There are times when all of us get into the “poor me” mindset. My house isn’t big enough, my kids aren’t good enough, my partner isn’t attentive enough, my job isn’t fulfilling enough. Somehow, it’s easy to see that glass as half empty. At the time that we’re doing that complaining, we are overlooking some seriously important and wonderful parts of our lives.

Maybe your house isn’t as large as you’d like, but the fact that you HAVE a house is something to be grateful for, especially in this rough economy. Maybe your children don’t always behave as well as you’d like them to, but there are lots of people who would give anything just to be able to have a child, so how fortunate are you? Your partner isn’t attentive enough? Did it ever occur to you to be thankful that you have a partner who cares about you, and that you aren’t having to deal with lifes’ ups and down all alone? So your job isn’t quite what you’d like it to be. In a time of massive layoffs and people going hungry or losing their homes because they no longer have a paycheck, you DO! Be grateful for that.

You see where I’m going with this. Instead of complaining about what you don’t have and how flawed your life is, how about working on appreciating what you DO have? REALLY appreciating it! Even better, how about learning to look for all the little gifts that life gives us, and realizing how precious they are?

Life gives us gifts every single day, but if you aren’t looking for them, and don’t recognize them as gifts, you’re losing out.

I have found out that for me personally, the little gifts never have anything to do with money or prosperity or anything like thabirdt. The gifts are smaller and more subtle. There is nothing that I like better than waking up to birds singing right outside my bedroom window. I can’t take that beautiful birdsong to the bank, but I can certainly appreciate how much the song brightens my day.

Another small gift that I love is the sound of raindrops on my roof. There is something deeply relaxing about the sound, something that makes me look forward to those rainy days in a way I never did before.

I have learned to recognize many gifts in my life, and recognizing them as gifts enhances the quality of my life. I have three spoiled and wonderful cats that I love. Having one of them crawl into my lap and look up at me adoringly is always a gift. I live far from my family, so a phone call from my son or my sister is always a gift too. Dinner with an old and treasured friend…an unexpected card, letter or package…time in the bookstore with my daughter, who thinks as I do and believes the bookstore to be a perfect place to be. So many gifts that I’m truly glad I haven’t missed noticing.

If you find that you have trouble seeing the gifts in your own life, maybe the tapping script below will help.

Tapping Script For Developing an Attitude of Gratitude

Setup Phrases – Karate chop:

Eyebrow: I don’t always notice the good things in my life
Outside eye: Even if they’re right in front of my eyes
Under eye: I don’t always realize how much I have to be grateful for
Under nose: But I always seem to notice the things to complain about
Chin: Wouldn’t it be nice if I recognized all those good things?
Collar bone: Maybe it’s time to start looking at life with new eyes
Under arm: So that I can see all the gifts that come my way
Top of head: And appreciate every one of them!

Eyebrow: There are miracles happening around me every day
Outside eye: If I’ll only open my eyes to them
Under eye: If the sun is shining and the birds are singing
Under nose: Those are miracles worth recognizing
Chin: If I have a roof over my head and food in my stomach
Collar bone: That’s a lot to be grateful for
Under arm: People around me that care about me are an incredible gift
Top of head: I’m so happy to be seeing all the gifts in my life.

Eyebrow: I really do have a lot to be grateful for
Outside eye: And I feel so much better now that I’ve recognized that
Under eye: Feeling more and more grateful for the blessings in my life
Under nose: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the people around me
Chin: So grateful for the blue sky, the white fluffy clouds and the shining sun
Collar bone: So happy to face each day with a smile instead of a frown
Under arm: I’ve made a choice in my life
Top of head: And I’m choosing an attitude of gratitude for all my blessings.

Author's Bio: 

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Pat Burns is an EFT practitioner in Tallahassee, Florida. Contact Pat at pat@seeking-serenity.com