What are the good and bad effects of gratitude?

Gratitude is an important thing to have because when someone acknowledges / focuses on the positive things in their life, they subconsciously manifest more positive in the future. Having gratitude helps increase one’s sense of self-worth. If most people were to evaluate their whole life, they would see that positive things have happened far more than the negative ones. To get a small sense for this, think about how many times you have arrived home safe after driving your car, as opposed to the number of times an accident has occurred.

Unfortunately, when your life is not yet balanced, the concept of gratitude can also work against you manifesting the life of your dreams. Many people know that gratitude is important but this can also lead people to feeling that they are being ungrateful for wanting more in their life. Gratitude is something that you carry with you. You just know that you are grateful. Wanting more should not feel like a sin.

When you want more, don’t feel guilty about it. It’s ok to want more. It’s ok to be spiritual and like nice things in the physical. If what you are doing is not affecting people in a negative way, and you are doing things right (according to your feelings), then you deserve to get yourself something nice when you want it. Spiritual does not mean sacrificial. If you feel like helping someone, then help them but make sure that you treat yourself as you would treat another. Would you go out of your way for someone else’s desires? Then do the same for yourself when you want something. Life is only sacrificial if you make it that. If what you do for others feels like a sacrifice, you will eventually develop feelings of bitterness towards them. When it does not feel like a sacrifice, you feel good about helping them.

You came to the physical so that you can enjoy both the spiritual and the physical. That’s balance. You can be on the spiritual path and still have fun while doing great things for others.

For many spiritual seekers, there comes a time when they believe that a total commitment to spirituality requires rejecting the physical. The physical and the spiritual are not enemies. If you want to do something physical, first listen to your heart and see if a) it’s good for you and b) you don’t feel any guilt. If you are going to feel guilty, then do not do it. It’s not worth it because you will make yourself pay for it in some way. Only do things when they feel right and know that inside you are grateful for all your blessings. You will be on your way to living a guilt-free balanced life filled with joy.