I’m learning more each day. I’m learning to be grateful for the small things, a smile, a meal, warmth from the fire, even for the bills.

When I say learning, I mean some days I’m not living in gratitude. I have negative thoughts. I take for granted the things that I feel should just happen, like seeing, hearing, even breathing. But speak to someone who these things don’t come easily, they will tell you they’re not aiming for fame and fortune, getting up on a morning and seeing the trees through the window or going for a walk would be a successful day for them.

Since doing a regular self care and yoga practice, I find that bringing awareness back to my breath is helping me to live a more fulfilled life.

So living in gratitude and abundance is a healthy state of being. In a Reiki treatment I will ask my client to ask for what they want, but they’ll receive what you need. By this I mean we should reach for the stars and put it out to the universe to have the best relationship, the car, the house, the wealth, the health and whatever else we want. We should put positive energy and thoughts to make our life the happiest and healthiest it could possibly be and take the steps to make it happen. But we will only receive what we can handle, otherwise it’ll slip through our fingers, because we’re not ready to receive yet.

If we have chronic fatigue for example, we should be telling ourselves we have energy in abundance, being thankful for opening our eyes this morning, the sunshine outside, our heart beat and the thousands of fantastic things our body does. Building on this everyday, becomes a ritual. Releasing any negative self talk and thought patterns, feeds our mind with joy and happiness. Positive neurons are rewired and reconnected and we little by little begin to feel better.

Some days you may feel low, but that’s just a day, or even a small part of the day.

Here are 7 simple steps to release negative thoughts and pain

1. Acknowledge the feeling,
2. Breathe in
3. Tense every muscle you can.
4. Ask whether I want to hold it?
5. Release it with it with the breath
6. Notice how good it feels.
7. Then switch to a positive memory or feeling to rewire your thoughts to feeling good.

I saw the perfect example of living life in gratitude just yesterday. I went to dear friend and colleague’s home. Her and her husband have just moved into the most amazing, absolute beach front apartment, with the view of the beach on one side and the hills on the other. Getting the amazing sunrise and fabulous sunset everyday. You may ask, how is this relevant?. But if I told you 6 years ago these people were homeless, being the victims, for want of a better word, of a major fraud where they lost everything, their home, investments, cars and some of their friends. They did house sitting, looking after animals, lived with friends. Like the phoenix from the flames, they became stronger and even grateful for the experience. Then someone offered for them to come and share her mansion, where they lived happily for 5 years. When they were ready, everything in their life improved. The more personal growth they did, the more they allowed abundance in all forms to flow to them.

Never give up on your hopes and dreams whatever they may be. The most successful people have lived in poverty, abusive relationships, had difficult times with drug or alcohol and nearly given up, but then they find the pearl in the oyster shell.

Ricky Gervais drifted from one thing to the next, then started writing comedy in his forties and now has net worth of $90 million. Now he spreads joy, happiness and wealth to many people and animals around the world.

Oprah Winfrey has spoken many times about her abusive childhood from which she ran away, she became pregnant at 14, but later her infant son died. She went on to work in radio, then host her own show. Her financial growth is worth billions, but her personal growth and how she has inspired many others to care for themselves is priceless.

Make your pearl in the oyster shell, to be living in gratitude and happiness. And keep on being awesome.

Much love
Karen Aitken

Remedial massage therapist & Stress management coach
Kasona – be happy, stress less
www.kasona.com.au
0414 973394