G is for Gratitude
“I created a fun way to condition my mind to see the good in life…“
Life is all about perspective; it’s your choice how to see it. Over the last fifteen years my perspective of the world has changed dramatically. Back then, I lived in misery, believing the outside world determined my life experiences. A common phrase used to describe how I felt: hating life. Thankfully, that motto is now: passion for life! I proudly display my current mode of operation with a personalized license plate: LOV2LIV. Being the co-creator of my life, I’m tickled to catch other drivers smiling in my direction as I dance with joy behind the wheel. This transformation wasn’t quick or easy; however, I created a fun way to condition my mind to see the good in life. I invented a game called The Gralphabet.
The Gralphabet
The Gralphabet™ (gral`fa bet`), n. a system of characters or signs in alphabetical order with which the language of gratitude is expressed. Ex. A – I am grateful for apples because they are scrumptiously tasty and a healthy snack. B – I am grateful forbreathing because it gives me life. C – I’m grateful for cartoonsbecause they give me a good chuckle… I got a double! I’m grateful for chuckling too. D – …
The Universe responds to thoughts and beliefs. What I decide to focus on is exactly what I’m going to see. When hating life was my motto, I saw people were out to get me, out to better themselves by using me. I believed I didn’t need people for anything and pushed them far, far away. I thought I was tough and didn’t care how much pain I had to endure to prove to the world that I could handle it on my own. Of course the result was a feeling of emptiness. A gaping hole of loneliness that I pretended wasn’t there, yet felt so deeply. I blamed life for doing this to me instead of acknowledging that my feelings were only a reflection of the thoughts and beliefs I projected outward. Negativity consumed my mind and I allowed it to have power over me.
One day, the avoidance of misery stopped. I caught myself in the mirror and saw an empty shell of human flesh, a young woman who hated herself and felt unworthy of love or friendship. Something deep inside knew that wasn’t true, yet the tears began to flow. I had been so tough for so long that once I opened the door to feel the pain, the floodgates opened; I sobbed for days. I knew I didn’t want the rest of my life to feel that empty or else I wanted my life to end. I had found the cold, dark empty space that was longing to love and be loved.
A few months later, beginning to awaken my consciousness with a handful of self-help books, I finally reached out for help. A friend introduced me to someone who was willing to support my growth as long as I was willing to listen to her advice. She saw my pain more clearly than I did and gave me an assignment: “Write down twenty things a day that you are grateful for.”
TWENTY things, I thought. “How can I think of twenty things when I can barely think of two or three?” The challenge a couple of weeks to overcome the procrastination. Finally, desperate to get out of myself, I began.
Every night I searched my mind to come up with something to be grateful for. In a few weeks my closed little mind began to open. The more I sought gratitude, the more I realized how much abundance there was in life and how I’d taken so much for granted. My mother took me in after six years of being on my own when I hadn’t cared to share much of my life with her. There was a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep in and blankets to keep me warm. At times, when I didn’t have money for lunch, co-workers would share so I wouldn’t go hungry. My boss allowed me to make my own schedule and study on the clock during down time. The community even supported me with public transportation, as my car often broke down. Not only did I need people, I started to see how much I relied on them.
Practicing Gratitude
Practicing gratitude enlightened me in so many ways. For the first time in my life I pondered how miraculous life really was: amazing how much energy and effort went into the smallest things! Giving thanks at meal time turned into a fest of appreciation for the seeds, the trees, the wind, the soil… all of Mother Nature. The number of hands and physical bodies it took to have food in front of me were countless. The farmers, the inventors of tractors and machinery, assembly line workers, drivers, chefs, marketers and even the grocery store clerk. The list would go on and on! Expressing gratitude brought so much fun and joy that I created a game to experience that overflowing affection, awe and appreciation any time of the day.
The Gralphabet helped me see the positive, and helped me feel and experience the abundance of love and support in the world, even during a tough run or a long drive. It kept me centered and trained my mind to automatically seek the what and why to be grateful—changing my focus from what I didn’t like to what I really loved. Many things I had seen as ugly or negative now had beautiful or positive attributes. All I had to do was ask the question: What can I be grateful for?
That gaping hole inside me was now full. Life transformed because I changed my view and the Universe was responding. I played on my own and often shared with others. I made it even more fun by challenging myself to think of two or three things per letter. Thoughts popped all day long with a resounding: Yes! I’m grateful for that too!
Over the years I learned to say the entire Gralphabet for a specific topic, like my body, a holiday or Mother Earth and discovered an abundance of things I’d previously taken for granted. Writing the Gralphabet for someone special has proven to delight another’s heart for a lifetime. Children love the game and are guaranteed to remind you over and over again how to play.
Every time I ponder the amount of miracles that happen right here in my own little body, I am overwhelmed with joy and appreciation for life. Shifting that same contemplation to family and friends, to God, to Mother Nature, the planet, the Universe, I realize the miracles are just endless. The attitude of gratitude has transformed my life. The more abundance and miracles I see the more abundantly and miraculously the Universe responds. I am eternally grateful and absolutely LOV2LIV!
Try it!
Try it out… go through the letters of the alphabet and say what you are grateful for, for each letter. Have fun conditioning your mind to be even more grateful!
A – I’m grateful for the incredible Abundance life offers just for the asking!
B – I’m grateful for the Beautiful Blossoms the earth so graciously gave us!
C – I’m grateful for the endless flow of Creativity!
D – I’m grateful for Dancing vivaciously!
E – I’m grateful for Energy in motion… E-motion!
F – I’m grateful for Forgiveness, a constant letting go!
G – I’m grateful for Gratitude! There can never be enough thanks!
H – I’m grateful for Holding Hands, such a gentle loving gesture!
I – I’m grateful for Intimacy! In-to-me (or you)…see?
J – I’m grateful for Jumping with Joy!
K – I’m grateful for random acts of Kindness!
L – I’m grateful for Love! The ultimate healer!
M – I’m grateful for my Mistakes! The greatest teacher!
N – I’m grateful for Nature! What an amazing kingdom!
O – I’m grateful for Oxygen because we are deep breathing alive!
P – I’m grateful for Prayer, incredible communication with Spirit!
Q – I’m grateful for Quarrels! No differences would be boring!
R – I’m grateful for Rest and Relaxation! Time to Rejuvenate!
S – I’m grateful for Silliness! Lighten up with a Silly Smile!
T – I’m grateful for Tears, a natural way to release sadness and express great joys!
U – I’m grateful for Universal Wisdom! A higher connection words cannot describe!
V – I’m grateful for Vision! What a powerful tool our Creator gave us!
W – I’m grateful for Wonder! Being in awe of the world!
X – I’m grateful for the X-chromosome! Life is more fun with two sexes!
Y – I’m grateful for You! You are unique and you make a difference!
Z – I’m grateful for Zeal, an extraordinary enthusiasm for life!
