I’ve paid twenty bucks a month for ten years to subscribe to Eckhart Tolle’s website. Every week he sends out an email called a present moment reminder that contains a quote from one of his writings. At this point I’ve received several hundred of them.

Out of those hundreds of quotes, twelve have stood out above all others; i.e., I keep them in my email inbox to peruse periodically. And I’m not one of those people with 3,000 emails in his inbox. I keep mine clean and minimal.

My Eckhart only inbox

In fact, guess how many emails I have in my inbox right now? Twelve. Just the Eckhart quotes.

The oldest of these, the one that has stood the longest test of time, is one that I received on February 13, 2013. It is this:

“Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

Wow. I really love this one.

At its core it’s about gratitude. Specifically, it’s about the profound, positive influence that gratitude can bestow on those who choose to centralize it in their lives. It’s about surveying your circumstances and constantly coming down on the side of what you have rather than constantly ruminating about what is missing in your life. To put it in today’s parlance, it’s about cultivating an attitude of gratitude.

The Tao strikes again

Eckhart’s quote is reminiscent of another found in Lao Tzu’s sage book the Tao te Ching. From Chapter 44:

“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”

Another “wow” expression of the concept of gratitude. It’s my favorite passage from my favorite book of wisdom. So sublimely eloquent.

And that’s really what this piece is about — the eloquent expression of the power of gratitude. God knows we hear about gratitude 24/7 these days from books, articles, podcasts, you name it. But I find that when it’s expressed so beautifully, as in these examples, it burrows deeper into my being than when others talk about it.

Two practical suggestions for you

So here are a few suggestions to consider. First, with the new year starting tomorrow, give some thought to placing gratitude toward the top of your 2021 resolutions. To fuel this resolution, write out these two fantastic quotes and place them on your fridge or desk or wherever you will see them frequently.

Second, download a free app called Gratitude from the App Store. It will help you develop a regular gratitude practice through simple journaling and other cool features.

2020 has been a tough year for billions of us earthlings. One way we can put it in the rearview mirror is to bound into 2021 with a renewed focus on all the good that already exists in our lives.

Onward and upward.