Gratitude in Advance: The Mindful Way to Set Intentions for the New Year
“Gratitude in advance is the most powerful creative force in the universe. Most people do not know this, yet it is true. Expressing thankfulness in advance is the way of all Masters. So do not wait for a thing to happen and then give thanks. Give thanks before it happens, and watch energies swirl! To thank God before something occurs is an act of extraordinary faith. And that, of course, is where the power comes from.”
— Neale Donald Walsch
Practicing gratitude in advance is an extremely powerful way to set your intentions for the New Year, and a beautiful way to practice gratitude.
I personally use this practice myself every year around New Year’s to set goals and intentions for the next year, five years, and beyond. Every year when I look back on my future gratitudes, I’m always astonished at how many have come to pass.
“What I’ve learned from practicing gratitude for many years now is that it’s the key to creating what you want, and releasing what you don’t.”
— Josie Robinson
The law of attraction states that what you put into this world is what you will get out of it. Simply, what you think is what you create in your life.
If we think negative thoughts, we attract negative situations. Likewise, if we live a life of gratitude, we will never run out of things to be grateful for.
Here’s a powerful practice you can use to combine gratitude with the law of attraction to feel more joyful and inspired, and manifest more of what you want in your life.
How to Give Gratitude in Advance
Write about what you’re grateful for that you want for the future
Think about the next month, year, or longer. Write as many things as you wish, and write them in the present tense, like they’ve already happened.
For example, “I’m grateful for my amazing Hawaiian vacation with my family,” if you’ve always wanted to travel there, or “I’m grateful that the world is at peace,” if you want to extend your gratitude even further.
Some examples from my own list are:
“I’m grateful to be in optimal health and at my optimal weight. Also that I look good and feel good in my body.”
“I’m so grateful to be surrounded by people who fully love and support me and help me shine my LIGHT. I’m also grateful anyone who doesn’t do this just fades out of my life, effortlessly.”
And then I like to add some zany ones, just for fun, like:
“I’m so grateful to own the perfect pair of jeans that look amazing on me.”
“I’m so grateful I ate the most delicious chocolate ever, and savored every moment while I was eating it.”
I love adding fun little gratitudes like this because when they do happen, it’s like getting a wink from the universe.
And yes, the year I put the chocolate one on my list, it came true.😊
Use photos with your gratitudes to create a vision board
What I personally do to really set my gratitude intentions is to first write them out, then find photos that complement them.
I just use a plain bulletin board like this one to put my photos on. Look for photos that make you feel joyful and inspired about what you want to create. Dream big.
Share your gratitude
Once you’ve written your future gratitudes, read them to a trusted friend or loved one, your counselor or coach, or with a group (this is a really fun practice to do with people at an event or in the classroom) or read them out loud to God or nature.
Then tuck them away for a while, and come back to it to see how many future gratitudes have come true.
I promise, you’ll be amazed at how many do.
