In our fast-paced world where the next goal is often overshadowing my present moment, I have really been working on expressing gratitude. While I have never really had trouble expressing gratitude, this experience with the Master Key Experience (MKE) and what I have been working on is serving as a powerful reminder to pause and reflect.

That said, beyond its emotional and spiritual benefits, gratitude has been revealing itself to me as the ultimate form of receiving.

Here are a few things I am seeing that I hope will help you and that will maybe spark your own thinking and experiencing!

Gratitude Shifts My Perspective

When I practice gratitude, I recognize the abundance in my life rather than focusing on what I am lacking. This mental shift is helping to transform my perspective, allowing me to fully appreciate the gifts I have already received.

By saying “thank you” to people, circumstances, or even to life itself, and “I love you” in my heart to others and especially myself, I acknowledge that I’ve been blessed, and in doing so, I more truly seeing and receiving those blessings.

Gratitude Amplifies Joy

Gratitude magnifies the joy of receiving. Since we are just past Christmas, imagine the feeling in the room and the difference it would make to you and the person you may have received a gift from if you would have received a gift and simply put it aside, versus what you probably did when accepting it, acknowledging the giver and taking a moment to feel deeply thankful for it.

Gratitude allows us to savor the moment, enhancing our emotional connection to what we’ve been given. This amplification of joy enriches our experience of receiving.

Gratitude Builds Connection

I am also finding that actually expressing gratitude is fostering deeper connections with God and the people around me. When someone gives me their time, assistance, or kindness, I feel that my heartfelt thanks solidifies the bond.

Gratitude is also a two-way street—it not only acknowledges the gift but also validates the giver. This mutual exchange also strengthens relationships and creates a cycle of giving and receiving; not giving to get, but something more natural and amazing.

Gratitude Invites More Abundance

I know that the act of being thankful sets the stage for greater abundance. Gratitude seems to operate on many levels such as through the principle of positive reinforcement and even other ways that I do not fully understand.

When we express appreciation for what we have, we attract more of it, and I know that what I focus on grows. Whether through the law of attraction or the simple fact that people enjoy giving to those who appreciate their efforts, gratitude paves the way for future blessings and creates a positive cycle that I believe is more powerful than we even realize and probably more profound than we can ever understand.

Gratitude Grounds Us in the Present

Too often, I get caught up in chasing future goals or replaying past events. Gratitude does seem to anchor me in the present moment, allowing me and I believe us to fully receive life as it unfolds. In appreciating what is, we stop waiting for the “next big thing” and find contentment in the here and now.

Finally, gratitude is more than an emotion; it’s an active practice that we can amplify by doing some of the exercises in MKE, such as noticing and writing down 3 gratitudes a day.

I am seeing gratitude as a powerful shield against the fiery arrows of daily negativity. By embracing gratitude, we unlock deeper joy, make stronger connections, and realize a heightened sense of abundance regardless of who we are and what life circumstances we find ourselves in at the moment.

I find it a worthy practice to take stock of how much we have to be grateful for.