Alignment is the key to authenticity.
Bringing Your Gratitude Into Alignment
Sometimes I feel like a gratitude fraud. There, I said it. I feel like this because I’m not always grateful. I’m just not. And that’s OK. Because gratitude is a practice. And like all practices it is just consciously choosing to work at something. It is not a constant state of being. It is not an identity. So when I speak of feeling like a gratitude fraud it is because I am trying to make something that is a practice an identity. Instead of declaring myself a grateful person, I say I practice gratitude. And that feels more authentic.
Another layer to this bringing the practice of gratitude into alignment. The way I see this is in three facets: thoughts, beliefs and actions. In this moment do I have thoughts of gratitude? In this moment do I believe in gratitude? In this moment do I put my gratitude into action?
Thoughts of gratitude can emerge before or after the emotion of gratitude. Or it can be an intentional result of choosing to find gratitude for something. Beliefs are the larger construct of thoughts. I like to think of beliefs as the possibility. If you don’t believe that gratitude is possible you are not likely to have thoughts or actions of gratitude. Finally actions can take many forms. It can be verbalizing what you are grateful for, writing down your gratitude, tender smile and eye contact, a hug, acts of kindness or just about any action that is coming from the place of gratitude.
Having out thoughts, beliefs and actions in alignment is a beautiful thing. It just feels good to be authentic. And when we are in that place of alignment our gratitude practice is elevated to a higher plane.
How we see the world is how we believe it really is.
~Jeff Linkenbach
What are you grateful for through your thoughts, beliefs and actions?
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[su_note note_color=”#e7e7e7″ text_color=”#686767″ radius=”0″] My gratitude journey started in May 2011 and continues to this day. Thank you for being a part of it! A daily gratitude practice is simple. Write down three things you are grateful for each day. Download your free GratitudeGuide. My clients focus on gratitude and learn from their successes to make the positive changes they want in their lives. You can too. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336. [/su_note]