Do you want to live a rich, meaningful and abundant life?

The key is to have a grateful heart. It sounds so simple, I know. Masters and Teachers all across time and space have taught us this powerful truth. And yet, it becomes challenging when we have to deal with the problems and burdens that come our way --bills, debts, annoying and seemingly cruel people, illness, death and so on.

And yet when we truly begin to be grateful, it can change our lives dramatically.

You don't have to believe me.

Just try it. And you'll see how it can transform your life.

1. YOU ARE ALIVE. Life is a gift. Mornings are gifts. Every time you wake up, stretch out those arms and say, “thank you for the gift of a brand new day!”

2. YOU CAN SEE. Oh to have the gift of sight! What a blessing! With your eyes, you can watch the magnificent world you live in. You can see your face in the mirror. You are able to enjoy the beauty of a leaf, a flower, a snowflake, a child, a star, a rainbow and the look of love.

3. YOU CAN HEAR. The thousands of fibers found in your ears could pick up the whisper of the leaves in the trees, the waves of the ocean, the raindrops falling on the roof, the loud thunder, the laughter of children, the ringing of the phone, and hear the words “I love you.”

4. YOU CAN SPEAK. You can utter words that can encourage, inspire, teach, guide, comfort, uplift, motivate and say the words “Thank you”; “I am here for you”; and “I love you.”

5. YOU CAN MOVE. You are joy in motion. You have the ability to dance, walk, run, hop and skip as you travel the road of life.

6. YOU CAN EAT. You can enjoy different food…the sweetness of ice cream and cakes, the crunchy veggies, mouthwatering seafood, the tender juicy chicken, pork or beef. Aren't we thankful that that the healthy food we eat gives us energy and helps us to grow?

7. YOU CAN DRINK. And be merry? (Grin) You can drink and allow water and fresh juices to quench your thirst. You can drink a toast to celebrate a wedding, a romantic evening, or warm your body on cold winter nights.

8. YOU CAN SMELL. Your sense of smell can enhance the taste of food. It can connect you to wonderful memories like remembering your baby cradled in your arms, the perfume of your beloved, or their sweet smelling hair.

9. YOU CAN TOUCH. Your hands can caress and soothe a loved one. You can touch and feel the different textures- soft, rough and silky smooth. With your touch you can express your love without words.

10. YOU CAN READ. When you look at the words and letters, they are not jumbled or inverted. Having the ability to read has open your doors to knowledge and wisdom found in books, magazines, newspapers and the internet.

11. YOU CAN SING. Whether it be extraordinary talent or simply singing in the shower, you can sing. You can sing your favorite song. You can hum a tune. Or even a lullaby. You can sing as you cook or clean the house.

12.YOU CAN WRITE. You can write and share your experiences. You can write love letters, thank you notes, and compose songs and poetry. Or write a check list of the things you need to buy in the grocery.

13. YOU CAN THINK. You have the ability to think, to plan and to analyze. When problems arise, you can come up with solutions to solve them.

14. YOU CAN FEEL. You have the ability to feel and experience all sorts of emotions - happy, sad, angry, confused, surprised, and disappointed and so on. Your feelings add spice to your life.

15. YOU CAN SLEEP. You can rest when you are tired and exhausted. Your body has been given the gift of sleep so it could recuperate and re-energize itself.

I grew to appreciate our bodies and how wonderfully it has been designed when I studied human anatomy as a dental student. A particularly strict yet very interesting teacher explained our immune system so well that up to today, I still remember her story. And I continue to be grateful for my body! Shouldn't you start being grateful for yours as well?

16. YOUR SKIN covers you from your head to your toes and keeps away germs that might make you sick. Steels may eventually rust but not your skin.

17. YOUR MUSCLES help you move. Hundreds of them, both big and small, help your run, walk, swim, do your laundry, share a smile.

18. YOUR BONES like your ribs protect your heart and lungs from getting damaged. Your skeleton is hard and strong and yet quite light. Imagine what it would be like if you didn't have bones? You would be like a bag of jelly!

19. YOUR LUNGS filter life-giving oxygen. Your lungs labor every second of every day as they help your body rid of gaseous wastes.

20. YOUR KIDNEYS are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist, are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, it filters your blood; and the waste and extra water is excreted when you urinate.

21. YOUR STOMACH is an organ of digestion. Once food is inside the tummy, gastric juices come out to break down the food.

22. YOUR INTESTINES help you remove wastes from your body.

23. YOUR LIVER is the largest glandular organ of the body. Some of its functions are: It produces substances that break down fats, filter harmful stuff from your blood like alcohol, stores some of the vitamins and minerals.

24. YOUR OVARIES produce hormones which give the female its body characteristics like breasts, body shape and hair. It also regulates menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

25. YOUR PROSTATE GLAND is part of a man's reproductive system, helping to regulate bladder control and normal sexual functioning. The prostate gland stores and produce seminal fluid, which nourishes the sperm.

26. YOUR THYROID produces thyroid hormones that control your body's metabolism. It has influence over your body's organs, tissues and cells. These hormones also control heart rate, body temperature and weight, energy level, muscle strength and even menstrual regularity.

27. YOUR HEART is responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to your body. Your heart pumps nearly five quarts of blood through your body every sixty seconds. Imagine that!

28. YOUR BRAIN is the control center of your body. It is there to help you store away every perception, sound, taste, smell, every action you have done since birth, sleep, hunger, thirst and all the other activities you need to do in order to survive.

29. YOUR BLOOD carries the necessary oxygen and nutrients to your different organs. Without it, we can't fight infection, get rid of our body's waste products, or keep warm or cool. If we lack blood, we would surely weaken and die.

30. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM is the body's defense against viruses, bacteria and other invaders that may be harmful to you. You have cells that chew up invading organisms while other cells have built in memory on them so that your body recognizes and remembers previous invaders and help the body destroy them.

There are still a LOT of things that can be said about our amazing body. It would take a book to list all of them. But for now, just pause for awhile and be grateful for what each cell, nerve, tissue, organ in your body is doing for you. It is working twenty fours a day (without breaks) and even if you are not commanding it to. How truly marvelous are our bodies!

31. Be grateful for YOUR FAMILY. Isn't it great to belong a family? Imperfect our families may be but here we find the opportunity to grow, share, give and receive love.

32. Be grateful for YOUR FRIENDS. If we do not find love at home, sometimes we find the care and support from friends. True friends who stand by you, who knows your quirks and weird ways, but have decided to love you anyway.

33. Be grateful for YOUR COLLEAGUES. There are people at work who are your inspiration and guide to help you succeed in your career.

34. Be grateful for YOUR TEACHERS. People who have taught you and shared with you their knowledge and skills.

35. Be grateful for YOUR LIFE COACHES. Some people in your life teaches you how to live your life to the fullest.

36. Be grateful for YOUR PREACHERS, PASTORS. They have walked their talk and you have seen how their love for God have changed their lives.

37. Be grateful for QUIET ANGELS. They walk into your life, often unannounced, help you in whatever way they can and just as quietly leave.

38. Be grateful for KIND STRANGERS. Out of the blue, you receive unexpected help, a kind word, a message of inspiration, a smile.

39. Be grateful for BELIEVERS. They are those who see the goodness in you and believe in you and what you can do.

40. Be grateful for the LISTENERS. They can sit still and listen to you with all their heart as you pour out your burdens. They can empathize with you.

41. Be grateful for the JOY GIVERS. They radiate sunshine and warmth. And when you feel down, a dose of their joy lifts you up!

42. Be grateful for the HUGGERS. They can engulf you in a hug that makes you feel safe and secure. Their hugs tell you that you are not alone.

43. Be grateful for RIPPLEMAKERS. People who make a difference in little and big ways. Perhaps its somebody at home who makes you feel good when they are around. Or its the bagger at the grocery counter who never fails to greet you and make you feel nice.

44. Be grateful for PEACEMAKERS. They have chosen the path of peace. They will choose and respond to situations with love than hate.

45. Be grateful for LOVERS. The words that come out of their mouth are the words that start with I LOVE...not I hate. Lovers of life. Lovers of goodness. Lovers of art. Lovers of sports. Lovers of growing. Lovers of plants. Lovers of helping people see the beauty in themselves. Be grateful for people who will lead you gently back to yourself.

46. The glory of nature. Sunrise and sunsets. Clouds and blue skies. Raindrops and rainbows. Ocean waves and soothing streams. Birds in the air. Flowers everywhere.

47. Lovable pets. Finding joy and love in taking care and nurturing animals. I know of stories of people whose lives have been touched by these lovable and amazing creatures.

48. Food on the table. If you have enough food to feed your stomach and go to sleep without feeling the pangs of hunger, be grateful.

49. Roof on top of your head. Be glad you are not sleeping out in the cold.

50. Water to drink. Whenever you take a sip of water, be grateful that there is enough supply of water to quench your thirst.

51. Clothes to wear. You don't have to walk around naked.

52. Music. The gift of music has been known to soothe, inspire and make you dance to the beat of life.

53. Books. For all the books from where you have gained knowledge and wisdom from all over the world.

54. Technology. Technology that have helped us connect and have made our lives easier and convenient. From cell phones to laptops to cameras and on and on.

55. Inventions. For electricity, for our cars, for wheelchairs, for roller coaster rides.

56. Sharing laughter and funny moments.

57. Being able to pray and worship.

58. Helping someone up.

59. Finding your life's purpose.

60. Accomplishing a task.

61. Finding a lost family member.

62. An answered prayer.

63. Experiencing love.

64. Getting married.

65. Giving birth to your child.

66. Saving someone's life.

67. Learning a skill.

68. Sharing the gift of smile.

69. Writing a poem.

70. Your child's laughter.

71. Making friends.

72. Helping someone heal.

73. Being healed.

74. Finding hope.

75. God's grace.

76. Family trips.

77. Reunions.

78. First bike ride.

79. First kiss.

80. Falling in love.

81. The day you grew up.

82. Memories of childhood.

83. Garden picnics.

84. Mountain climbing.

85. Diving in the sea.

86. Learning to fall and stand up again.

87. Doing well in school.

88. Learning to dance.

89. Performing on stage.

90. Choosing to forgive.

91. I am grateful for the choices that I have made.

92. I am grateful for life's abundance.

93. I am grateful for the freedom I have to be ME.

94. I am grateful for the gift that I can share to the world.

95. I am grateful for all the experiences that have made me into the kind of person I am today.

96. I am grateful for the joy and peace in my heart.

97. I am grateful for the people who are journeying with me.

98. I am grateful for knowing that I am where I need to be.

99. I am grateful for opportunities to grow and learn.

100. I am grateful for all of life and what it brings.

101. I am grateful to the Divine who have given us all these and more.

This is just the beginning of your list. I know there are still a thousand of things to be grateful for.

Make your gratitude list every day. Do the gratitude dance. Smile and embrace life with all its imperfections. Gratitude will bring a change of perception and with it comes the wisdom and truth of the ages.

I thank you for the gift of you.

Michelle Simtoco, the ripplemaker