Spiritual leaders teach that waking up is a process, that it doesn't just happen once and for all, but must occur again and again when we realize we have forgotten the miracle of being alive, and in recognizing our forgetfulness, we wake to the miracle once again. In the moments we are awake to the wonder of simply being alive, gratitude flows, no matter our circumstances.

Gratitude is the antidote to bitterness and resentment.

Gratitude is a feeling of fullness, a recognition of the heart of what we are receiving in this moment.

Gratitude is like a flashlight. It lights up what is already there. You don't necessarily have anything more or different, but suddenly you can actually see what it is. And because you can see, you no longer take it for granted.

In the moments we are awake to the wonder of simply being alive, gratitude flows, no matter our circumstances.

In every single moment, we have the choice to be happy or not. No matter what is going on, we can choose to focus on what is right, what is good and whole in ourselves and our lives, and what options we have in any given situation. In other words, we can choose to be happy no matter what.

Whenever we are appreciative, we are filled with a sense of well-being and swept up by the feeling of joy.