With the holiday season in full swing and 2005 almost at an end, we also look to this time as a beginning of something new – a new year, new habits, new commitments, new goals, and yes, those dreaded resolutions. And with the newness, hopefully a new attitude. For this year coming up, how about trying something different – adopting and exercising an attitude of love and gratitude.

There is a saying that a great attitude creates miracles in one's life. I fully believe that. Great attitude = Gratitude. Dr. Masaru Emoto, from the movie, What the Bleep Do We Know, defines gratitude as “love plus the combination of thanks and appreciation”. A great attitude comes from our inner environment – by consciously choosing positive, loving responses. How we choose to respond to happenings around us makes a profound difference in how we perceive our external environment. It is all too easy to be consumed with all the problems and concerns of our fast-paced and challenging world. We need to make better choices.

Take a look at your life right now. What typically are the things for which you express gratitude and appreciation? When you receive things? When someone does something for you or shows kindness? What about the relationships in your life – family, children, friends, co-workers, etc.? Are you grateful for their existence? What words to you choose to express this gratitude? Do you say, “I love you?” or “Thank you”? How do you view your life or situations in your life? Do you see the glass as half-full or half-empty? How do you feel when you respond to people or situations around you? Do your words and actions come from love or fear?

The idea here is to see life as full of opportunities and blessings, despite all the challenges, difficulties and chaos that surround us. Your attitude towards these challenges has a definite effect – in body, mind, and in spirit. Studies have shown that people who exhibit positive attitudes in challenging situations are healthier (mentally and physically) and much happier beings. For example, it is now a common practice to use laughter, comedy and positive visualization with cancer patients. The movie, What the Bleep, provided one of the most powerful examples to date of just how evoking words of love and positivity allowed gratitude to be made visible through physical changes in the structure of crystals. “It makes you wonder, doesn't it? If thoughts can do that to water, imagine what our thoughts can do to us?”

So here is a gratitude exercise for you to do – call it a different type of New Year’s resolution. It's a 30 day challenge. Take ten minutes out of your day and sit down with your favourite notebook and pen. List five things that you are grateful for. Yes, five. Every day. No skipping and cheating. Note how you feel as you are writing your list. You may also wish to describe why you feel grateful and appreciative – this adds an even deeper level of importance and connection within yourself. At the end of the 30 days, take stock of how you feel. What changes have you gone through? Did it get easier or hardier to come up with your list? How has your outlook on life shifted?

And now apply this to each day in your life. After all, a New Year's resolution should last more than 30 days.

Copyright - Olena Gill, 2005

Olena Gill is a life and spiritual coach in Errington, British Columba, Canada. Feel free to visit http://www.indigocrystalcoach.com for more information.

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