For my 30th birthday my bestie gave me Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance gratitude journal. It has 5 blank lines for each day of the year on which you are to write things that you are grateful for that day. She also supplies 150 Often Overlooked Blessings in the front of the book in case you’re having a bad day and can’t think of a darn thing to be grateful for.

I did it.

I loved it.

That, and many other practices in my life, changed my attitude brain!

I ain’t no neuroscientist or Harvard-trained research psychologist, but I do know that we wear paths in our brains. The smell of pork roasting runs down a path in my brain and I am in my Puerto Rican grandmother’s house as a little girl. The thought of an upcoming speaking engagement creates anxiety for many people (not me, just sayin’ I’ll speak in front of 1000) and the brain gets scattered – the path forks all over. And we have habitual thoughts that have nice comfy grooves that they slide along; often down to our mouths and out!

So some people expect the worst, they say it’s going to be a crummy day, know they’ll end up alone and die young. Groove. Groove. Groove.

Some people think the same day is going to be absolutely lovely! Who knows what good things may happen?! They say that they are fabulous and all is well in the Universe. Grooooooooove.

A gratitude practice is one way of making a nice, new groove – a path of positivity. You’ll SEE more things to be grateful for – maybe even ATTRACT them.

I have been thinking about this because tomorrow my dear friend, Lori Portka, is exhibiting A Hundred Thank Yous in Cazenovia, NY. She painted 100 paintings for 100 people she is grateful for and will be giving them all to the lucky recipients (including, yay, me!). She has worn a path of love to all people, expanded as an artist, and is in the flow of the abundance of the Universe because of it. I am honored and GRATEFUL to be opening the exhibition with a blessing, to be her friend, and to witness the power of gratitude.

Need to wear a new path in your brain? Brighten your thoughts? Smile more?

Give presents on YOUR birthday.

Get Lori’s new gratitude kit (to be revealed tomorrow at the show – but I’ve had a sneak peek. Beautiful!).

Give 29 Gifts in 29 days.

Get a gratitude journal.

There’s an app for that too.