enough said.

Emotion affects the shape of our DNA, which affects our immunity, nervous system, health, and experiences.

Do a little experiment with yourself right now. Hold a feeling of love and compassion and notice how your heart feels. Notice how that feeling informs what you do next. Now, hold a feeling of anger or annoyance or hate. Notice how that feeling informs what you do next. I guarantee it’s probably worlds apart.

When you’re in a state of gratitude, you are turning on this field to be in its highest potential. Ideas will start to flow to you, synchronicities will start to happen, you will attract people who can help you and support you, and most importantly, you will start to support yourself better.
 
Gratitude is where it’s at. Its power is immeasurable because it sets off a domino effect that begins to permeate everything you have been taught and everything you have put your focus on. Your life will begin to feel richer. Your relationships will blossom even more. Your goals and dreams will begin to take flight in organic and surprising ways.

Gratitude is the surrender our hearts are deeply yearning for.

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