Message from Spirit

Channeled by Lynne Delaney

A Celebration of Gratitude

As the holidays arrive, let our thoughts turn towards celebration. There is much to be thankful for, despite the heavy veil of gloom that seems to be around all of us these days. Step back from the incessant dark tidings of the daily news, the economy, the dire predictions and warnings from around the globe. Collectively, this negative energy acts like thick black smoke, encircling all of us and, if we are not careful, smothering our natural, innate enthusiasm for life. Don't let the great mass of negativity diminish or block your hope.

Now is the time to glance over the cosmic ledger sheet of each of our lives. If the blessings in our life seem elusive, we must look harder.

Use gratitude to guide you as you examine the gifts in your life. Don't get caught up in the obvious obstacles, the "big" things that are, or seem to be going wrong. On the one hand, there is something to be gained from the so-called bad things that happen. We must challenge ourselves to find the small lesson to be learned, the hidden benefit, or even the gratitude that the outcome wasn't worse.

Whenever and wherever possible, lift up your heart and perspective to get a more aerial view. The very exercise of raising your energy, feeling more positive (even if your mind tells you that you have no reason to feel this way), expressing gratitude helps break through the clouds of negativity and creates space through which new, more vital and more uplifting energy can reach you.

The small blessings outweigh the negative. Count them, list them off, remind yourself of the positives… If you are suffering from illness, you most likely still have health in most areas of your body, so seize upon that feeling of health… think only of that health… remind yourself that if you can manifest health in one area of your life and body, then you can manifest it in all areas of your life and body.

If you are dealing with scarcity, then remember all of the areas where you have abundance. Perhaps it is in family or friends, or life experiences, or some lifelong dream that has lain dormant for years but now - in an uncertain or even jarring time - has an unexpected opportunity to become your new direction.

If you are struggling with unpleasant relationships, then seek out the people who make you feel good. Cast your memory back to the times where your interactions with people were uplifting, or imagine what kind of interactions would make you feel empowered, supported and cherished.

If you believe in these kinds of gratitude and hope, what do you have to lose? If you take a chance on feeling gratitude and hope and things still go wrong, haven't you at least gained something by going for it, rather than succumbing to hopelessness and defeat, and letting life roll over you? If nothing else, you will have seized on a bit of positive power, and that in itself raises your energy.

These "mental" exercises might feel like wishful thinking, "only" imagination, or even a waste of time. And if we believe that, then perhaps they are. However, if we recognize and decide that we have the power to change anything in our lives, and that all changes begin with a single thought, then channeling our thoughts towards gratitude, positive change, success, health, happiness, love, abundance, peace is one of the most powerful acts available to us. And then the "waste of time" turns out to be the act of dwelling on what is wrong – large or small – in our lives.

For while we are mesmerized by our inner visions of how bleak life is, or can be, precious time slips away. That time is raw material, an unformed potential that we can use to change the very aspects, details and situations of our lives.

We do indeed change things by thinking, feeling and believing differently about ourselves and our lives. Practice this over the holidays, and perhaps you will discover that simply by changing your mind, a celebration begins.

Message from Spirit

Channeled by Lynne Delaney

A Celebration of Gratitude

Workshops with Lynne Delaney