Thank you very much.
I recently bought something on-line and in the box was a little card, smaller than a postcard. It said simply, “Thank you very much”. It made me smile and I felt a little warmth grow in the pit of my stomach, and it got me to thinking about the power in those words. I thought of all the times I’ve seen or heard or been a parent automatically encouraging a child to “Say Thank You”, more from trying to teach manners than any other reason. But, learning to be grateful is an important life skill so I bought a package of thank you notes for my granddaughter during a spontaneous shopping trip several months ago. When I opened the box of cards, I found listed inside 3 reasons why teaching children to give is important:
1. It’s a gift (we give our children)
2. It’s one of the most important social skills
3. It’s a key to lifelong joy and happiness (for your child)
Then the three Golden Rules for giving thanks:
4. Be timely (within 1-7 days)
5. Be specific (describe what you are thankful for)
6. Have fun (feel free to express your feelings)
Being grateful, truly-from-the-bottom-of-our-hearts grateful should be easy and automatic, but it’s not. It’s hard, especially when we’re upset or worried or angry. I have a corny little audiobook on my phone called “Meditations for Creating True Prosperity” by Shakti Gwain and in part 2 the meditation always begins with gratitude. It’s silly to think I need help remembering to be grateful, but I do. We all do. Because our world is decidedly pro the ‘half-empty’ mentality, its easy to cry for what we don’t have instead of appreciating what we do. We need to be reminded to say our ‘Thank You’s’. We need to be reminded to stop complaining and teach our children this as well. A prosperity consciousness demands we must first begin with expressions of gratitude for what we already have. Gwain’s audiobook on prosperity organizes our ‘Thank you’s’ into this order:
1. Take a look at and appreciate all the things to be grateful for in the area of your body and your health.
2. Think about anything in your life to be grateful for in the area of relationships. Remember to include friends, family, romantic partner, co workers, pets, ect.
3. Give thanks for the prosperity you are feeling regarding your home at this time.
4. Now bring to mind your work, or your career. Look to see what you can appreciate right now in the area of work and career in your life.
5. Then think about the area of finances. See if you can bring to mind something you feel appreciative for at this time in your life in the area of money and finances. Give thanks for the level of financial prosperity you have created thus far in your life.
6. Think about your creative expression, any particular interests, enjoy nets and hobbies in your life, and notice anything you feel especially appreciative about or grateful for, and bring hold this in your mind for few moments.
7. Are there ways you make a contribution to other people, or to the world, even in very small ways? Take a moment to appreciTe and be grateful for the opportunity you have to serve others and make a difference in the world.
8. And, if there is anything right now in your life you feel truly grateful for, take a moment to fully appreciate whatever that is, and give thanks for how that contributes to your experience of prosperity.
Now, get a sense of the whole picture and notice how many things you have in your life to feel grateful for, how much richness and prosperity you already have created in your life. Allow yourself to open up and enjoy that feeling. Experience gratitude for that as deeply as possible. Don’t forget to express your appreciation to everyone in your life who contributes to your experience of true prosperity. Notice you do all this before your meditations to increase prosperity in your life. Gratitude and thankfulness comes first.
So, say your “Thank You’s”, even to those closest to you, especially those close to you. It will do you good.
By Deborah Carter Mastelotto
pinkchronicity 