In Episodes 35 and 37, we considered how emotions affect our well-being, our ability to heal, and our reality. Tonight, we’ll talk about how gratitude fits in!

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Welcome to the PEEP Podcast. I’m your host Nicolle Morock, and on this episode, we’re honoring America’s Thanksgiving holiday with some ideas on how to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and how that attitude leads to a more positive mindset.

But first, I want to take a moment to honor you! Without your listening and encouragement, I would not have made it into my third year of producing this show. I just renewed with the platform for another year, and I’m looking forward to bringing you more People Experiencing Everyday Paranormal from interviews to reviews of academic studies to brief episodes like this one, I hope you enjoy the show! And as always, reach out if you’d like to come on and share your own experiences. You can be as anonymous as you’d like.

You are definitely one of the many things I have to be grateful for this holiday season and all year-round.

And speaking of gratitude, let’s consider how it’s been viewed through the ages…

17^th century English poet John Milton is credited with this quote: Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.

And Eckhart Tolle said, “It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.”

One of the ways to bring more gratitude into your life is to allow yourself to be present in each moment. I’ll admit, it seems to be harder and harder to do this with so many persistent distractions – our phones, laptops, TVs, and the hamster wheels inside our heads are constantly competing for our attention. And if you always let them win, they will steal your happiness. They’ll tell you you’re not good enough, not pretty or handsome enough, not smart enough, or that you need more things to be happy.

Of course, you know none of that is true. Between marketing based on fear of missing out or our innate need to fit in or the need to compete, and the negative self-talk that most people experience, we’re lied to every day.

Stop listening! Quiet your mind and take note of exactly where you are at this moment. And then do it again and again. When you practice being present with yourself, your family, and your friends, you’ll experience more moments of gratitude every day.

Zig Zigler once said, “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

Now Zig was known as a great marketer and sales coach. He was known for integrity and positive thinking. He was not a new age self-help guru, but if you didn’t know he made that statement, you might be tempted to attribute it to the author of a book like The Secret. Zig knew the truth, though. Gratitude begets gratitude.

The more you show it, the more the world will give you because people, the Universe, God… however you want to look at it, wants to reward appreciation.

The quote “Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth,” was said by the ancient Greek philosopher Sophocles who understood Zig’s idea long before his time, and he might have also been thinking about how being appreciated makes a person feel. Think about it: when someone says “thank you” to you, you feel grateful that they acknowledged your influence in their life – no matter how big or small.

First century Roman Statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero is quoted as having said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

While I can’t go back in time to ask him, I’m guessing the other virtues include integrity, honesty, positivity, and confidence. Gratitude doesn’t cancel all negativity, but it goes a long way to giving you the mindset to handle it with grace and move past it in good faith.

For example, when you have a setback, ask yourself what you learned from the experience and be grateful for the lesson. Take it to heart, knowing that you’ll not likely make the same mistake twice. Every mistake is a learning opportunity to be grateful for.
 

Aesop, famous for fables, stated, “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”

One definition of the world noble is “of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence.” Think about that for a moment. To be grateful… to be truly thankful… shows many things. It shows that you don’t have an attitude of entitlement. It shows humility. It shows that you understand that the things you appreciate may be as fleeting as a dandelion seed on a windy day, and that while you have them, they are gifts.

Now that you know what famous people throughout history have said about gratitude, how does it play into your health and well-being? How can it influence your reality?

Gratitude is the first step to a more positive mindset, and studies have proven that a positive mindset is key to healing faster after sickness or injury and to battling some types of mental illness and even physical disease. If you’re questioning this idea, go back and listen to Episodes 35 and 37.

The world would be a better place if more people said, “thank you,” more often. When you appreciate what you have, you feel better. When people appreciate you, you feel better. If we all spent more time appreciating each other and the good things in our lives, we can raise the vibration of the world around us and cancel out the negativity that’s constantly encroaching.

Now, some of you are already well aware of this, and I’m preaching to the choir. To those who aren’t so sure, just try it. You’ve got nothing to lose, and so much to gain!

Go forth and be grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving! I love you all!

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