With this being Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, I am always reminded of the abundance to be thankful for in my life. Most importantly this time of year reminds me to practice being grateful every day and not just one day or weekend of the year.

Feeling content with all we have and keeping our focus on this attitude of gratitude is an important tool for achieving more abundance. The more we acknowledge what is good in our lives, the more we get into the pattern of seeing and creating more of it. This thought process opens a new pathway in the brain that feels really yummy when you go there, as opposed to going down that other dark, gloomy and critical path. It’s all about changing an old habit. It might not come easily at first and you may revert back to complaining at times, so be gentle and patient with yourself when you catch that inner critic wanting to rear its ugly head.

So what do you notice when your inner room mate is running wild? Do you find yourself complaining about the past or present conditions or situations in your life? Or are you one of those people who is more often in a positive state of gratitude and sees the world through rose coloured glasses?

Here is an exercise to get you started that I recommend to anyone who wants more joy and abundance in their lives. Each morning before you get out of bed, create a list of all the wonderful things in your life that your are grateful for. You can also do this before you go to sleep, thinking of the many blessings and gifts from the day just passed. Keeping a gratitude journal is the best place to record these heart felt thoughts. More and more each day, you will notice more things that you will attract and see in your life until that inner room mate gets the message you don’t enjoy listening to those old stories, as they don’t feel very good inside. Soon they will disappear as you continue to focus on this new part of your mind that will make your heart sing!

Why not give it a try for a week? I must warn you that you may notice things changing for the better in all areas of your life. It’s a powerful gift to give yourself and those you come in contact with each day. I’d love to hear your experiences after trying this for a while.

In sharing this, it is important to recognize that sometimes there are deeper situations or experiences that need healing. If you find you’re struggling with repeated negative thoughts and patterns, it may be one of those times in your life where you need to seek professional support to move through to a more positive outlook and joy filled life.

If you find yourself feeling stuck and unable to appreciate the positives in your life, here is a beautiful poem by Melody Beattie on Gratitude. Read it daily and it will surely dissipate any negative thoughts. We cannot be in negativity and feel gratitude at the same time. What are you grateful for today? I’m grateful for YOU!