It is easy to say - be more grateful, but it for me has been harder to habituate gratefulness into my every day every minute life. Even though I now make a conscious effort to be grateful for things - I feel like I'm this bouncy ball bouncing between being grateful and forgetting to be grateful then (bounce) remembering that I forgot to be grateful so being grateful and then bounce.... You get the idea.
I believe that we can draw things into our lives - and when things are working right you draw the things you need or desire into your life. So, I was tickled when this morning I stumbled across something that struck me as something I really needed to read.
It was from someone's blog and it was about being grateful - it was quite long, but it basically said if your not seeing results (positive changes in your life) from being grateful then your probably practicing "Gratitude Level 1" - which he went on to explain is the act of saying thank your or making yourself think or say how grateful you are for different things. The examples he used were: I'm so grateful for my job, the roof over my head, my relationship with, my health, my vehicle etc...He called it our default gratitude. He also pointed out that often times our thoughts about gratitude might start with the phrase "at least" - as in "i'm grateful at least to have my health, or ....."
So I'm thinking to myself that gosh - that sounds like alot of what i've been being grateful for - so what else is there.
As I read on he starts talking about Gratitude level 2. (being clear to say that there wasn't anything wrong with being grateful on a Gratitude Level 1 basis, but there just might be something deeper). He explained level two as Gratitude that is "independent of situations and circumstances." It manifests feeling of gratitude for life itself, for your very existence, and for anything and everything you experience in this life (good, bad, ugly). His specific list included: your life, time and space, your problems, challenges, and hardships, your foibles and mistakes, your consciousness, your ego, people who treat you unkindly or unfairly, your thoughts and emotions, and your freedom of choice. (emphasis added to things that jumped out at me this am)
I have to say that when I was reading this list I was thinking - OMG did I need this - this morning. I've had this situation (not going into it really) but I have not been grateful for it - what a way to turn my anger and emotion on it's ear!!!
He went on to say in this blog that you have to become grateful for the adventure that is life, including all of its twists and turns. What a great analagy is that. I know the basics of this is simply that we are given trials from which to learn lessons. OR that which don't kill us only makes us stronger - but I love when I hear or read something being presented in a new way that really speaks to me in that moment.
He talked about level 2 gratitude being synonymous with unconditional love because there is no attachment to circumstances or outcomes. Consequently, there is no fear of loss or change. What a great concept. Not just accepting the challenges God gives us and trying to determine what the lessons are that are contained in it - BUT actually being Grateful for them because they contribute to the ride. A roller coaster without any thrilling free falls wouldn't draw too much attention.
Anyway, that's my thought for the day.
If you want to read the full blog posting (and perhaps draw your own conclusions) it is found on StevePavlina.com and the link is here:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/01/gratitude
Okay, that's all for now.
Carry on...
I believe that we can draw things into our lives - and when things are working right you draw the things you need or desire into your life. So, I was tickled when this morning I stumbled across something that struck me as something I really needed to read.
It was from someone's blog and it was about being grateful - it was quite long, but it basically said if your not seeing results (positive changes in your life) from being grateful then your probably practicing "Gratitude Level 1" - which he went on to explain is the act of saying thank your or making yourself think or say how grateful you are for different things. The examples he used were: I'm so grateful for my job, the roof over my head, my relationship with, my health, my vehicle etc...He called it our default gratitude. He also pointed out that often times our thoughts about gratitude might start with the phrase "at least" - as in "i'm grateful at least to have my health, or ....."
So I'm thinking to myself that gosh - that sounds like alot of what i've been being grateful for - so what else is there.
As I read on he starts talking about Gratitude level 2. (being clear to say that there wasn't anything wrong with being grateful on a Gratitude Level 1 basis, but there just might be something deeper). He explained level two as Gratitude that is "independent of situations and circumstances." It manifests feeling of gratitude for life itself, for your very existence, and for anything and everything you experience in this life (good, bad, ugly). His specific list included: your life, time and space, your problems, challenges, and hardships, your foibles and mistakes, your consciousness, your ego, people who treat you unkindly or unfairly, your thoughts and emotions, and your freedom of choice. (emphasis added to things that jumped out at me this am)
I have to say that when I was reading this list I was thinking - OMG did I need this - this morning. I've had this situation (not going into it really) but I have not been grateful for it - what a way to turn my anger and emotion on it's ear!!!
He went on to say in this blog that you have to become grateful for the adventure that is life, including all of its twists and turns. What a great analagy is that. I know the basics of this is simply that we are given trials from which to learn lessons. OR that which don't kill us only makes us stronger - but I love when I hear or read something being presented in a new way that really speaks to me in that moment.
He talked about level 2 gratitude being synonymous with unconditional love because there is no attachment to circumstances or outcomes. Consequently, there is no fear of loss or change. What a great concept. Not just accepting the challenges God gives us and trying to determine what the lessons are that are contained in it - BUT actually being Grateful for them because they contribute to the ride. A roller coaster without any thrilling free falls wouldn't draw too much attention.
Anyway, that's my thought for the day.
If you want to read the full blog posting (and perhaps draw your own conclusions) it is found on StevePavlina.com and the link is here:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/01/gratitude
Okay, that's all for now.
Carry on...
2 comments:
interesting... i'm trying to be grateful in level 1 without going on a shooting spree... but thanks for the thoughts it was very intriguing...
I think that BB is on level 2... his MoM is still level 1.... and holding......
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