When we think about our blessings, we realize that we have so many that it would take at least a good part of an hour to write them all down. To save time, instead of writing the name of each person in your family, you would write just: my family.
Now, everyone has hundreds of blessings, no matter how poor or destitute this person is. No one, not a single person, who could find a blessing, would be so discouraged as to end their life. Our blessings are what keep us going and trusting in the process of living.
Finding our blessings is only the first step in the process of seeking happiness. The next step is to thank these blessings for being a part of our lives and for impacting us the way they do. This is what I call the “Gratitude Game”.
Being grateful for what we have; what we see, feel, taste and experience; what we are, what we possess (different from what we have: we can have a great time and yet we do not possess it); what we do; what we give and what we receive, is what will put us in such a high vibrational level, that there is no way that positive things will not manifest in our lives.
So how do we do this? The first thing is to be aware that the more we appreciate, the more good things will come to us. Appreciation is the key to achieving happiness and bliss. The universe is made up of energy, as Dr. Einstein has so eloquently told us. Well, this energy is responsible for what happens to us.
Do you remember the domino effect? I’m sure when you were young they told you that, of what we give, we receive 7 times more. Now who came up with this story, I don’t know. What I know is that I was told many times that you send the wave and it will return it to you (I never quite understood this part of the story because I only see the waves in one direction!).
In any case, here’s the theory: everything you send will be returned to you. Like a boomerang. There are no questions about this one. This is also called the Law of Cause and Effect, which we have learned about in our Physics classes. Other people will call it The Law of Attraction.
So when you send out good vibes, there’s nothing you can do to stop them from responding to you. Nothing. Same with bad vibes, so be careful! However, the problem is that, most of the time, we are sending out negative vibrations and we don’t really know how to transform them into positive ones. Enter the “Game of Gratitude”.
Start by appreciating all your blessings. This is easy, because we (as I said before) have tons of them. Then move on to appreciating the things that are happening to you now, at this very moment. Observing your surroundings is a great first step.
For example:
1. As we approach winter, the weather becomes very cold. If you are indoors, you will feel warm. It’s nice to feel warm on a cold day. I appreciate.
2. You are walking in your neighborhood and you see cute dandelions. They are pretty, all yellow, on a grassy background. I appreciate.
3. You are driving at night and suddenly you see the most radiant and gigantic orange moon that just rose for you. I appreciate.
4. You are at home resting and you see your kittens playing with each other. They have a great time and so do you. I appreciate.
5. You wake up during the night and go to your children’s room. They are all safe and they look so peaceful in their sleep. I appreciate.
6. You are walking and you find a penny. Oh yeah! Money! I appreciate.
7. You hear the sound of rain falling on the roof. It’s a great sound. I appreciate.
8. You go to take a shower and the moment the water falls on you, you feel so good… Be thankful.
9. You look at the photo of your family sitting at your desk. They are smiling and you feel a surge of love for them. I appreciate.
10. You check your persimmon and realize it’s absolutely ripe and full of life, ready to be savored. I appreciate.
Now, you have the image. It is easier to appreciate our environment because it usually gives us a good feeling about it.
How do you show your appreciation? I like to say, “Thank you, God.” That’s all. However, if you feel more comfortable just saying “Thank you,” go for it.
Or maybe you can just say “I appreciate this” or “I’m grateful for this.” Also is okay. Whatever way you want to express your appreciation, use it. Nobody keeps count. If you can add a sentiment to this appreciation, such as “why” you are so grateful for a certain thing, all the better.
The important thing is to keep giving thanks and when you least expect it, your negative moments will disappear and suddenly you will realize that you are truly happy.