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Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving Weekend, everyone! I love that there is a day dedicated to giving thanks but how great would it be if that gratitude could extend beyond the weekend and into your every day life??

Have you read Elephant Journal’s post “The Coolest Thing about Gratitude” by Lucy Animus (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/11/the-coolest-thing-about-gratitude/)?  The writer says:

 

“By now, most of us have heard the news: grateful people are happier, healthier and generally more fulfilled.  And while these are all really great side effects of gratitude, for me, one of the coolest things about gratitude is the way it affects the heart. The heart creates an electromagnetic field that expands up to five feet from the body. Its electrical field is 60 times stronger in amplitude than that of the brain.  Studies show that when people cultivate positive feelings, the heart’s frequency changes and its waves become smoother and more consistent, while anxiety or stress caused waves to be shorter and less organized. Though most positive feelings were capable of affecting the heart in this way, researchers noted that gratitude changed the heart’s rhythm more easily and faster than any of the others.”
 
How cool is that?!
 
Ready to start YOUR daily Gratitude Practice?
 
In your meditation or at the start or end of your day recognize 3 things that you are grateful for; maybe you write a list, maybe it’s a mental list, or maybe you share this practice with a partner or friend.
You can also embrace one of my favorite affirmations:
 
As you inhale silently say to yourself, “My life is abundant.”
As you exhale silently say to yourself, “I am grateful.”
 
Spending time focusing on the abundance in your life creates so much joy; a regular Gratitude Practice where we acknowledge the richness and fullness of our lives can help to uplift us in times of struggle and afford us a greater sense of perspective and peace.
 
Try this practice for a beautiful and fulfilling addition to your life!

Anyone feel like sharing something they are grateful for?  Comment below – let’s shout it from the rooftops!

-melanie-xo