How to #IGNITEyourLife with Gratitude Everyday

2014 has been a year like none other for sure. I am so far outside of my comfort zone that I don’t even know where it is anymore. For once in my life, I’m actually okay with that. I subscribe to the belief that the only way to #IGNITEyourLife no matter what is to #LiveLOVEdaily and to maintain an attitude of gratitude, which is your best defense against failure. Today, I just want to talk with you and have a conversation with you that will continue every single time you decide to #IGNITEyourLife throughout your life. Consider this a conversation that will never end. Today, I’m going to share with you How to #IGNITEyourLife with Gratitude Everyday because to be perfectly honest with you, Thanksgiving should be an everyday activity so we can attract more of what we are grateful for in our lives.

Be grateful for God’s Grace. There are so many times this year I thought I just wasn’t going to make it for one reason or another but God’s grace saved me. There are times that I felt like giving up but God’s strength kicked in and I became stronger still. His grace and favor surrounded me and still surrounds me like a shield. Because of His love for me I still have the capacity to love and I’m open to truly be loved. Today, I want to encourage you to trust God because as the author and finisher of your faith, He is also the co-creator of the process you are going through on your journey. Who is the other creator? You are. You are the product of your decisions. Life is a series of decisions. Choose wisely and even if you make a mistake don’t worry. God always works all things together for the good of those who love Him. When you count it all joy-nothing else matters.

Be grateful for friends and family. I have made a conscious decision to be thankful for my friends and family no matter where they stand with me. Life is too short to be mad at anyone about anything. Build a bridge and get over it- quickly. The same 60 seconds that you are mad at someone for what’s possibly a mere misunderstanding due to a lack of communication or miscommunication is the same 60 seconds you could take to forgive and love that person and meet them where they are in your life. Appreciate every conversation, every visit, every moment, because when they are gone, there is nothing you can do to get that time back. This is the conclusion I came to after losing my father in February of this year.

Be grateful for the truth.  Even when it was uncomfortable, uneasy, or even just plain exactly what I didn’t want to hear or see at that time in my life, I am so very thankful for the truth. Truth gives you clarity to make the decisions you need to #IGNITEyourLife and live the life you deserve. Never be afraid of the truth. Embrace the truth even when it hurts. The truth will always set you free. Freedom is the key to living and not existing. We were created to live and have a life of joy and unlimited abundance!

Be grateful for your Pastors, Spiritual Leaders in the Kingdom, and most importantly for the Word of God itself: Spiritual guides are an important part of our growth and development as a person and impact our success in life and ability to cope when life happens through the word we receive in addition to the word of God that we read in the Bible and the empowerment materials that are readily accessible through technology. I’m grateful for Pastors who sacrifice so much of themselves to deliver the word of God on a consistent basis. I’m grateful for the revelation that comes with reading and studying the word of God. I’m grateful for the peace that passeth all understanding in the midst of trials and tests through His word that only make me stronger, and wiser than ever before. God truly works all things together for the good of them who love Him. My soul is a witness and my life is a living testimony.

Be grateful for your lessons learned.  Every day I truly learn something new. I consider myself a true life-long learner in love, business and life in general. I have learned so much about people this year in particular. Perhaps I’m just paying more attention. Clues about how people are have really been visible all along. I’m more intentional about paying attention to the lesson as I am learning it so I can better apply each lesson during my journey. I’m grateful for that revelation.

Be grateful for the money you DO have. I’ve come to realize that the more I focus on the money I do have and stay grateful for it, the more God blesses me with and the more opportunities come to make more. I love myself enough to feel I deserve abundance again. You get what you focus on. I focus on joy and unlimited abundance that comes from love because God is love. When you the know the true source you never run out of resources. It’s a great feeling. I’m grateful for that.

Be grateful for your heritage.  No matter where you are from, be grateful for where you came from and the accomplishments of your ancestors. I was talking with my mother during one Sunday dinner and found out that I have a great, great, great aunt Katie Stith who was one of the first female Bishops in my hometown area. That was pretty awesome. I have a great grandmother who was a business owner and community leader. I come from a long line of very strong and astute women. Find the positive parts of your heritage and build upon those stories to better understand the importance of the legacy you are to leave that is directly tied to your purpose.

Be grateful for who you are, whose you are and for your journey. You are beautifully and wonderfully made! You have a purpose. There is purpose in any pain you have experienced along the way. Stay in a perpetual place of gratefulness in the midst of it all. As aforementioned, God works it all together for your good. I’ve come to learn that your journey is really not for you, but instead for others to know that they too can overcome. I will never forget the moment last Veteran’s Day when my father looked at me and said that I must “live out my life’s purpose” only to transition from this life months later this February. I’m grateful for that moment from God through my own Father that propelled me directly into my #IGNITEyourLife movement that’s not only global but also makes a difference in the lives of many everyday, one spark at a time. I’m thoroughly convinced that gratitude is the original gift that keeps on giving.