Fun Factor Essential #3
Gratitude
"Having an appreciative nature about all things great and small."
For thousands of years it has been well known that having gratitude is a pleasure sense. It is used extensively before meditation to calm and clear the mind. There is scientific research that shows that grateful thinking triggers neurotransmitters in the brain.
Not surprising, most of those I’ve interviewed didn’t quite realize that they were grateful; they simply saw their world thankfully. Many of us aren’t so fortunate, including myself. Even after years of meditation I still begin my experience with what is called “loving kindness.” Look it up. You begin by truly desiring health, happiness, and well-being to first yourself, then those with whom to care very deeply, then your circle of friends, then those you don’t know, and then, finally, nature and the universe -- all things great and small.
To many – even me – this seemed almost silly at first, and I had a really hard time getting into it. But, eventually, I started feeling that it eased my way into a more relaxed perspective even after I finished meditating.
Remember, gratitude is an “all the time” emotion, regardless of whether you thinking about it or not. It need to be authentic, and sometimes it takes work.
