Kathleen N Hoagland
6 min readSep 23, 2021

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www.kathleenhoagland.com

GRATITUDE|HELP|HOPE|KNOWING|

GRATITUDE

Is this a normal part of your day giving gratitude to what you have, where you live, who you know….

Well, it should be if it is not now your practice.

Showing gratitude shows the universe that you are aware and appreciative of what has been given to you. The universe would like to continue to shower you with those gifts that make you happy and content. However, when we start to whines, keep asking for more and not seeing what we already have you actually shut the door to the universe giving you anything. You are telling the universe that you have more than you can handle. Sounds cruel but that is the way the universe and energy work.

When you keep asking for something you actually block the flow of life and keep your biggest desires at arm’s length, just out of grasp, behind the closed doors anyway you get my drift. We need to be happy with what we have, yes, it is ok to ask or even write it down but then do not keep wishing, wanting, and whining the 3 W’s as I call them will Block and put up a wall of non-attainment all day long.

If you just let it happen things will show up, people will find you, opportunities will show up you couldn’t even image or dream of. I have seen it happen time and time again to people I know.

Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.” ~ Marianne Williamson

No, I have not myself totally mastered the Art of Flow, but I have broken through some of the barriers and things have started to show up for me.

It is important to love yourself, others, and what you have, and the universe will continue to send good things your way.

A gratitude log is very much a good idea to keep. I am not a journal keeping type of person like myself but maybe give it a go for a few weeks or a month and see how it goes. The one log I do like to keep is all those unexpected things that showed up in your life no matter how small you will be amazed how they add up and that is what I look at whenever I start to doubt or feel down.

There is a knowing that everything will be OK, alright, thumbs Up. I just need to remember my higher self, inner knowing, guide, spirit, angels and God, higher powers are taking care of me. The practice of being in the Present and not letting worry, sadness, news, events to get a hold of me, I am good. If you have food, a warm place to stay, clothes on your back you are at least in a better place than someone who is cold, hungry, and afraid in the dark. I know it may not be exactly where you want to be, the food may not be what you want to eat, and the clothes may not be what you want to wear so change it. I told my friend the other day there is nothing that you cannot have if you want it bad enough. You may have to work harder, be more creative and bolder to make it happen but it can happen.

There was a show the other day where a blind man drove a car, everyone said it could not be done he found a way. He may not be driving all around the town it may have been only for that one time, but he did it, he found a way.

Agood choice is to start looking for what we do have and not what we do not have, and I get it I know that is very hard we have been conditioned to go negative and go in deep with all the negative self-talk.

I have a stilly story that just happened to me a few days ago. Normally when I see a penny on the floor, I get all upset and say what the heck… is this darn…penny doing on the floor where do they keep coming from? I would pick it up and throw it in a bag or on the table.

When I saw a penny on the floor a few days ago, I looked down and said the angels are letting me know they are still there for me, and I was so happy to see that darn penny. I felt such a switch in how I felt, and I was so grateful for the pennies now and my new awareness about them. That was an Ah ha moment for me. You can change your outlook on anything at all. Even a simple, silly penny.

The other revelation I discovered is that you cannot be Sad and Happy at the same time.

Time to be happy and smile. Ask yourself, each morning how do I want to start the day today? Cranky, sad, moody, or happy?

Create a few pictures in your mind of things that make you happy:

  1. Your children,
  2. Your pets: birds, dog, cat, horse, gerbil,
  3. Your spouse,
  4. Family members: sister, brother, mother, father,
  5. Your passion,
  6. Your garden,
  7. Your car.

Whatever lights you up keep that image in the front of your mind and go there when you start to get upset, sad, lonely and/or down.

I have a beautiful mountain view with hundreds of tall trees with birds singing and the wind blowing ever so slightly. Also, my daughter’s little dog that give me a lot of joy.

There is a book by Louise L. Hay entitled “Inner Wisdom” Meditation for the Heart and Soul. I discovered this book in a box of my “retired” stuff. This book had been in the box approximately 4 years I had forgotten that the box still existed. While we were clearing out all the junk in the patio; we were having a new patio awning put on as ours had been damaged from the last winter’s snowstorm. I stared thumbing through the book and one of the saying in the book was “This world is my heaven on earth” This statement had to do with creating the world I want to live in and know that it is possible. I liked that page a lot of it gave me hope we do have the ability to have what we want we just need to believe it is possible.

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

My opinion which probably does not count for much is that if more people spent just a few seconds a few times a day being grateful for something even the fact they can brush their teeth I believe we would have a much calmer, peaceful surroundings in which to engage with our fellow humans. I know I have seen the difference, and I still have my training wheels on, but we are still moving forward. So let me challenge you today, take a few seconds right now and think of something to be grateful now.

Remember you cannot be Sad and Happy at the same time.

Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash

If you liked my story about Gratitude, check out some of my other articles such as:

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Kathleen N Hoagland

I work with women to help them cope with stress & overwhelm. Send for tips on how to reduce stress/anxiety at: kathy.hoagland@mail.com Kathleenhoagland.com