Creative Appreciation

On June 24th, of 2021, I published an essay titled “3 Transformative Gratitude Games”.

My favorite game, in that essay, is “Thematic Gratitude”.

A poor title for a game that, if engaged with, can bring forth extraordinary abundance, passion, creativity, bliss; and so on and so forth.

The essence of “Thematic Gratitude” is simple: take a particular theme, subject, topic, or component of your life — along with many, many other possibilities — and find ten things, within what it is that you’ve chosen, that you appreciate.

Just as an example, you can think about your career.

You can then find ten things that you appreciate about your career.

Even if you do not particularly like your career, by playing this game, you will uncover a new way of seeing your career, a greater level of appreciation for what you do and who you are, while also engaging with the creative abilities you possess.

You can play this game and, in doing so, focus on anything.

Since this game relies entirely on your own creativity, you can play the game at any time and any place.

Just take a moment to think of something, come up with ten things you appreciate, and that’s that!

A New Perspective

The game is simple.

So simple, in fact, that the act of playing this game may seem superfluous.

For some, that may be true.

But, for me — and for many others, who engage in a gratitude practice of one sort or another — this is far from the case.

Rather, the act of playing a gratitude game, and honing your concentration on what is all around you, serves as the key to neverending creative potential.

Abundance, beauty, wisdom, possibility, love, potential — and so on and so forth; endlessly and infinitely — is all around.

Even though those qualities exist all around us, within every facet of our experience, they are often invisible to us.

The invisibility these qualities possess is, more often than not, due to our own lack of awareness, rather than the presence of these qualities.

But, if we take a moment to hone in on what is right in front of us, and choose to engage with what is right in front of us through the medium of appreciation, we can recognize what is right in front of our eyes, and who we truly are.

Right in front of us, there exists all of the aforementioned qualities, and so much more that can not be confined to mere words, but exists within the heart as a collage of feeling.

Who we are, is a being that can not only recognize those qualities, but experience those qualities in this moment, while letting the experience grow and evolve to suit our true creative abilities.

Your Desires Are A Reality

You ever heard the saying “What you appreciate, appreciates”?

A simple statement that contains enormous wisdom.

You see, what you appreciate tends to grow, expand, and evolve, within your life.

Or, at least, that’s been my experience — this entire essay is, in the end, aligned to my experience of the world and, as such, some of what is being said may, or may not, resonate with you.

If you take a moment to appreciate who you are, what surrounds you, and the possibilities you are choosing to nurture, then the focal point of your appreciation will grow and expand in a myriad of lovely ways.

The same can, in my experience, be said for your desires.

You can appreciate your desires, as if they are a present fact, and in doing so, your desires will come forth.

You can also appreciate the wealth, passion, and love within your life, right now, and in doing so, bring forth more of that which you appreciate and desire.

Just try it right now.

Take a moment to think of something — or someone, for that matter — you love and appreciate.

Let yourself feel that spark of gratitude for just a moment.

Or more, if you would like.

Then, let it go.

My promise, to you, is that what you’ve just appreciated will not only present itself within your life — even if it already is — but in a form that begets more appreciation and grows the appreciative state you just entered.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for reading this essay!

My hope is that the practices and concepts in this essay inspire you, while also leading to tangible shifts and changes in your life.

As always, if you would like to reach me, for any reason at all, you can do so at “maxwellcakin@gmail.com”.

Best wishes, and have a lovely day!