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Associate gratitude with: happiness, joy, bliss, ecstasy, and euphoria By Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
Whatever else we are grateful for at any given moment, at that moment we can be grateful that we are alive and we are breathing. So every moment of gratitude even for seemingly minor matters has an element of our being able to be grateful for the greatest things in our life. Moreover, the fact that we are alive means that we can be grateful at any given moment for everything that is positive in our life in any way.
Taking all that we have to be grateful for at every moment gives us a right to feel tremendously wonderful at every moment that is appropriate. The challenge is: How do we access positive feelings of this magnitude? Isn't it natural that as we get used to things we don't feel as grateful as we did in the beginning? Yes, this is natural. And there is a way to increase our level of good feelings that we associate with gratitude.
Focus on this, because if you allow this tool to work for you, it will have a tremendously positive effect on your entire life. It is truly possible. The prerequisite, though, is patience and persistence, and you must be calm and open-minded about applying it in an effective way.
The effectiveness of this is based on the fact that the words we say affect our emotions. Even if we don't say words out loud, but only think them, they affect our emotions. This is seen clearly when a person is connected to an EMG, which measures the electric flow in the muscles. Each word we say either makes our muscles more relaxed or more tense, as can be measured with the proper equipment.
The steps to make this work are:
1. When you feel grateful for anything, say or think, "I am grateful for this. I am happy that I am grateful."
2. Associate joyful feelings with the word "Gratitude." How? When you feel good about something you are grateful for, say the words, "Gratitude: Happiness, Joy, Bliss, Euphoria, Ecstasy." These are five words that your brain associates with good feelings.
3. To keep building up the power of these words, whenever you feel especially good feelings, even if these feelings are not at first associated with gratitude, say the words: "Gratitude: Happiness, Joy, Bliss, Euphoria, Ecstasy." Say them calmly and gently.
For example, if you are happy at a wedding where there is music that makes you feel good, feel grateful for the opportunity to be there and say, "Gratitude: Happiness, Joy, Bliss, Ecstasy, Euphoria."
Every time you repeat this when you feel wonderful feelings, you are strengthening the level and intensity of the feelings that you associate with "Gratitude" and the five words that go with it. Words affect us because of the experiences we associate with those words. That is why those who speak different languages have different sounds that they associate with the feelings that go with those words.
Eventually you will be able to say this at any speed. It is advisable to begin your mental conditioning by saying the words very slowly. Realize that we are talking about only a few seconds longer.
What if a person can't find anything to feel joyful about? What if he doesn't have joyful memories from his life history that he has associated with the positive feelings that are possible to associate with the five words?
Then use the power of your imagination to create joyful feelings. Imagine 10 great things happening to you. Do this calmly and patiently. When you are able to create good feelings using your imagination, repeat slowly, "Gratitude: Happiness, Joy, Bliss, Ecstasy, Euphoria."
A note for those who feel they don't have this kind of imagination: Anyone who ever worries about anything that will happen before it has actually happened is using imagination to create an emotional reality. Some people have even been known to feel anxiety about some imaginary worry that never ultimately happens. If you can do this to create anxiety, you might as well practice using this to feel good instead of bad.
Imagine now that you have mastered being grateful. Imagine that your life is full of happiness and joy because you are consistently grateful. As soon as you are able to create positive feelings about this mental vision, say gently to yourself: "Gratitude: Happiness, Joy, Bliss, Euphoria, Ecstasy."
Let the story that goes here be your story. Apply this technique until you find it upgrading your entire emotional level. After it works, you will have a story about how this tool helped you. Be patient. It might take time until it works for you. Then you can share this tool with others who will enhance their lives by applying it.
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© 2008, "Used by permission. Artscroll Mesorah Publications".
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