Each morning, as part of my routine, I make a point to go over at least 10 things for which I am grateful. I think this is such an important practice, because it automatically makes you focus on what’s going well in your life, as well as calling attention to the things you would like to change – positively.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a little blessing to say before or after meditation, before starting your day, or before embarking on some sort of endeavor. If some of these things don’t apply to you, then you can substitute something else in there.
Though it’s hard to admit sometimes, there is always something for which to be grateful – even when we are suffering or failing at something – we can often be grateful for the hidden lessons and blessings that come from those experiences.
And if there’s something you want in your life that is not in the blessing, feel free to add it.
Or, let’s say you don’t have much contact with family, but you’d like to. Expressing gratitude for it can actually invite it into your life.
It’s also important to give thanks for those things that we normally may not think about, such as our health. It isn’t until we don’t feel well that we think about how important that is to us.
The prayer below is something akin to what I say each morning after meditation.
A Gratitude Blessing
As I take in a breath I feel gratitude for another day to be alive – to experience all the world has to offer and to make a difference.
To the sun, moon and stars, I am grateful for their light to guide me in the dark. The sun provides the light upon which all organisms depend for heat and food. The moon and stars provide guidance at night.
I feel life-giving oxygen permeating through my body and I am grateful for the gift of health, of sight, of hearing, of taste and of touch. These gifts help me to do the things I need to do each day to accomplish many tasks.
I am grateful for the peace that I feel in my life and the relationships that mean so much to me. My family and my friends are my support system and without them, I would not be where I am today.
I am grateful for a safe place to reside and a place to call home. It is my personal sanctuary and refuge from the outside world.
I am grateful for enough food that I eat every single day. I can live a long, healthy life because I get the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that I need.
I am grateful for enough clothing, shoes, and other necessities that keep me adequately prepared for the weather, and all the work and tasks that I perform each day.
I am grateful for all the things that are right in my life: a good job, enough money to survive and beyond, technology that allows me to stay connected, and little things that add to the quality of my life: hobbies, wine, dining out, going to a movie, going to the theatre, a garden, a vacation.
For these, I express my highest gratitude and wish the same blessings for others.
Love and peace.