This time of the year is always filled with reflection and gratitude. What am I grateful for? What could I be grateful for? What are the things that make my life worth living, even on days when it feels like everything is crumbling around me?

It’s a question we all ask ourselves at one point or another, but the last couple of years have been especially hard. We’ve had to face so many terrible events in our country and in the world, that it’s impossible not to feel weighed down by fear. 

Fear can lead us into darkness if we let it take hold of us long enough; anger can do the same. But what about gratitude? What does gratitude have to do with anything?

You cannot be fearful and grateful at the same time. You cannot be angry and grateful at the same time. Gratitude is the antidote to both of those disempowering emotions. When gratitude appears, fear and anger disappear. So if you haven’t been practicing gratitude daily, now is the time to start. And you don’t have to spend more than several minutes per day on this activity, but it will improve the quality of your life tremendously.

Some of the best practices for practicing gratitude from my experience are:

– Start a Gratitude journal (even if the idea of journaling is completely ‘foreign’ to you), where you write down three things that you are grateful for every morning and at the end of each day.

– Saying a daily gratitude mantra over and over again in your mind throughout the day, especially when you feel fear or anger coming on. Ask yourself: 

• What could I be grateful for right now? 
• What is one good thing about my present situation that contributes to feeling better even if just a little bit? 
• What could this situation teach me to help myself and other people? 
• What am I learning from this experience?

-Saying a daily gratitude list out loud. If you are having a tough time coming up with the list, think of all the things that you would be grateful for if they were suddenly taken away – your home, your family, even just being able to walk or see. What are three ways in which your life is better than it was a year ago? What are three ways in which your life is better now that you are not living with your ex, who treated you so badly, or you are not at the company where you used to work before?

These questions will help shift your focus from what’s wrong right now, to what’s right. And sometimes that’s all we need to do to set things right again. What are you grateful for? What could you be happy about now, if even just a little bit?

What am I grateful for this year? I am grateful for the health of my children. I am grateful for my parents. My parents are a huge part of my life. I am very fortunate to still have them in our lives. I am grateful for my husband. He is my rock, my best friend, constantly makes me laugh, and is always there for me. It is not always easy, but we must make time to nurture our connection to help our relationship thrive.

I am grateful for finding my purpose in life. I am honored to be able to help others transform their lives: health, relationships, career and more. And I am excited to share it with the world and help as many people as possible.

I am grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to me. I am grateful for my drive and determination and that sense of love and hope has shown up in my life, even when it feels like everything else is falling apart.

I am grateful for You, for Your support and encouragement, the trust You put in me, and for allowing me to be a part of your journey. I love putting a smile on your faces with my not always ‘very appropriate’ jokes 🙂

There is so much to be grateful for… What a wonderful world! What a beautiful day today! What a gift this life is!

What about you? What are you grateful for, right now? What are you looking forward to in the new year? Please take time to reflect on your life and share below if you feel like sharing:)

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday Filled with Warmth and Happiness of the Season!