Why the State of Gratitude is a Magnet for Abundance
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”
We live in an era where the impossible can be possible. Where the definition of success is different for everyone. What was considered life goals by our parents and grandparents may no longer appeal to us as the only pursuits in life. What has changed is the understanding that success in any one area of life isn’t enough — we need a balance of success in all important categories of life to feel truly fulfilled. We want to manifest abundance, and that doesn’t necessarily mean financial wealth.
Having abundance is a mental and emotional state. And thanks to books such as The Secret, we are aware more than ever of the role The Law of Attraction can play at our chance in personal success, and why 2 people with similar skills and intelligence can end up living very different lives.
Instead of diving into the spiritual aspects like I often do, I want to focus this article on the psychological aspect of welcoming abundance, through gratitude. Because at the end of the day, you and I are here, having a human experience, and I want it to be a great experience for all of us regardless of your beliefs.
Gratitude is your doorway to all good things
Many of us were raised to have the capacity to attract good things in life. Fewer of us have the capacity to attract a flow of good things into our life continuously. Yet, there are also many who were conditioned to sabotage or block good things from entering or staying in their lives. And there is a direct correlation to our attitude toward gratitude.
It is our human nature to give and receive. When we think about giving and the people we most love to give to, what is their common trait? They are all great receivers. In other words, they are always happy and grateful toward any gifts given to them, whether they’re material goods or business opportunities. Great receivers are grateful regardless of what the gift is. They do not judge the cost of the gift, what the gift looks like or whether or not it is something appropriate for them. They simply welcome all that the universe offers and receive all humbly without discretion. And they are able to gracefully turn down gifts that are inappropriate for them with just as much of a display of gratitude. With that, they create an open and safe space for more gifts to flow into their life.
When you live in a state of gratitude, you see every effort or gesture from someone as a gift. Because of that mentality, you happily welcome more gifts into your life without agenda or expectation. You simply keep the door open for them to come to you. And just like you allow for abundance to flow toward you, you also become better at identifying it and being drawn to it over time.
Cultivating genuine gratitude
While anyone can say “thank you” or “I am grateful”, the state of gratitude is much deeper than the words we say. For many of us, a genuine sense of gratitude needs to be cultivated.
Growing up, many of us were conditioned to see what is flawed rather than what is good; to react to what we don’t want and what falls outside of our expectations. Our daily life, our jobs, and some friends and family continue to condition us that way. When you have a checklist of expectations, you will have inadvertently narrowed your doorway to receive other possible gifts, therefore cutting off the flow of abundance toward you. There may be many wonderful gifts waiting for you, but because you have already decided what you want and don’t want, you are likely to be blind to all the others. This is why cultivating gratitude becomes important.
In order to feel genuine gratitude, you must first have gratitude for yourself. That includes a real appreciation for who you are or who you have become. Notice all the great qualities about yourself, even if no one has told you what they are. Journal about all the gifts you already have in your life, as well as all the gifts you have to offer others and the world. Do this consistently and soon you will feel your heart opening up to many more ways of receiving.
Secondly, you must understand that giving and receiving gifts is a choice. As much as those qualities are ingrained in us, no one is forced to give to you or receive from you. When they do, it is a choice and it is truly a gift. When you recognize this, you will start to see what a miracle it is every time someone (or the universe) chooses you to give to.
The practice of gratitude
There will be moments in our lives where maintaining a state of gratitude is challenging. When we face difficult circumstances and feel stressed, it’s easy to see all the bad things happening around us and complain about what’s wrong. That is all a part of life and it’s okay. That is why being in gratitude is a practice.
Being in a state of gratitude doesn’t mean you no longer have obstacles in life, it just means you don’t allow the obstacles to become your life.
As I have mentioned earlier, many of us were conditioned to see flaws and were taught to amplify the bad until it overshadowed all the good that simultaneously exists. Practicing gratitude is a way to notice all the good that’s there in spite of the bad. The more you notice and point out the good, the more you amplify that instead of the bad. This way, even when times are tough, you can continue to allow good things to come into your life, which is likely when you need them the most.
Being in a state of gratitude is not an end goal or an achievement. It is a part of life, much like how you might want to see abundance. Practice gratitude every day and abundance will flow continuously into your life. When you live in gratitude, you will begin to see all the good around you, waiting to be let in. And over time, you might slowly open the door, welcoming even more to enter your life.
