How often do you accept something, even something significant, without thinking to express appreciation? Or you do, but it’s a brief, “Thanks”. Remember that giving and receiving are an exchange of energy as you read: Someone takes much time and some money to help you with something you desperately need, then when it’s done, you say, “thanks”, and continue on your way. Compare the energy that was given to you with the energy you returned. Big thud…

Now imagine someone taking much time and some money to help you with something you desperately need, and when it’s done, you say, “Thank you so much. I appreciate your taking time to help me. Here’s a check for the money it cost you. And let me know if ever I can help you”.

In a session, with the Reflective Questioning process, a consistently overburdened, client concluded that she spent months and innumerable hours in volunteer efforts so she could hear a few seconds of, “Thank you Marie, we couldn’t have done it without you”.

People will go to extremes to feel appreciated. Perhaps if we all took a bit more time to sincerely express gratitude, we would balance this everyday exchange of energy, and all would feel more balanced.

Most people think that being happy is what makes them feel grateful. And it can. But gratitude also grows happiness. The best in life cannot be seen or touched. It is felt in the heart. A steady presence of gratitude keeps the heart open and thus enables us to experience wonder, awe, joy and even bliss.

Expressing gratitude in a daily prayer or spiritual practice is beneficial. But more importantly, express genuine gratitude in the moment, as it happens. Appreciate people for caring enough to go out of their way to give… for taking time from the many demands of their lives to make ours a little better… for doing things that make us happy. Stop long enough to take a breath, notice that your life is blessed with the giving energy of someone else, and return that energy.

The Law of Attraction rewards gratitude by returning the energy to you. The energy of appreciation raises your frequency and hence, you attract in kind to this energy. You condition gratitude as a response, you feel good, and the positive energy permeates your life. Genuine gratitude is a subtle power the wise invest into daily life. The true master walks in gratitude.