Gratitude may well be the most powerful force in the universe.

In my own personal view, this is because the creator really digs it when we say thanks for his work.

But, whatever your view of life, the universe and how we got here, one thing remains a fact. If you say thank you, you will be amazed at what comes back to you. It's shocking.

For me personally, it's been nothing short of miraculous.

When I find myself in a tough spot, I know, that all that is required is to find the centered place where I can look around be truly grateful for where I am and what my life has become.

Rather than getting down, I like to replay the universe's greatest hits, over and over. There are some really great ones in my own life.

• I've had no fewer than 5 cars given to me without me asking a single person
• I had someone buy me a theater and support my work in it for 5 years!
• When we wanted to rent-to-own a house we wanted, but couldn't qualify for, we started saying thank you for what we already had, and without our asking, the owners called and offered!
• It may be a coincidence, but when I started being grateful for the opportunities I had, which weren't great at the time, I found steemit, almost by chance!

From multi-thousand dollar contracts, to new homes, to vacations, time and again, when there was no way my current circumstances would allow a thing I needed, or wanted, being grateful has turned it around!

So, what you're saying is, I should just say thank you and whatever greedy thought is in my head is mine? That's not how gratitude works!

You're right, it doesn't and that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that in times I was tempted to give up, pack it in, go live under a bridge, quit my business, feel sorry for myself, or whine on Facebook, I said hey, what do I have to complain about!

I begin to list things I'm truly thankful for, and the list gets kind of weird some times.

• Thinks like the invention of toothbrushes to help me keep my teeth
• Electric lights and the utility that runs them, so I don't need whale oil!
• Milled lumber that helped me build a million things faster.
• Even that person that tested my patience and showed me I was improving!

No matter where you are right now, you have something to be grateful for. Start small if you have to.

• Most of you are breathing on your own
• You probably had something to eat today
• There is likely at least one person in your life that loves you
• You can read!
• You found steemit!

The list, once you start is endless, because we stand on the shoulders of so many people that did the hard work for us to enjoy things in our modern world.

They didn't have to do it, and even though they may have made a fortune, I'm still grateful. They make my life richer every day.

As I say thank you, I don't just do it once. There's a special kind of magic in repeating things until they sink in. I say "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

And I mean it. I try to mean it with every fiber of my being. And I dwell on that glow of gratitude for the things I do have.

It's amazing how quickly this snuffs out your perception of lack. In most lives, we are so much better off than we can, or sometimes should be. Not that comparison's are the best way to do this, but, by comparison, I'm very fortunate.

I also say "thank you" to everyone I meet, because they are a part of my journey toward my ideal life!\

I know this, because it's what I ask the universe for every single day! If I'm moving toward it, then everything along my path is moving me toward it! And I want to celebrate that as often as possible.

Here's something I've done to help me

I have a huge 5 gallon water jug on the chest of drawers in my room. I got it about four months ago, in a trash can outside of Walmart. I'd been wanting one for a while, but never wanted to pay for it.

So, here's how I'm using it. Every single day, I take the coins I've accumulated that day, and drop them in the neck of that bottle and say thank you for them.

Not just each coin, but every cent they represent. If it's a nickel, I say thank you five times, then drop it in. Dime, ten times, and so forth.

This next part might be hard for you to believe.

In my whole life, there has never been a four month period where I did well enough consistently, to not need those coins at some point. Not kidding.

• I grew up poor
• I have a huge family
• Money has always equaled expenses, or just a little less

But, since I started this, I've not only not needed these coins, but every bill has been paid on time, and we are getting further ahead in our finances.

As the last few days here on Steemit have played out, there were times I was tempted to feel a bit down. I'd promised these students promotion, and here I was barely scraping out any earnings for myself, let alone them.

But, this morning,I come to find out that one of my students, following the last of the #dolphinschool bootcamp assignments, had gotten a $100 pending payout! I almost cried with gratitude!

Life is a game of ebb and flow, no matter what!

It is the nature of the universe, and when we allow things to come in, and go out, we are healthy. When we gratefully give of what we earn to support those services and people that serve us, we do better.

But, I find that when I am stingy,or angry about these things, it pushes my own supply away, and delays the things I want. No joke!

Here's an example

I recently had a really great week fall into place. I had good work, my steemit posts were way up, and everything was looking good. Then it happened.

A bill I hadn't expected to be responsible for came up, and it became my responsibility. I was furious. I'd worked hard to get ahead, wasn't supposed to pay for this, but now I had no choice. I was being unfairly punished by the universe, which always happened, life sucked, every time I got ahead, this came about and it just went on and on and on!

Instead of being grateful that I had earned enough to cover it and still have plenty, I got greedy. I wanted to keep what I'd earned.I wanted the extra cushion in my bank account. I'd paid a lot of extra stuff that month and this wasn't in my plans.

It all crashed to a halt

I found myself with canceled writing gigs. The book I was supposed to start, dried up and blew away, after almost a week of prep work, the client just said, I can't afford it right now after all, sorry, and I'm not paying your invoice.

I literally got no payouts for more than a dollar for three days on steemit, and some I'd been counting on, got downflagged in a war I didn't start.

Whooosh!

Now, I know, God doesn't deal this way with everyone. I realize the circumstances of my life don't make sense to many, but the thread of direct cause and effect in my attitude has been an ongoing thing through my whole adult life.

And rather than correct it, I backed down, acknowledged the blessing it was to have the money and paid the bill, but grudgingly.

And, I know that I know that I know, that this attitude is what is holding back some things that are supposed to be happening,right now!Clients still aren't returning messages, things still move like oatmeal.

So, here's what I'm doing about it!

Over the next few days, I have to give myself an attitude makeover. It won't change over night. But, if I can be consistent in my attitude for at least three days,I know things will change.

IT. NEVER. FAILS.

Why am I sharing this? Well, for one, to get it off my chest. Some of you are realllly good listeners. No, I don't need anything. I am not feeling down,or blue,or depressed. I know this will pass.

But, don't you sometimes secretly hold onto your bad attitude, just because you know you were right?

And I'm experienced enough in this whole realm of LOA, manifestation to know way better. I realize I'm only hurting myself if I don't correct it. So, what can you do when you get stuck in that?

• Immediately acknowledge it to yourself
• Correct the behavior, if you can't immediately be grateful, at least stop acting like a jerk
• Find something to be grateful ASAP and mean it!
• Give to someone else, grateful for what has been given to you, no matter how far in the past.
• Build on those baby steps until you start to see your life for what it really is again, headed toward becoming the ideal for you!

So, today is Saturday and every day this week, I'll be posting on gratefulness and attitude.

I'd love you to chime in with what has worked for you. If you're not a believer in this, follow me anyway. When things turn around, I'll show you what I mean. When you get with the flow the universe has established for your life, it's amazing. And there is one for everyone, I promise you.

But, when you fight it, it's hell. Even when you're right. I had a huge chance to trust that the money needed for that bill was there at the right time and would come back to me many times over, instead, I did what I did.

So, what about you? Where can you see this at work in your own life?

But mostly, what do you intend to do about it?

Thank you! Thank you for reading this, and for following my work! Even if you never contribute! Thank you! You are a part of my journey toward my ideal life, and I'll be sharing more of that in the future!

For now, good night. I've got to go pick up my son from a party, and another one from his date. I hope your weekend brings you nothing but what you need.

Ask yourself, "What's the best that could happen?"

And be prepared to find out!