“Practice gratitude daily and your life will change in ways you can hardly imagine.”

Gratitude, like the law of attraction, is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. When we feel gratitude, we feel love, joy, appreciation, humility and peace. We also attract even more experiences into our lives for which to feel grateful. …

Too often we think of gratitude as the result of something. Someone does something nice for us, and we feel grateful. That is passive gratitude. I am advocating active gratitude. Conscious gratitude. Active gratitude is a way of living, a way of being. When we choose active gratitude, we are choosing to change our energy. We are using the law of attraction to bring to us more love, more good health and more abundance. We are co-creating our life with God.

One way to feel more gratitude is through prayer. Ask God to show you how to trust. Ask God to show you how to create a loving relationship with a power greater than yourself. Pray yourself into a relationship with God that will comfort you, bless you and sustain you. Allow God to love and bless you. Allow yourself to become aware of your good. By becoming aware of our good, we begin the upward spiral of gratitude.

As you begin a gratitude practice, you will be guided to the next logical step. Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore said, “Pray and move your feet.” If we don't take the action we are guided to take, we are doing nothing but magical thinking. Nothing happens in life until we make a commitment. Infuse your mind with your vision. Commit to see your blessings and feel grateful for them.

One way to tap the power of gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal. Get a notebook, and before you to go bed each night, write down 10 things for which you are grateful. They might be as simple as “I woke up.” We take so many things for granted each day. This exercise helps us remember how truly beautiful the world is and how God works in our lives each day.

Most of us focus on the 10 percent of our lives that make us unhappy instead of the 90 percent for which we are grateful. Try reversing that. List at least 10 things from the 90 percent you are grateful for under the following headings: Health, Material Possessions, Relationships, Personal and Spiritual Growth and Creative Expression. By focusing on these, you enact the law of attraction and begin drawing to you even more good.

Then look at the 10 percent of your life that includes the “problem” areas—the things you want to change. Write them down, but instead of seeing them as problems, look for the blessings in them. If you can't see the good, then ask or, if necessary, demand to see the blessing. This is what Jacob did when he wrestled with the angel of God. He wouldn't let the angel go until he got a blessing. You can do the same. As you begin to see the blessing in each “problem” area, write the blessings down. You'll be surprised at how many you find.

For journal writing, I recommend the three-page approach: Get a pencil and three sheets of clean paper. Sit in a quiet place and get centered. Turn on soft music if you like. When you feel ready, begin writing the things you are grateful for and how you feel as you write them down. Don't stop writing until the three pages are filled. By the time you finish, you will experience the power of gratitude.
Practice gratitude daily and your life will change in ways you can hardly imagine. Discover the beautiful life you already have, right here and now!

Rev. Ruth Wallace is a best-selling author, Unity minister and coach who has spoken and taught throughout the United States for over 20 years.

This excerpt is from the book Sacred Secrets: Finding Your Way to Joy, Peace and Prosperity. Sacred Secrets explores what the Law of Attraction means, how it works, and how it fits within a framework of spiritual awareness and understanding.