Conscious Gratitude for Animals

Let’s talk about gratitude!

Make no mistake: gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving. It has the ability to catapult you into a state of feeling immeasurably blessed. When you feel genuine gratitude so much that your heart blasts open, you are swimming in a 5D oasis pool of love unlike any other!

For years now, the last thing I do before turning off the light at night, is write in my gratitude journal things that I am grateful for that happened that day. And, yes, there is the occasional entry that states: “I’m grateful the day is over.” But more than not, I find peace in knowing that there were gifts and blessings that unfolded in my highest and best.

Whatever rituals you create to tap into the vibration of gratitude, you are sure to see the benefits and positive changes it manifests in your life. The lives of the 2- and 4-leggeds in your soul family will also reap the rewards of your gratitude practice because it enhances your ability to hold more light.

Open a portal of gratitude in your heart and seek out reasons to be grateful. Once you get in the habit of finding the blessings in each experience, like your animals beautifully model, the universe conspires to send you more reasons to be grateful.

I recall walking into the home of one of my first clients almost 25 years ago. There was a pile of toys for her dog, Buddy, that literally reached to the ceiling! Buddy’s mom Kathy was quite proud of the pile, stating that buying him toys was one of the ways she expressed her love and gratitude to him. In addition, there was a large basket of treats always stocked to the rim that were generously dispersed.

Buddy had gotten into the habit of lashing out at her to the point of drawing blood if his mom didn’t give him what he wanted fast enough. Kathy was angry and said, “After all I do for him, and this is the thanks I get?” (Stating such a sentence is your first cue to your wanting something in return for your "gifts".)

Often good intentions through over-giving can lead to our companions feeling privileged and they might become quite demanding.

Toys and treats are of course okay, but it’s important to look at any internal needs (usually from the inner child) that might be unconsciously creating a codependent relationship with your animal. Especially if giving material goods is a primary way you express your love and gratitude.

Every being deserves to feel unconditionally loved, appreciated, and accepted in a manner that is string-free. There are healthier, more conscious ways to show the companions you share your heart and home with your gratitude and unconditional love that are worth the time and effort.

The good news is that when you practice conscious ways of expressing gratitude and love to those around you, you simultaneously learn to love and accept yourself unconditionally…healing the part of you that didn’t get its needs met in healthy ways.

Ways to Express Conscious Gratitude to your Animal Companions

Sharing gratitude with your companions, both verbally and telepathically, opens the door to a more profound and loving relationship while simultaneously deepening your soul bond. Here are a few examples and ways to express conscious gratitude to your animals:

1. When your animals follow your guidance, instead of saying Good boy or Good girl, simply say Thank you. Ask them kindly to do something versus nudging them physically.

2. Spontaneously tell them the things you love about them as soon as you spot them!

3. Accept and love all of their personality quirks and preferences as much as possible. You might have a shy animal or one that is silly and more playful. Love them for how they are wired and respectfully give them the space to be who they are.

4. Invite your animals into your meditation or sacred prayer time. You can do this verbally or telepathically. Below is a guided meditation I created to express gratitude to our animals (and the animal kingdom as a whole). Listening to it will help you get into the gratitude zone and your animal will feel your vibes!

5. Use only positive labels and names for your animals. Three-dimensional programming is quick to give others negative labels via name-calling and stereotyping certain behaviors or appearances. Animals will embody the energy of the names you give them, so choose wisely and with kindness.

6. Seek the higher purpose in their actions and behaviors. Take a step back and consciously shift to observer mode to seek to find any message or gift for you. They are almost always mirroring and reflecting some aspect of you, and they are endlessly wanting to serve your ascension process. Through paying attention to their higher purposeful actions, you are expressing gratitude for their insights, guidance, and teachings for your evolutionary journey.

7. Resist projecting your emotions onto them. When you have pent-up emotions, move them out in healthy ways. If you find yourself being short with them, that’s your cue that you’ve got some emotions that are coming up to be released! Moving out the anger, frustration, or agitation in healthy ways will preserve and maintain the integrity of your soul partnership, and then they don’t have to absorb your unresolved emotions and reflect them back to you.

8. Making your inner work and personal healing a priority (versus always focusing on them) is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. They will forever cheer you on to do this courageous work and will reap the rewards of your journey with much gratitude.

9. Spend quality time with them. As often as possible, give them your undivided attention. See them. Listen to them.

10. Bring your attention to the cord of light connecting your hearts and send them love and gratitude. They will feel it!