Just for today, be grateful. These words have life changing power when you put them into practice. Teaching me to be grateful for all of my blessings is another gift Reiki has given.
Gratitude has been coming easily to me lately. I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a wonderful relationship, my kids are all healthy and doing well, and I haven't had any major financial worries for a while. All the bills are paid, we have reliable transportation, and a comfortable home. I am truly blessed. I have everything I have ever wanted. My life is great, and I am overflowing with gratitude...at least for today.
Life hasn't always been so great. I have suffered toxic relationships, the loss of friendships, economic hardship, and chronic illness. I have had moments I wanted to give up. Those moments have been intense enough to land me in the hospital’s behavioral health ward, so overwhelmed that I just wanted it all to end. More than once. I have felt great despair and hopelessness.
In the midst of all that, I still had good days, though, and on those days, I was grateful. I remembered to be grateful for the little moments of joy and cherish them. They usually centered around my children, for which I am always thankful. If I hadn't been able to see the blessings, I had to be grateful for through all that pain, I don't think I would have gotten the help I needed or that I'd be here now, enjoying the abundance I've opened myself up to.
When things were bad, I was able to look for, and be thankful for, the good. Now that things are good, I still have days I get so caught up in everyday life that I forget how truly fortunate I am. I think the important thing is not to get so lost in thoughts of what is wrong in our lives that we can't see what's right. We don't have to be a ball full of gratitude all the time, we just need to strive to look for the good in our lives, and give thanks for it. When we are thankful for what the Universe has given us, the Universe will give us more to be grateful for. It is the law of attraction at work.
The Reiki Principle, 'just for today, I will be grateful," reminds me to take a moment each morning and night to refocus on the good in life. It doesn't make the things I'm not so thankful for disappear, but it diminishes their power over my emotions. It also reminds me to reflect on those things that I'm not so grateful for and try to find a lesson in them to lead me to gratitude.
I believe that all of our hardships are lessons that bring us closer to the life we are meant to be living. In that way, even they deserve our thanks. Remembering gratitude opens us up to receiving more to be grateful for. So, just for today, be grateful and expect more goodness to flow into your life.