© 2009 Beverly Nadler

This article is excerpted from Chapter 24 in my book, “Loving the Game of Life”

Everything in the universe has its own vibration on the physical, mental and spiritual levels.

Vibrations that are in harmony, or resonance, attract each other. This is a law of physics, although “attraction” does not work as simply as the popular teachings would have us believe. However, by applying this knowledge of vibrations to your thoughts, feelings and emotions, you can create more vibrational harmony with what you want in life.
 
Faith, love, hope, patience, generosity, compassion, gratitude and appreciation are all mental and emotional states with high vibrational frequencies. While it can sometimes be difficult to create some of those feelings, you can express gratitude and appreciation at any time. No matter what’s happening internally or externally, you can choose to recognize what you have in your life that you appreciate and are grateful for. When you express gratitude and appreciation, you automatically raise your vibrations, even if it’s only a technique at first. Just doing the technique increases yourfeelingsof appreciation and gratitude.

Is There a Difference Between Gratitude and Appreciation?

Yes. Though both have a high frequency that tunes your energy field to other high frequencies, there’s a difference. You usually express gratitude to or for someone or something outside of yourself. By expressing appreciation, you acknowledge yourself as the Source of what you appreciate. You reinforce your identity as an Infinite Being whose Consciousness creates everything, either as the One, or as one of the many that make up the One.

Here’s another difference from the Abraham-Hicks teachings: When you feel gratitude, often you are looking at a difficulty that you have overcome, but there is still some of that "struggle" vibration present. The state of appreciation is seeing whatever you are looking at through the eyes of Source. You could walk down a crowded street with all kinds of things that a lot of people would find reason to criticize or worry about, and you would not have access to them because your vibration of appreciation is picking out for you things of a different vibrational nature.

How to Appreciate Yourself

We have been conditioned believe that self-appreciation (complimenting ourselves, feeling good about something we accomplished, etc.) is a sign of an egotistical person. It is discouraged, considered vain, prideful, puffed-up, conceited, etc., and looked upon with distain. That’s not a good way to go through life, because within all of us is a higher intelligence, a “spiritual essence,” that loves to be appreciated.

You can appreciate yourself by doing something as simple as waking up in the morning and saying: “I appreciate myself and everything in my life.”  You can end your day by saying the same thing. When you look in the mirror, get dressed or do exercise, it can be a reminder for you to express appreciation for your physical body. You can say something like, “I appreciate the perfection of my magnificent body and all of its parts. (If there are “parts” of your body that you don’t like, you especially want to appreciate them.)

Yes, it may sound and feel really, really weird at first. Then it gets to be fun.  Then you get to believe it.

Practicing Appreciation

You practice appreciation in your mind.  You do not have to say or write anything to anyone, unless you want to tell someone,   “I appreciate you,” in response to something they say or do. As you go through your day, observe the magnificence of everything around you, and appreciate it all. Appreciate the people in your life – family, friends, neighbors, co-workers. Appreciate your home, car, the food you eat, objects – even things that challenge you (your computer?).  Appreciation makes life much more enjoyable!

It also raises your vibrations, so you are more in harmony with the “good” things in life that you desire!

Did you “appreciate” this article? You will find many more articles on this kind of subject matter at my other site www.beverlynadler.com. I invite you to visit it.