"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." — Marcus Tullius Cicero (106—43 bce).
Most of us have a long list of improvements we’d like to make in our experiences of life: more love and money and less pain and sorrow to name a couple. But it is important that we keep our sense of gratitude even as we go about bettering our lot. We have to appreciate what we have so that we can appreciate what we get.
Being grateful puts you in the perfect frame of mind for using our affirmation and visualization techniques, designed to help you manifest what you want. Express gratitude for all that you have, both the good and the bad. Doubts will impede your intentions, but when you are thankful and feel fulfilled, your goals will manifest much more easily.
Remember, you may have been programming yourself with negative affirmations for many years unconsciously and will take a little while to get back on track. Note that being negative or doubtful is very different than visualizing the shadow side of what you desire. The shadow side is realistic. Embracing it will help you manifest the reality that you desire. But feeling that what you desire is impossible or undeserved is an illusion that blocks your progress.
Appreciate all the good things in life. There is an incredible gift implicit in every moment: you exist. The biggest obstacle to attaining contentment is your own expectations. Although it seems reasonable to expect certain things in life will occur and making plans can be a useful exercise, the truth is that there are no guarantees in life. You have to live fully in each moment, blessing it and everything around you with your love, light and laughter.
A tip for encouraging gratefulness: start with a prayer of gratitude. Focus your intention to clear stagnant, inharmonious energies from your environment and replace them with positive, natural, uplifting and life-affirming energies.