Gratitude - Being Thankful Even During Challenging Times

At times, especially if you're experiencing challenges in your life, it can be difficult to express your gratitude.

And many individuals are going through a particularly challenging time at the moment. It's easy to say that this is as a result of the economic downturn but, in reality, the economic downturn is not the true cause of so many people's problems.

The writing was on the wall that this downswing in the economy was going to take place but few people, including myself, fully examined what the potential effects would be on a global, national, local and even personal level. So people have been largely unprepared for the swiftness of some of the repercussions of the current financial meltdown.

Hence, at a time when many people are celebrating Thanksgiving others are rueful about the losses they have recently suffered. And the reality is that while many people will spend this holiday season celebrating with friends and family and eating lavish meals, for others Thanksgiving will be a more sobering affair.

It is at times like these that your faith can be sorely tested and it's important to remember that:

"If your faith is in all-sufficiency of supply, then so is your life. If your faith is pulsating to a 'just getting by' frequency, then so it is in the world. If your faith is on the dial-set of insufficiency, then there will never be enough to meet your needs. Your world simply reflects your faith."
John Randolph Price, The Abundance Book

You have to face squarely that no matter how your life at this time. You created your life. Also, no matter what's happening in your life right now you have much to be thankful for and the more you express you gratitude, the more you will have to be thankful for.

As Oprah said:

"If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough."

Many people are seeing the glass as half-empty at the moment instead of half-full. And so they are complaining about what they lack. Consequently they are attracting more of the same into their lives. Gratitude keeps you connected with the things you want in life. The more you recognise the blessings you have in this life, no matter how small they may appear to you, the more you will attract more of what you truly desire in your life. Now, more than ever it's time to see that your glass is half-full rather than half-empty.

It may be the view of an optimist but as Keith Cunningham said:

"OPTIMISM is the mother of PERSISTENCE.
BELIEF is the mother of OPTIMISM.
GRATITUDE is the mother of BELIEF."

So be grateful for the life that you lead and believe that you can create the life you desire.