This time of year, is a great time to remind ourselves how we benefit from a daily gratitude practice.
You see – we have an enormous capacity for happiness, and establishing a gratitude practice sets the stage to tap into that capacity.
My father, Bob Proctor, taught me that gratitude is the foundation for improvement in all areas of our lives. It improves relationships, including our relationship with ourselves – which is our most important relationship.
A daily gratitude practice sets the context for all our everyday experiences. It keeps us looking forward and prevents us from falling into the limited thinking of supply as limited.
When I was a young boy and really throughout my lifetime, if Dad sensed that I was off in some way, he would ask me, “Brian, what are you grateful for?” The other thing he would do is he would tell me how grateful he was for me.
I figured out later that this was so I would feel both the emotion of receiving gratitude and expressing gratitude. Both are important and necessary.
Stop for a minute and tap into a memory where you received genuine gratitude – allow yourself to feel the emotion you felt when you were receiving that gratitude. That is the feeling that keeps us grounded in the profound goodness we have in our lives.
When I am doing this exercise – I tap into my recent memory of being with my father at the end of his life. Sitting next to him and holding his hand for hours – often without words. The exchange of energy was real, and it was gratitude flowing in both directions.
Living a life of gratitude is living in alignment with the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, which is the natural principle that action and reaction are always equal and in opposite directions.
The Law of Cause and Effect highlights the direct relation between actions and events. Action = feeling and receiving gratitude. Event = good flowing to and through.
Dad made sure I understood that gratitude is not a tit for tat action. He explained that I would likely not see the effects right away, but instead, as I became a grateful being, I would live a grateful life – meaning good things would happen to me.
I can promise you this has been true. I have had people call me lucky – but I know the good in my life is a result of my foundation of gratitude. I know with every fiber of my being that good will always flow to me.
Gratitude – giving, receiving, and experiencing it – has an energy, and that vibration will cause a ripple effect. You will be affected by whatever energy you are putting out – it really is that simple.
Now, the reason to give this great attention is that a dedicated gratitude practice can improve your physical, mental, and emotional health.
It can give your life more meaning and motivation, improve your overall well-being, and make you more resilient to the lumps and bumps of being human.
Our brain changes with experience, so when giving, receiving, and feeling gratitude as a daily practice, we learn to tune in to the positive things in our world each day.
Gratitude will shift you from doubt, worry, and concern and the ruminating thoughts that often accompany that.
An exercise to shift your attention when you feel yourself on a negative path is to sit down, pick up a pen, and write a letter – handwrite this letter. Writing will shift your attention so that you are focusing on positive emotions. This could be a letter to yourself or someone else. It could be recalling a happy memory that brings you joy. Whatever you write – make it a story. Write in complete sentences and feel the positive emotional weight. Use words that trigger good feelings in you.
In My Father Knew the Secret, a point I ask you to consider is – what will your life be like if you show up as the best version of yourself?
Making gratitude your foundation in life will put you on the path to being that best version.
The world ebbs and flows – and gratitude should be a state of mind, an attitude to live by regardless of our day-to-day circumstances. What may feel like the worst thing today could actually end up being the best thing. Trust the process. Remember: Things are always working out for you!
Thank you Brian, this article is wonderful and great, as you mention feeling and expressing gratitude can change doubt, it happened to me just as I was reading the article it made me remember a laptop I won over 10 years ago and I feel grateful because now it is the technological tool that allows me to connect with this type of information, thank you Brian.
Michael this is really nice to read. Thank you for your comments.
Great blog. My brother John Mance, an executive coach, had me start doing gratitude about two years ago. It has helped me tremendously. I am much happier. I truly believe in the power of gratitude.
Thanks Frances, I appreciate you leaving this message. I have known John now for many years and always hear in his voice his commitment to this practice. He is a very special man.
Hi Brian and Cory,
I’m so grateful to receive this amazing blog, and just reading it altered my vibration. I got to say Brian it must have been so special growing with Bob as a father, so much wisdom and care.
I wish you, Cory and Linda an amazing holiday season and I’m so grateful that my path have crossed Bob’s, as ever since everything has changed to the better
Thank you Haikel, Yes, it was certainly a gift that I had him as my father. I appreciate your message and am also glad you have crossed our path.
Thank You Brian! I love this blog! I just received your book the other day, and I’ve been devouring it.
Your dad completely changed my life 15 years ago. I’m forever grateful to him. And I’m so grateful I can continue to learn from you.
You’re fabulous!
Kindest regards,
Duke
Thanks Duke! Really glad that you are enjoying the book.
Brian, many thanks for these great reminders and advice that we all need sometimes. I’m grateful you sent me this post and I’ve shared it on Facebook for the benefit of others.
Thanks Robert. I really appreciate you sharing the message.
Well written, thank you. Love the pictures.
Thank you so much!
Thank you for the reminder. It made me think about your dad and how his teachings changed my life. I give thanks for him everyday. Thank you for sharing some of your memories. Reading your blog is an inspiration.
Thank you so much for this. It warms my heart knowing that my father has helped you in ways I will never know.
I am grateful for your father…he changed my life. I’m very grateful for your book as well, I have bought 11 so far and gave them as gifts to family and friends…People often ask me how I became successful…it’s passages like these and books like yours that can make a difference in a person’s life. Thank You!
Thanks Joe! I appreciate your support more than words can say. Thank you for sharing the book with others that could benefit from it. That was my intent and I love to see this happening.
Hi Brian and Cory,
Thank you for sharing such valuable insights. It helps remind me of all the good i have in my life. We are so blessed.
Thank you.
Catherine
Dearest Bob!
2023 has in many ways been a year of learning to work with the law of polarity. I have so much to be grateful for. So many learnings. So many steps have been taken – one of them being my book of gratitude inspired by you. Learning to navigate in all feelings and transforming every experience to a gift. Looking the other way and as you write above “Showing up, as the best version of myself every day”. This is my focus.
You visiting Denmark with lovely Cory and your book was such a gift. I had been doing gratitude work daily since corona, but writing in down, has brought a new perspective to me. I love it. I realize how much I miss writing in this tech world. It brings out my feminine visdom and power. It is so beautiful and connects me straight to my heart.
Reading your article brought forth my gratitude to a very special woman, who has helped me connect with my heart this year through her Breathwork Facilitator Training teaching. Using the breath in combination with your practice of gratitude is highly recommendable. It is life changing. I focus on my breath. In and out. I send the breath to my heart region and POW – the feeling is so intense. So sincere. I am so grateful and love spreads its wings like the butterfly 🦋
I wish you, your family and everyone in this community a beautiful and heartfelt holiday season, with abundance and gratitude. May God be with you and the universe support us all – as always.
In gratitude🙏
Thank you Rikke! This was such a wonderful message to see. I’m glad that these lessons resonate with you.
Hi Brian
I could not wait the translation in Italian language, so I purchased the book and now it’s on my desk. Thank you for giving us another important piece of lesson from Bob.
Thank you Mauro, My hope is that there is something in those pages that can make a positive impact in your world. All the best.
Wow, What a beautiful blog!❤️
Thank you so much for sharing…SO much to be grateful for ✨
Your book has been such a tremendous gift as well🙏🏻 🎁 💫
♥️🕊️♥️🕊️♥️🕊️♥️🕊️♥️🕊️♥️🕊️♥️
“I have had people call me lucky – but I know the good in my life is a result of my foundation of gratitude.
I know with every fiber of my being that good will always flow to me.”
♥️ YES!!! !!!!!
♥️ THANK-YOU, THANK YOU!!!
♥️ Super-valuable reminder‼️♥️