 Thank you to new subscribers who received my free ebook. My name is Deborah Perdue, and it’s my heart’s calling to share and spread gratitude in the world. Many thanks to my loyal gratitude tribe too. Joy is indwelling. It is naturally within us, and always there for us to feel. For me, being grateful helps me access joy. Right now, in the United States, we are celebrating Spring and it is extra-stunningly beautiful this year. In Oregon, we got a lot of snow and rain which helps the drought situation, and now I am seeing April and soon to-be May flowers everywhere. I am doing a Happy Dance to see the tulips, daffodils, wisteria, lilacs and more coming soon. Nature always brings joy to my heart. Taking walks in nature brings peace and a deep sense of sacredness to me, and that elicits joy. Some of my other passions include creating art and photography, writing, teaching, swimming, sharing spirituality with like-minded folks, and being a homebody with our pets and my partner. All of this ignites my joy and zest for life. What are your passions? Letting go of worries, doubts and fears helps us access more joy. If you are sad or grieving, don’t deny it. We need to feel all our emotions and not try to tuck them away. I have found that when I have grieved, the world does start looking brighter eventually. And then joy returns to my heart and soul. I also know that we can simultaneously be sad, and still feel joy. If I have lost a loved one, remembering my times with them can bring a happy smile to my face. If you are sad or sick and/or just cannot find joy, here are a few ways you might re-discover it. • Write in a Gratitude Journal each day and night. List 5 things that you appreciate it. Mix it up. Keep going. • Guided Meditations – Go to YouTube or Insight Timer (a wonderful phone app). Do a search for Joy – there are many meditations to choose from. And I also recommend Gabby Bernstein’s All is Well 5 minute meditation. I never grow tired of it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNVTSpSSPQg • Create a Vision Board for Joy – Find images or words on the internet or from magazines or calendars. Cut out what speaks to your heart and soul on finding more joy in your life. Put it all together on a big piece of paper and place it where you see it a lot, to amplify your joy and passion. • Discovery, Exploration & Play – Each week, let yourself enjoy one new thing that brings you joy. Delve into what brings you passion and joy, and share it with the world. Each of us can affect the world positively by doing what makes our hearts come alive. Be playful and free. Open your heart to be more loving and kind! Giving can help us be more joyful. “Your purpose is to be joyful. Your purpose is to live with ease. Your purpose is to surrender to the love of the Universe so you can live a happy life. Accept the purpose of love, and your life will radically change this instant.” Gabrielle Bernstein Free Gratitude Gifts for You!
Happy May!
Sending you love, light and joy! Deborah, Gratitude Gal
John Randolph Price
Free Gratitude Gifts for You!
ABUNDANCE IS EVIDENT IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY
A Daily Gratitude Reflection by Deborah Perdue HEAR INTERVIEWS AND TALKS I HAVE GIVEN, AND CHECK OUT THE ABUNDANCE OF GRATITUDE BOOKS OFFERED:
 What I know for sure is that freedom is an inside job. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we are all blessed with free will. This means that we are always at choice. This is quite the gift. In my own life, I have sometimes chosen unwisely, yet as I grow in wisdom through the years of my life, I am finding that I choose well, and enjoy more freedom, independence, love, peace and joy.
 This April and May, Oregon got surprise rain which helps incredibly with our drought situation. Yes, I am thankful! We also got snow and freezing temperatures. Not quite so thankful. You see, we have this gorgeous wisteria that was about to flower. The tender blossoms were so close to full regalia. Then the freeze caused them all to die. I was so sad. I honestly grieved for about three days. It may sound silly, but this is one of the most glorious times in Spring, when the wisteria erupts into full bloom.
 Seeking Joy in Life’s Daily (Often Overlooked) Treasure“If you want to feel rich, just count all the gifts you have that don't cost money.”
Proverb I am so thankful for the gifts of my life, that are free and unfettered. Good health, stable home life, love that abounds, pets that adore, country living, wondrous nature, my own creativity, the ability to give and receive, sparkling night skies and waters, the overall magic and wonder and mystery of life that is always visible when I open my spiritual eyes to see. I am in deep gratitude for the lavish riches of life! If you want to feel more abundance, if you want to feel more prosperous even if you don't have much money, take time to savor all the things in your life that don't cost anything. Feeling grateful is the antidote to feelings of lack, because we are focusing on what is there, what we have, rather than what we don't. We can take stock of many, many things that are abundant in life when feeling scarcity and immediately feel better. Below is a list of 50 things I am grateful for that don't cost a dime. Join me and make the list longer! 1. Waking up to a new dawn each morning with brand new possibilities 2. A friend who loves me unconditionally 3. Loving and accepting someone unconditionally 4. Taking a walk in nature 5. Sunflowers brightly blooming in the summertime 6. A profusion of Golden Delicious apples on a tree in our yard 7. The beauty of reflections in water 8. A newborn infant's eyes 9. The devoted, unfailing love of a dog or cat  10 Inspired Ways to Quickly Regain Joy and PeaceWhenever I nosedive into feeling worried or harried or completely stressed out, I have a surefire method to counteract these undesirable feelings. It works every time! It can be hard to start – I might tell myself I don’t have enough time, or it won’t work, but those are just feeble excuses. When I actually sit down to begin, this practice I’m about to share always helps my mood improve and become more positive. Scientific studies 1 have proven, without a doubt, that if we start focusing on what is right, what feels good to us, what there is to be grateful for, we can and will shift into more happiness, peace, joy and even better health!
I know it sounds almost too good to be true, but it has worked for me over and over again, and in this article, I will share some of my own Top Ten list. And I invite you to try it too. I call this tool My Grand List of Gratitude. Start a huge list of everything and everyone you are grateful for. I find that I can never run out of things to add – this list can be endless, and even ongoing.  Is There a Difference Between Gratitude and Thankfulness? Thanksgiving is drawing ever so close, and maybe it is time to re-evaluate our understanding of this celebration, which is held in such high regard by Americans and Canadians alike. At this time of the year, most of us focus on being thankful, which is great and all, but forget about the weightier and more spiritual concept of gratitude. The two terms are used interchangeably, but they are centuries apart when it comes to implication.
So, what is the difference between gratitude and thankfulness?  How to Keep Your Joy (even when things go wrong) It Seems Nothing is Going Right There comes a time when everyone experiences a terrible period of failures in their lives. Relationships crumble; they get fired and realize that they have to train for a new career. At such times, finding something to be positive about or grateful for seems impossible because the only possibility one can see is an unending chain of misfortunes. But this is exactly the kind of experience that should inspire positive change in your life and personality. Rather than think that you’re ill-fated, pull yourself together and be grateful for what you have.
 Discover 7 Amazing Health Benefits of Living in Gratitude (You probably haven't considered these) Thanksgiving isn't the only time you should practice gratitude. It is helpful every single day of the year! Many studies have found there are great health benefits in making gratitude a year-round habit. To enjoy the many mental and physical benefits of gratitude all it takes is a little bit of introspection.
Here are seven surprising benefits you can gain from developing an attitude of gratitude that you might not know about.  What a bombshell it was to find myself “locked down,” in shelter, with stores and businesses closing all around me in March 2020. In the past few years, I have been in grief about so many wildfires occurring in the Pacific Northwest where I live each summer. And then last year, a horrific huge bush fire in Australia! And of course, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods galore as well. It seemed very obvious that Mother Nature had definitely had enough of humankind’s disregard for the earth, and living in a non-harmonic way. And to me, these natural disasters seemed as bad as things could get. And I lamented that they were happening with more frequency each year. Wearing a mask while taking walks during wildfires really sucked. Air quality was dangerous. Well, so far in 2020, things have gone from bad to worse. I never thought or imagined in my life the whole world’s people would be “sent to their rooms.” I never imagined wearing a mask everywhere, or being shamed if I didn’t choose to comply.
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