Day 2  – Appreciation: Go on a Rampage!

Today the focus is on bringing up the feeling and energy of appreciation as strongly as possible. Simply put your attention upon all the things you really appreciate: your favorite daily moments, things, and people. Think about them, write them down, and focus on appreciating all of the stuff that you do appreciate.

For me, I love that first taste of my favorite iced coffee drink first thing in the morning. I love seeing the sun rising, blindingly bright as I drive downtown. I love the people I care about. I love that people love me. I love discovering something new that I am drawn to. I love slipping in under a puffy warm and cozy comforter on a cool evening. I love crawling into bed on nights I don’t have to set the alarm, because it really allows me to fall into the present moment, and melt into the bed. I love seeing deer walking through the yard. I love the luxury of taking a ten minute nap. I love my iPhone (oh my gosh, don’t get me started on that!). I love that I am a risk-taker. I love that I am always willing to say “Yes!” I love the luxury of having an automobile, and being able to jump in and drive anywhere I want, any time I want, to be with any one I want. I love making a fresh salad from a grocer’s salad bar. Wait, I love the grocer for supplying it for me. Whoa, I love the farmer who grew the lettuce for me. I love the person who invented the hot shower. I love that there is truly an endless supply of things to appreciate in this world.

You get the idea … once you get going, it is really hard to stop. This is called a Rampage of Appreciation. I have been inspired to use this idea by the Teachings of Abraham audio recordings by Jerry and Esther Hicks. This focus on appreciation is the one central core principle to this book and program. Practicing this way of thinking squeezes out any space in your thoughts to be annoyed or irritated with anything in your life. Go ahead, grab a pen and paper and start writing. Keep going and going, and see what you come up with. Most importantly, recognize the feeling that comes with it. The feeling of love and appreciation for your world will become overpowering.

Is the glass half empty or half full? The answer is what you want it to be. It is totally up to you, to your imagination, and to your thoughts. And thoughts become things. So choose wisely, and practice choosing appreciation!

Hey, the better it gets, the better it gets. — R.S.

Excerpt from Extreme Thought Makeover, Rick Schaefer, M.D., RealityIs Press, 2010, www.rickschaefermd.com