THE POWER OF GRATITUDE


It’s so easy to focus on what is missing in our lives – but most of us have so much more than many others in this world.
you need to have a sense of gratitude. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, a readiness to show appreciation for — and to return — kindness.

Gratitude is an indispensable part of living life to the fullest.
When we become truly humble and acknowledge our blessings, only then can we be happy, satisfied and contented.It seems that many people are so completely ovewhelmed with thinking only of themselves, that their sense of gratitude has been lost.

Gratitude requires no money and very little effort.
Saying thank you from the heart and really feeling and genuinely focusing on gratitude, will definately make you experience true wealth in a much deeper sense.

Gratitude can shift a negative moment into a positive in an instant but it’s not always easy to find something to be grateful for when times are challenging…..or is it?

Even in the darkest times, those who are considered saints, martyrs, great philosophers and spiritual teachers have mastered the art of a “gratitude attitude.” Can you? Here are 20 gratitude quotes to brighten your day and open your heart to the blessings in life.

20 BEST GRATITUDE QUOTES

1. Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal.  It’s a way to live.  ~Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear
2. Praise the bridge that carried you over.  ~George Colman
3. If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.  ~Robert Quillen
4. The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes.  It has enough lush forests, flowered fields and sandy beaches.  It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day.  What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.  ~Michael Josephson, whatwillmatter.com
5. Gratitude is the memory of the heart.  ~Jean Baptiste Massieu, translated from French
6. All that we behold is full of blessings.  ~William Wordsworth
7. As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ~Terri Guillemets
8. I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.  ~G.K. Chesterton
9. Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  ~Marcel Prous
10. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder
11. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.   ~John F. Kennedy
12. At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.   ~Albert Schweitzer
13. The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.
   ~WIlliam James
14. Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.   ~Oprah Winfrey
15. He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.   ~Epictetus
16. Thou hast given so much to me, Give one thing more, – a grateful heart; Not thankful when it pleaseth me, As if Thy blessings had spare days, But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise. ~George Herbert
17. Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture.  ~Kak Sri
18. If you have lived, take thankfully the past.  ~John Dryden
19. Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.  ~Marianne Williamson
20. There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude.  It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance.  ~Joseph Addison

According toPsychology Today, “Studies show that counting our blessings improves psychological, emotional and physical well-being.”

Robert Emmons, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, discusses in his book the profound impact a practice of gratitude can have on your heart and those in your lives. Emmons makes the astonishing claim that people who practice gratitude are an amazing 25 percent happier than those who do not. Imagine the impact this can have on your love life!

You may be thinking, “What do I have to be grateful for?” Try this exercise to get you in the moment and paying attention to the many things you have in your life to be thankful for. Starting from the moment you awake in the morning …

1. You’re alive. Shut out all thoughts of things you need to do and just be grateful you are breathing and living.

2. Your body. You are touching, tasting, talking, hearing, feeling, breathing and seeing. If you use some type of aid to help you do these things, appreciate that they are available to you.

3. Electricity. Was that a light you just switched on so you could see? Did your coffee maker start brewing your favorite blend? Pure magic.

4. Running water. Is there running water coming out of your faucet with the twist of your wrist? How’s that for instant gratification? Let’s not forget that warm shower, hot bath, flushing toilet, cold ice in your freezer and more.

5. Food. It’s right there being kept fresh in your refrigerator just waiting to nourish your body. Savor the smells, textures and flavors as you eat to truly enjoy what’s feeding your body and soul.

6. Friends. Not only are they there to share your ups and downs, you have complete freedom to choose who those special people are. Be a friend in return and you will never find yourself alone.

7. Freedom. No matter what your life may bring you, you are free to choose your own path, to speak your mind and to practice your religion. You could decide today to change careers and have numerous opportunities available to you. Believe in yourself and follow your dreams; you have 100 percent freedom to do so.

8. Nature. To truly live with inner harmony, you must connect with nature. Go take that walk in the park and “smell the roses.” See and hear the birds, take a swim in a stream. Feel this intimate connection with earth and say thank you.

9. Beauty. We are surrounded by beauty, whether it be in a painting, a photograph or a song. We can find beauty in the faces around us and from deep within each person.

10. Love. To profoundly love, you must sincerely respect and appreciate who you are. When you can accept yourself, so can those around you. You are a loving being and you deserve to be loved in return. Love comes in many forms: kids, family, pets, coworkers … pay attention to all of the sources of love in your life and you’ll develop a growing sense of abundance around how much love surrounds you each and every day.

BEAUTY only gets attention. PERSONALITY is what captures the HEART 

Let your dreams be bigger than your fears & your actions louder than your words. 

It doesn't matter what people think about you. It's what you think of yourself that really counts!

Happiness comes when we stop complaining about the troubles we have, and say thanks to GOD for the troubles we don't have... 

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that. 

I am happy to be me. I may not be perfect but I am HONEST, LOVING and HAPPY. I don't try to be what I  am not and I don't try to impress anyone. I am ME. 

DO IT NOW SOMETIMES LATER BECOMES NEVER.

TODAY IS TOMORROW WE WORRIED ABOUT YESTERDAY.

Peace Quote

Peace is power to heal even major wounds

A heart touching story...

A heart touching story...

One old man was sitting with his 25 years old son in the 

train.

Train is about to leave the station.

All passengers are settling down their seat.

As train started young man was filled with lot of joy and 

curiosity.

He was sitting on the window side.

He went out one hand and feeling the passing air. He 

shouted, "Papa see all trees are going behind".
 
Old man smile and admired son feelings.

Beside the young man one couple was sitting and listing 

all the conversion between father and son.

They were little awkward with the attitude of 25 years old 

man behaving like a small child.

Suddenly young man again shouted, "Papa see the 

pond and animals. Clouds are moving with train".

Couple was watching the young man in embarrassingly.

Now its start raining and some of water drops touches 

the young man's hand.

He filled with joy and he closed the eyes.

He shouted again," Papa it's raining, water is touching 

me, see papa".
 
Couple couldn't help themselves and ask the old man.

"Why don't you visit the Doctor and get treatment for 

your son."

Old man said,
 
" Yes, We are coming from the hospital as Today only 

my son got his eye sight for first time in his life"......

NOT MINE...
 
Moral: "Don't draw conclusions until you know all the 

facts"......

ALWAYS BE POSITIVE

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who 

arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach 

the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered 

around the tower to see the race and cheer on the 

contestants.
 

 The race began…

Honestly, No one in crowd really believed that the tiny 

frogs would reach the top of the tower. crowd yelled 

statements such as:

“Oh, WAY too difficult!!!”

“They will NEVER make it to the top.”

“Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too 

high!”

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one. Except for 

those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and 

higher.

The crowd continued to yell, “It is too difficult!!! No one 

will make it!”

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE 

continued higher and higher and higher. This one 

wouldn’t give up!

At the end everyone else had given up climbing the 

tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, 

was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the 

other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one 

frog managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the 

strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out. 

That the winner was DEAF!!!

:: Moral of the Story ::


Never listen to other people’s tendencies to be negative 

or pessimistic. because they take your most wonderful 

dreams and wishes away from you — the ones you have 

in your heart!

Always think of the power words have. Because 

everything you hear and read will affect your actions! 

Therefore, ALWAYS BE POSITIVE!

Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill 

your dreams! Always think: God and I can do this...

One Of The Best Motivational Stories Of My Choice

One Of The Best Motivational Stories Of My Choice

There was a young boy who used to come for regular practice but always played in the reserves and never made it to the soccer eleven. While he was practicing, his father used to sit at the far end, waiting for him.

The matches had started and for four days, he didn't show up for practice or the quarter or semifinals. All of a sudden he showed up for the finals, went to the coach and said, "Coach, you have always kept me in the reserves and never let me play in the finals. But today, please let me play." The coach said, "Son, I'm sorry, I can't let you. There are better players than you and besides, it is the finals, the reputation of the school  is at stake and I cannot take a chance." 

The boy pleaded, "Coach, I promise I will not let you down. I beg of you, please let me play." The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, "OK, son, go, play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don't let me down." 

The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and the star of the game. His team had a spectacular win. When the game finished, the coach went up to him and said, "Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well?" The boy replied, "Coach, my father is watching me today." 

The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy's father used to sit. There was no one there. He said, "Son, your father used to sit there when you came for practice, but I don't see anyone there today." The boy replied, "Coach, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four  days ago, he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above."

You can derive your own meaning from this story. Share with all what you learned from this story in the comments section.

IT IS THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

There was a man taking a morning wa lk at or the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind and with the morning sun rays, they would die. The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there was another person who couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?" This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one."

What difference are we making? Big or small, it does not matter. If everyone made a small difference, we'd end up with a big difference, wouldn't we?

STORIES TO GIVE YOU INSPIRATION AND MAKE YOU THINK

Thoughtful stories, motivational tales and quote

Some of the most memorable lessons in life come from stories - whether these be nursery rhymes or children's fables read to us by our parents, parables from the Bible or Jewish wisdom tales, or motivational booklets like "Who Moved My Cheese?" . I thought that it would be fun and helpful to collect some of the stories that I've found meaningful and share them with you. 

"Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever." 
Native American proverb

"Everything we know comes in the form of a story, a narrative with a beginning and end. Delia Smith’s recipes and the handbook of latest version of Windows are stories just as much as 'Coronation Street'. A thing becomes meaningful only when we can embed it in a story." 
Dorothy Rowe, "The Independent on Sunday", 31 March 1996

"All stories teach, whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by. They teach it much more effectively than moral precepts and instructions". 
Philip Pullman, author of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, speaking in 1996

"Stories are memory aids, instruction manuals and moral compasses." 
Aleks Krotoski, "Observer", 7 August 2011

"Stories are compensatory. The world is unfair, unjust, unknowable, out of control." 
"Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?" by Jeannette Winterson (2011)

Here are some of the stories :-

1) The hedgehogs

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold.

The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities

2) Every bucket counts

Once day, having learned that the King of Fez was hunting lions in the neighbourhood, they decided to invite him and his court, and killed a number of sheep in his honour. The sovereign had dinner and went to bed. Wishing to show their generosity, they placed a huge goatskin bottle before his door and agreed to fill it up with milk for the royal breakfast.

The villagers all had to milk their goats and then each of them had to tip his bucket into the container. Given its great size, each of them said to himself that he might just as well dilute his milk with a good quantity of water without anyone noticing.

To the extent that, in the morning, such a thin liquid was poured out for the king and his court that it had no taste than the taste of meanness and greed.

Source: "Leo The African" by Amin Maalouf

Once day, having learned that the King of Fez was hunting lions in the neighbourhood, they decided to invite him and his court, and killed a number of sheep in his honour. The sovereign had dinner and went to bed. Wishing to show their generosity, they placed a huge goatskin bottle before his door and agreed to fill it up with milk for the royal breakfast.

The villagers all had to milk their goats and then each of them had to tip his bucket into the container. Given its great size, each of them said to himself that he might just as well dilute his milk with a good quantity of water without anyone noticing.

To the extent that, in the morning, such a thin liquid was poured out for the king and his court that it had no taste than the taste of meanness and greed.

Source: "Leo The African" by Amin Maalouf

3) A story for Passover

A good Passover story should always involve cakes. Austrian baker Manfred Klaschka is the subject of this year’s story. He was in the news because of his most recent catalogue of cake designs; Klaschka is a pastry specialist.

Of course, Austrian pastries are famous the world over. Now, pastry baker Manfred Klaschka’s most recent catalogue of such tasty delights was in the news this week because it included cakes decorated with swastikas – as well as one with a baby raising its right arm in a Nazi salute.

Herr Klaschka insists he is not a Nazi. After the news story broke, he even met with a Holocaust awareness group, and apologized for what he had done, and he then baked a cake to say he was sorry – a cake with Jewish and Christian symbols. The point of the story – the bit I found interesting – is Herr Klaschka’s explanation for what he did.

"I see it was a mistake, anyone who knows me knows what kind of person I am. I am no Nazi", said Klaschka, who had earlier said he was just a pastry maker fulfilling his customers’ wishes. Fulfilling his customers’ wishes? There is a market in Austria in 2011 for cakes with babies raising their arms in Nazi salutes, cakes with swastikas on them? There are parties where people serve such cakes? Maybe birthday parties for babies?

Of course there are such people, and there are such parties, and because of that, there is a market – there is consumer demand – for swastika cakes. Which is why Herr Klaschka was happy to bake them. And not only in Austria.

You may remember the case of the Campbell family from New Jersey.

When Kurt Waldheim was exposed as a war criminal his popularity rose. The neo-Nazi Freedom Party headed by the late Jorg Haider, won 27% of the vote in the 2000 elections and became part of the coalition government – the first time since 1945 that Nazis had sat in a European government.

But this never happened in New Jersey – which is why I want to talk about the Campbell family. The Campbell family in New Jersey made the news back in 2008 when they tried to get a birthday cake made for their son — they have a son and two daughters — at the local Shop Rite in Holland Township.The store refused their request.

And the reason was that Mr. Campbell wanted the cake to read "Happy birthday Adolf Hitler". Because, you see, his son’s name was Adolf Hitler Campell. One of the daughters is named is named JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell. Well, you get the point.

When I read about the Austrian baker Manfred Klaschka, I thought – here was a marketing opportunity for him. He would have happily baked a cake for the Campbell family. So what does all this have to do with Passover?

This week, when we are forbidden to eat Sachertore or Linzer tort or even the delightfully named Punschkrapfen, we might want to pause and think about something we say every year at the Passover seder: 'In every generation it is the duty of man to consider himself as if he had come forth from Egypt'.

Because in this generation, as in all others, there are those who order custom-made swastika cakes. There are those who name their children after Adolf Hitler. And there are others who fire anti-tank missiles at school busses with Jewish children in them. Because there are those who are building nuclear weapons, having told the world that their intention is to wipe the Jewish state off the face of the earth. Because people like that make Pharaoh look like a nice guy. Because getting out of the house of bondage, out of slavery in Egypt, was not the end of the story for the Jewish people, but was the beginning.

It is a story of a never-ending struggle for freedom, for dignity, for respect, for human rights, that has universal resonance and meaning — for all people, everywhere, always.

Source: Eric Lee

4) Peace of mind

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own – and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, “It is effortless.” Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

5) The mouse trap

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said "I am so very sorry, Mr.Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.