Some days, the words "thank you" come to me as easily as breathing. On the days it doesn't come so easily, I jump-start the momentum simply by thinking "thank you" over and over. There's no target or inspiration for my thanks and not much emotion invested in the words. It's simply a starting point for quieting the "monkey mind" that has taken over and filled my thoughts with not-so-grateful jibberish. Then it's on to noticing things to feel grateful for; things that are easy to overlook and take for granted -- like green lights, the smile of a stranger, and being able to walk up a steep hill. There's still not much emotion attached to my expression of gratitude, but the momentum picks up and begins to inspire me. When I'm ready to kick it up another notch, I begin to actively look for and find things that spark a bit of joy -- the taste of a juicy, perfectly ripe mango, the brilliant red of a cardinal perched at the very top of a tree, the rainbow of light from a window prism. And each time I find that spark of joy, I stop for just a moment and express my gratitude. And if I'm ready to really soar, I begin feeling truly and deeply grateful for that which I have yet to experience -- that which lies just around the next bend -- and I allow the powerful energy of gratitude to begin drawing it to me.
May today be a day of 1000 "Thank You's".