Image from favim.com
“Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.” ~ Christiane Northrup
As we begin Day 4 of our 30 Day Gratitude Challenge, we are already beginning to rewire our brain to look for the positive in life. We are expanding our awareness to include more of what is good and kind, and we are spending less time looking at the things that do not serve us.
This in turn is making us more magnetic to new relationships and opportunities, and the many small blessings which come our way when we are in flow and living from our hearts.
Let’s begin today with the practices that create the foundation of our Gratitude Challenge. And tonight, be aware of any feelings or sensations as you hold your Gratitude Rock.
Gratitude rocks anchor energy for us, and act as a touchstone for all that is good in our lives. Image from geekandjock.com
Counting Our Blessings and Using our Gratitude Rock
If you need a detailed reminder of the process, you can review it here in Day 1 of the Gratitude Challenge.
- List five Blessings in your journal, explaining why you are grateful for each one.
- Count your Blessings off on your fingers, summoning positive emotion and saying Thank You from your heart for each one.
- Tonight before you go to sleep, hold your Gratitude Rock and affirm I am richly Blessed. I have an Abundance of Good in my life. Visualise one thing you have been grateful for today. Swell that positive energy up in your heart like a beautiful golden light, and give a heart-felt Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to the Universe, then imagine a tiny shower of golden light travelling from your heart into your Gratitude Rock.
- Still holding your Gratitude Rock, bless your fellow travellers on this Gratitude Journey by sending them golden light, and saying Thank you. I Bless You. I intend for you Love, Miracles and Abundance. Know that as you are saying this for them, they are also saying this for you. Feel that connection and gratitude and know that there is real love and support for you here. Place your rock back beside your bed, and go to sleep, cocooned in this good energy.
It is enough just to do this first part of the Challenge, but if you’re ready for more today we are going to practice gratitude for friendship.
Sharing the Journey
Image from prikol.ru
One of the Blessings of life is having someone to share part of the journey with.
Friendship comes in many forms.
We can find that the companionship and love of an animal can be as rewarding as that of a person. We might find friendship with a sibling, or a grandparent, a neighbour, a school or work chum, or the local barrista.
We might find connection in cyberspace with someone we will never meet in person, but who comes to be as valued as any friend who we can meet face-to-face.
This beautiful image by the Artist Arunas Zilys
For some of us, our treasured friendships might include Loved Ones who have crossed over, Guides, Angels or God.
Friends love and support us, they share our laughter and tears, they listen to our stories, and they help us to grow. Some come into our lives for the briefest of times, and some have a longer visit in our lives. And they live on in our memories and our hearts, even when they aren’t here for us to talk with or to hug.
Today, find a way to connect back into that energy of friendship. You can do this by summoning the face of someone from your past, holding them with love in your heart, and saying Thank You as you reflect on happy times.
You might look at a photograph, and send energy to that person, wishing them well, wherever they may be.
You might sit quietly on your own and feel the grace of God, or your Angels and Guides, or your Loved One.
You could hug your pet, phone a friend, or meet for coffee.
When we focus on happy memories, positive relationships and good times, we are attracting more of that into our life.
So today, give thanks for the good friendships you have now, or have enjoyed in the past. Know that as you do this, and celebrate the Blessing of friendship, you are inviting this energy to brighten your heart again.
Image from freewallpaper.net
Today find time to be grateful for friendship.
I’m grateful for YOU. ♥ Thank you for the gift of friendship. ♥
I’m actually going to have dinner with a good and dear friend tonight — the first time I have pulled myself away from my work in weeks! I am very thankful
I hope you have a wonderful night – you deserve a break, Daisy! Bless xx
I did! It was wonderful and definitely recharged my batteries!
Hi Nicole, first time commenting, but I’m too excited not to share this. I think that somehow the energy of gratitude and appreciation is moving across the globe. I came across this ongoing Facebook campaign by a small group of people in Singapore, where they’re encouraging people around the world to appreciate the people in their lives today, by posting their “I APPRECIATE YOU…” messages on their loved ones/friends walls – ie. to do a more powerful action, to verbalize it aloud.
https://www.facebook.com/iappreciateyoucampaign
Just thought I’d share.
This is perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this. Imagine a world where gratitude, kindness and appreciation are an everyday part of life… Now that IS worth getting excited about, and it’s happening now and we’re part of it! Awesome
Bless xx
thank YOU dear one!!!
{{{HUGS}}} xoxo
This is something I am so grateful for, every day … my very best friend, my friends who are as close (or closer) than family, and my blogging community friends – my blogging “family” … I can’t begin to tell them how much they mean to me. Thank you, every one of you! xoxox
I know exactly what you mean, Julie Catherine, and I’m grateful to count you among them. Much love to you xoxo
Friendship is an awesome connection.. <3 Mine is mostly cyber friends or family. I am very grateful for the Internet. Sprinkles of sparkles ~*~*~*~* Mwah ~*~*~*~* xx
Thank you for the sparkles
xx
Thank You. . .xxxxx
Any time! xoxo
Friends I have learned become your family, tribe, clan, when you realize this it’s becomes easer to open up to receiving abundant love. In the last few weeks I’ve had a steady flow of friends, clients and family physicaly helping me, emotionaly supporting me and showing me so much love. What a gift to have in my life
Indeed! Love is the most precious gift of all. And here’s some more of it for you {{{HUGS}}} xoxo
Morning Nicole, thank you for this wonderful challenge. During the first couple of days when writing my 5 “gratitudes” I was surprised to find I felt a little stilted and self-conscious, and wondered if I would repeat myself over the 30-days, but now my gratitude is flowing more freely and creatively and I could probably write 10 a day! Brightest blessings to you dear girl. xox Mitch.
How wonderful that you have broken through to that place of ease and flow. Congratulations, Mitch. This exercise is so worth sticking with! Bless xx
Hi Nicole and everyone. I have to say that today I struggled with the 5 things to be grateful for, I eventually found them but it was a little tough. Was wondering if anyone else feels this way ? Love to all
Sharon, I understand what you mean, and have struggled in a similar, albeit different way. I found starting difficult… So I’m a few days behind everyone! It was hard for me to give my self permission to acknowledge my blessings, and invite more into my life. I guess that is part of my lesson
Perhaps if you have a block, focus on the small things first, and see where it leads 
I started out today not quite knowing what to write, then I focused on the theme of friendship. And wrote about how grateful I am for individual friends and family members and how they have enriched my life and shown me valuable lessons I am here to learn from them. It’s ended up being the most powerful one yet
Am blogging on this tomorrow, Sharon. Hang in there. Much love to you xx
I am very behind but hope to catch up soon – am loving these brilliant posts – thanks Nicole!
No need to catch up, just enjoy this at your own pace! xoxo
Beautiful Nicole. It is so easy to forget the simple things in life which we overlook as we begin to take them for granted, or sometimes because we lose them.
Today I’m reminded to be grateful for the time we have with family – we leave tomorrow to attend a funeral and I’m so very grateful I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with him before our wedding when he was well.
If not for that this would be my only memory of Uncle Kevin. Synchronicity – thank you for starting this challenge when you did. For the next wel I’ll be checking in by phone but my Gratitude Rock and journal are going with me. Bless❤xx
Sending you much love for the next week. Blessings to you too xx
Thanks, Nicole. I’m loving this challenge, and I’m growing stronger every day. Much love to you, and to everyone sharing this wonderful gift. xx
Isn’t it wonderful to be part of such a caring community here? I’m so grateful for all of you too xoxo
Beautiful post thank you for sharing with us.
I knew you’d understand today’s post especially. Much love to you, your family and your wonderful menagerie xx
I look forward to your posts and am grateful to you for the effort you put in to connect with people round the world. You make a lot of people feel as if you’re speaking directly to them, which is a great gift. Thank you for being you, Nicole.
Oh Lorna! {{{HUGS}}} One day I’ll make that a real one xx
When I commit to something I have to follow through. So thank you for asking me to commit. My rock is a rutilated quartz crystal and it is magic at night when I do the ritual at bedtime – the golden light shines bright through the crystal. I am a blown away how good it feels… Much thanks dear Nicole xxx
It sounds luscious, Lucy! Much love to you, and thank you for sharing with us xx
I’m totally grateful for this challenge because it makes me more aware of small blessings during the day and thankful for each one of them. Thank you xxx
It’s the small Blessings that make life worthwhile, don’t you think?
Bless xx
OK – I am ready to play! My friend Suzie Cheel told me about this gratitude challenge… so here I am with gratitude and appreciation!
Isn’t Suzie a beautiful Soul! I’m grateful for her and for you. Welcome. Thanks for adding your energy to our own. xx
I am late to this challenge – how wonderful to praise the blessings of friendship in our lives!!!!! They seem to really give life it’s true value, comfort and fun. Thank you!
Thanks for joining us Wendy, and don’t feel ‘late’. Everyone comes to this at the perfect timing for them. There are plenty of people only just starting out now, so you are in good company. Bless xx
I’m grateful that although 4 days behind, I just found this post…time to catch up. I love sharing gratitude! <3
No need to ‘catch up’! Just work through at your own pace. Love and Light, Nicole xx
Such serendipity once again: Today, July 22, is my mom’s birthday. She would have been 91 had she not passed away. So your words, “For some of us, our treasured friendships might include Loved Ones who have crossed over” truly resonated with me. Here is my post — http://muddlavoie.com/blog/rituals/30-days-of-gratitude-day-4/ — Bless you, my Beautiful Friend xoxo
I am very grateful for finding you and having you in my life Nicole Cody. Thank you <3
I love when we make connections with others ~ I am so grateful to have found your blog!
We’re grateful that you’ve found us too. Thank you!
xx
I’m so grateful I found you Nicole. Thank you
Thank you Nicole for this Gratitude challenge. It is helping me to realign my spiritual side which has been hiding due to work and study commitments this last year. I believe a small hanful of frinends have joined me on this journey. Interestingly, today I did a reading for a friend which was concerning friends, and then todays challenge is friends. Excellent. I am grateful you are able to share your wisdom with us. Love and Light. x