To be grateful is to be thankful and appreciative of present circumstances. We express our gratitude through inspired action, and altruistic gestures of "paying it forward". To feel grateful is to feel satisfied, content, peaceful, joyous and fully rooted in the present moment.
When we are full of gratitude, we perceive no lack and see only the possibilities inherent in every situation we're confronted with. Even those situations that are less than ideal. And often we want to share that feeling of abundance and prosperity with others. The very definition of the word, gratitude, is related to good will and to grace. Will is the power to do, and good will is the power to affect positive change for self and others. Being charitable, poised, driven, and living in service-to-others are inspired in individuals that regularly feel grateful.
When setting goals and resolutions, it's important not to lose sight of all the blessings and resources that are available here and now. Anger, frustration, and discomfort can motivate us to alter our conditions. But gratitude, too, can inspire forward momentum. That we have the foresight to set a goal and the ability to carry it out through daily steps is more than enough to be thankful for. Not all have yet cultivated the capacity to see what, where, and how to go about transforming their undesirable state of affairs.
If we can picture it in our minds, it already exists now. So long as the goal is a reasonable one, and we make those choices that'll allow it to happen—then each day becomes a step in its inevitable unfoldment. Maintaining the attitude of gratitude can only speed up the process, positively attracting favorable pieces and pawns. Gratitude is recognizing that the feast, the celebration, the finish line of attainment, the homecoming; is and has always been within us. It's knowing that all is working for us, even if initial appearances are to the contrary.
In truth, all things lie in wait within our being. Powerful cosmic forces are drawn toward (from within) hearts that are open and appreciative of the tools that are presented. These forces being the tools that trigger the potentials and opportunities that lie in wait. Without gratitude, we might be blind to the possibilities right in front of us (again, within us).
The picture selected for this article is the perfect image of gratitude. We see the sun shining through the clouds (the veil of circumstances), and an open-armed woman being bathed in the golden rays. She faces the light, her arms raised above like a big "X Marks the Spot" or the Egyptian Ka symbol (as the Universal Spirit or Life Force that's specialized within the the Individual). She seems to be elevated, up on a cliff or hill-top somewhere. This grants her the far-sight of what lay before her. Yet, she is open to receive the illumination of the moment, blossoming in the sunlight. Clearly, there's nowhere else she'd rather be.
This concludes today's article of 30 Days, 30 Posts challenge. Tomorrow's article will feature the topic of Faith.