Simply Grateful

I generally practice being grateful for the many things that grace my day, although lately I've noticed my gratitude awareness has been more active than usual.

Some of the things I am simply grateful for involve my community. This time of year is just beautiful in Wellsboro. Wherever you look, there is either a breathtaking vista, with some early color changes to the leaves, a charming Victorian style home, a manicured yard, a newly decorated shop front, or friendly people saying hello as they pass you on the street. As I drive or walk through town, I have been taking it all in with complete gratitude.

I'm also grateful for some simple personal pleasures I enjoy. I have had many sunny days in a row for top down rides in Grace (my convertible). I'm grateful for the warm days and the chilly nights. Today I enjoyed a two hour facial, with lovely music playing in the background, soothing me to sleep in the middle of the afternoon.

I've been more than usually aware and thankful for some recent meals. Some very simple and some more elaborate. The glass of 2005 Syrah with dinner tonight was perfect.

So what does all this gratitude practicing do anyway? It's simple....when you are feeling grateful, you are feeling good. You cannot feel grateful and unhappy at the same time. When your focus is on that which you love and appreciate, you cannot help but feel good.

For me feeling good equals joy, happiness and an overall sense of well being. Interested in some of that? Take a minute now to think about something you are purely grateful for. Let you mind's chatter quiet, so you can completely focus and feel the power of being simply grateful.

The always-present opportunity we each have is that we can create good feelings within ourselves, simply by being grateful. Try it....you'll like it.