Gratitude is to your success,
as fertile ground is to seedlings!

Gratefulness, thankfulness and appreciation are attitudes or mind-sets in which we consciously acknowledge the goodness in our lives.

Practicing being thankful is crucial to your personal success and to truly experiencing the abundance present in your live.

It's no wonder our mothers taught us to say thank you as very young children. They say "practice makes perfect" and here you will have the opportunity to practice gratitude in creative ways.

You might be thinking: "But I already practice being thankful." You'll be surprised at how many things we take for granted. Discovering new ways to be thankful and to express appreciation is an important step towards your success.

At first it may feel like just going through the motions, much like it did as a child, but in time and with practice it will begin to "sink in" and you'll become more and more thankful - deep down, from the heart.

I recommend you write these down on a sheet of paper or better yet in a notebook you can label: Gratitude Journal. These are just examples. Adapt them to your personal situation.

THINGS

I am thankful for:

• My home, house, a roof over my head.
  
  
• My car or transportation.
  
  
• Clothes that cover my body and keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
  
  
• Shoes that cover and protect my feet.
  
  
• Sunblock that protects my skin from the sun's rays.
  
  
• For a computer, mine or borrowed.
  
  

THE BASICS

I am thankful for:

• Being alive.
  
  
• Have running water where I live.
  
  
• Having clean drinking water.
  
  
• Having healthy food to eat so I can nourish my body.
  
  
• Being able to read and write.
  
  
• Having access to an internet connection.
  
  
• The ability and willingness to learn something new.
  
  
• The ability to be appreciative.
  
  

PEOPLE

I am thankful for:

• For my parents, care givers.
  
  
• The people who love and support me.
  
  
• Me, for who I am.
  
  
• My extended family, husband, wife, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
  
  
• My girlfriend, boy friend, significant other and those who have touched my life some way.
  
  
• The pets in my life past and present.
  
  

ABILITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

I am thankful for:

• My schooling.
  
  
• My job.
  
  
• My artistic abilities.
  
  
• My love for music.
  
  
• My people skills.
  
  
• The ability to feel.
  
  
• My generosity and kindness towards others.
  
  

MAJOR HAPPENINGS

I am thankful for:

• My birthdays and celebrations.
  
  
• My travels.
  
  
• Holidays.
  
  
• Vacations.
  
  
• Eating out.
  
  
• Surprises.
  
  

SMALL HAPPENINGS

I am thankful for:

• Rain on a summer afternoon.
  
  
• Visits to museums.
  
  
• Nature walks.
  
  
• Snow and snowmen.
  
  
• Swings and swinging on them.
  
  
• Parks.
  
  
• Being able to walk my dog.
  
  

Now that you've got the hang of this fill-in the following with your own thoughts!

LOSSES

I am thankful for:

• My mistakes.
  
  
• My set backs.
  
  
• Failing to pass my exam because it taught me a great lesson in perseverance.
  
  

DIFFICULT LIFE LESSONS

I am thankful for:

• Now YOU write what you're grateful for!
  
  
• Be creative.
  
  
• You're doing great!
  
  

Related Topics

Being appreciative of yourself and your surroundings is a gift of Love you give yourself and the world!

Building a gratitude scrapbook will help you visualize this list more clearly.

And if you need ideas for visualization create your vision board here. It's fun and easy!

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