Gratitude--The Great Mood Enhancer

by Gregory Allen Butler

One of the most important and attitude enhancing practices you can do is the practice of gratitude. It has the power to lift the mind from despondency to optimism by helping to change the mind’s perspective. It can lift your spirits so high that you can get beyond the mind into the expansiveness of being. It can turn anxiety into inspiration. It can turn an apathetic lifestyle into one of dynamic selflessness.

When I am feeling down, I find that just by changing the focus of my consciousness from one of insufficiency to one of abundance we lift our energy vibration. The shift in consciousness takes place because of the shift of focus. The energy alone from being thankful will lift my spirits.

I know that sometimes, when we are suffering, it can seem difficult to find anything to be thankful for. That’s because unconsciousness has taken over and we are hyper-focusing on our pain. And so we forget, and when we forget, we are not as appreciative as we might be when we remember. Below is a list I made, not a complete list, but enough of a list to make me realize that it is an abundant universe. Maybe what I list below will trigger some thoughts in you that you have taken for granted.

I’m alive. When I think of the incredible complexity of what makes up a human body, with the DNA, the brain, the nerves, the cells, the ability to see with our eyes, to smell with our nose, and to taste with our tongue, I am amazed. Then when I think about the ability to talk, to think, to feel, to love, I am even more amazed. It become clear to me, when pondering over life, that there is an infinite intelligence behind the design that makes this all possible. What an attention to detail. I thank God I’m alive.
Planet Earth. I am thankful for all of the natural beauty of the planet. The oceans, the deserts, the mountains, the rain forests, the air, the vegetables, the fruit, the wildlife, the minerals. Despite all the abuse we have unleashed against the planet, it still gives us everything we need to live. Can you imagine living somewhere where there wasn’t any greenery, or fresh water to drink, or fresh air to breathe?
Friends and Family. I am grateful for friends and family, especially my wife Maggie and my daughter Kamilia, for the love they give me, and the encouragement when life seems overwhelming. My parents are both gone now, but I remember them with gratitude for all they did for me while I was growing up, especially allowing me to be me and follow my own dreams. I have friends who have enriched me with their companionship and generosity; many of them now deceased.
My Abilities. I’m not great, but I’m grateful for what I can do. I’m grateful that I can write, and play music, and design websites and tell jokes. I’m grateful that I can help people feel better with a few words of encouragement. I’m grateful that I can read and listen and that I have the ability to learn, not only from books and people, but from the experiences of life.
Kindness. It is always meaningful to me when someone is kind to me. Someone’s smile is enough to make my day memorable. I have had the pleasure to receive an abundance of kindness over my lifetime. Some from family, some from friends, and some from complete strangers. It’s an expression of love and unity of being. Just imagine what life would be like if we were all machines without feelings and emotions.
Abilities of others. I know there are a lot of things I can’t do and so I’m grateful when other people are able to do them. For instance, the people who designed this computer that I am using, the people who built my house, the people who made my car, the people who built the highways that I drive on. And I grateful to all the writers of books, the producers and directors of movies, and the musicians who make the music that uplifts me, and the plumber who came today to fix my shower. Consciousness. I am grateful for the peace and light that radiate from the great souls of the world, the mystics, saints, and spiritual masters, who show us the way to find our inner freedom and counter-balance all the negative energy that come from so many of us.
Freedom. I’m grateful for the fact that I was born this lifetime into a life of freedom. So many people over the centuries have had to endure a lifetime of slavery and torture. Humor. I am always grateful for a good joke and the ability to laugh. Can you imagine what life would be without laughter?
Peace. I know peace is not the reality for everyone in the world. But here, where I am, at this time, there is peace, and I am grateful for it. And I’m grateful for everyone who contributes towards a peaceful world. If more people were grateful for peace, there would be more of it.
Music. Just think if nobody had any musical ability. Music makes the world so much more enjoyable. I am grateful for all the countless hours of practice that the great musicians of the world have put into the refinement of their craft. I was a music major in college. It’s hard work.
Teachers. I’m grateful to all the people who take time to teach. Without them, we would all be in much less of a civilization.
Language. Just imagine a world that did not have the ability to communicate by language. Imagine a world where you didn’t have the opportunity to read a book, or write a poem, or say, “I love you.”
Love. Is there anything to be more grateful for? Without it, nothing else matters. As Meher Baba said, “It is for love that the whole universe sprang into existence, and it is for the sake of love that it is kept going.” What would be the significance of any relationship without love? What would be the purpose of life without love? It is love that adds depth and meaning to life. It is through love that we discover oneness. And the most wonderful thing about love is, the more we give, the more we have. What a treasure! It never runs out!
Beauty. I am so grateful for beauty. Imagine a world where there was no beauty in nature. No beautiful sunsets, no beautiful beaches, no beautiful meadows. What if our world was nothing but steel and concrete? What if there were no beautiful works or art? What would life be like if nobody could see?

This is not a complete list of all I have to be thankful for. But it has been an enriching experience just to spend this time focusing on some of the things in life I am thankful for. It reminds me how blessed I really am, how much I have already received. It gives me a sense of fulfillment.

And I am in a much better frame of mind now than I was when I started this exercise. I recommend you take some time and write down a list of what you are thankful for. You might find it to be a great mood enhancer.