Watch Your Energy and Enthusiasm Soar When You Express the Gratitude You Feel

There's an amazing alchemy that comes into play when you express the gratitude that you feel. It's powerful -- you could even say it's life-changing. And yet, it's often rooted in the smallest and most mundane elements of our lives. Gratitude is about how you look at your world, how you move through your days, and how you experience your moments. It's a fundamental value and it's also a choice. As Christopher Peterson and Martin E. P. Seligman wrote in "Character Strengths and Virtues" gratitude is defined as "an enduring thankfulness that is sustained across situations and over time." There are two types of gratitude: personal and transpersonal. Personal gratitude is about thankfulness towards an individual, whereas Transpersonal gratitude is a constant and fundamental appreciation of the world. How do you manifest personal gratitude? How many times a day do you actively thank someone? And turning to transpersonal gratitude, how often do you feel the energy of awe and wonder? Try this: Take some time to jot down each time you feel grateful for anything. After 3 or 4 weeks of this practice, go over your documentation and identify patterns. What changes do you see and feel in your energy? Also document lapses. Are there days when you are so absorbed in the activities of daily living that you "forget" life's gifts? What does this tell you? Do you usually see the glass as "half empty" or "half full"? Gratitudes Exercise Here's a simple exercise I've practiced for many years. Each night, right before sleep, I write down at least 3 things that I feel grateful for. The activity, done mindfully over time, holds transformative power. Recently, I asked a client about her nightly practice of recording her gratitudes. "It keeps me positive," she responded. "Even when I'm feeling overwhelmed and stressed, pausing to reflect on what I'm grateful for calms and energizes me." And it does. It helps you maintain enthusiasm, even in challenging times. Soon it becomes automatic to appreciate your moments. Learning to feel and then express your gratitude is, indeed, a gift. Please feel invited to drop me a line - I'd love to hear about what you discover as you explore gratitude! Let's explore time together... By Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paula_Eder/40911