Gratitude is a choice

Today is the six month anniversary of my wedding. Tomorrow is the two month anniversary of my father’s funeral. In a little over two weeks we celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S.

In this sea of life…. we all have a choice. A choice to reflect on our blessings, or a choice to illuminate our short-comings, disappointments, lacks, losses, or what-if’s.

I could choose to remember how I missed conversations I wanted to have at our wedding, lost photo opportunities, didn’t say all that I wanted to say, or do all that I wanted to do.

I could choose to be unmotivated and depressed with the passing of my father, to be in fear of loss, to be angry and upset, to stop moving forward.

OR I could choose to be GRATEFUL.

Grateful that all of my family, including my father, was at our wedding. That I was able to have my parents walk me down the isle. That I had my father-daughter dance. That I have memories in my heart that will last a lifetime.  (And that I married the love of my life!)

I could choose to be grateful that I had my Dad for almost 40 of my years here on Earth. That I have countless memories of the love we shared. That I was blessed to be there with him until the very end. That I can still feel his presence with me.

Life ebbs and flows, and gratitude is a conscious choice we must make.

There are many currents that can sweep us away, but there is ALWAYS a life raft there to grab onto. Gratitude.

By changing your perspective you can change your energy, change your vibration, change your experience, change your life.

Life has calm water days. Life has turbulent wave days. Life sometimes has both in a day. You can choose to hang on to an anchor or inflate your gratitude raft.

If you are in the U.S. and celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, or wherever you may be, take time and choose gratitude. Make ‘thanks- giving’ be a part of your everyday life.

When you are feeling down, frustrated, upset… take a deep breath and think of something you are grateful for.

Before you go to bed, and first thing when you awake, think of three things you are grateful for (grow your list, don’t repeat the same things).

When you are sitting at dinner with family, take a moment to each share one thing you are grateful for every day.

Remember, what you focus on expands. Put your energy into gratitude, and watch it grow!

There is always something to be grateful for. DIVE IN and discover it.