How many times over the course of each day do you find yourself wanting something you don't have? If you're like most people it's more often than you think. There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting that which you don't have. It's human nature. You may want more money (who doesn't). A bigger home maybe? How about a leaner more muscular body? Good health is a big one. On and on the list goes.

Your greatest enemy

Truth is everything you desire is nothing more than a state of mind. There's an internal force within each of us that drives us at a unconscious level. It's called an ego. Some of us have greater egos than others but we all have it to various degrees. According to the spiritualist Eckerd Tolle it is the ego mind that we battle each and every day for control and we do it at a completely unconscious level. Quite literally the greatest enemy you're ever likely to face is... yourself.

Your constantly doing battle with yourself whether or not your aware of it!

So what does an "attitude of gratitude" have to do with all this? To illustrate my point I would like to relate a story and a valuable lesson I learned from it.

In 1987 I ventured to Peru where I met my lovely wife Nancy. It was my first time to Peru and I wanted to experience as much as I could. So one day with Nancy and her Mom in tow we headed out of Lima into the countryside. We eventually ended up somewhere in the mountains and came upon what appeared to be a celebration of sorts. I found out the town's people were just having a Sunday picnic. What struck me most about this picnic was the atmosphere of the entire village and the people within it. Everyone just seemed so happy! Kids were playing, people were dancing and laughing and having a wonderful time. The friendliness and openness of everyone was contagious. They asked us to join them in their celebration which we gladly accepted.

As I looked around I wondered to myself just how it is that these native Incas could be so happy? Nancy's mother provided the clue I was missing. Her mother owned a small trading business in Ayacucho located in southern Peru. She was very familiar with the culture, customs and Quechua language of these natives and proceeded to explain to me. Quechua, by the way, is the native tongue of the Incas and was the primary language of the Inca empire long before the arrival of Spanish Conquistadors centuries ago.

I came to find out that these people lived in harmony with the world around them. They had a profound sense of gratitude for everything they received from each other and what the rich soils and nature provided to them. They were simple God fearing, loving people willing to give and receive freely and unconditionally. No egos or preconceived notions to get in the way. Their "simple" nature was a natural result of the spiritual enlightenment that they achieved. They had profound love, respect and gratitude towards their fellow men, women and children which also extended to complete strangers as we quickly learned. No wonder the Inca empire at it's peak was so advanced and contained a rich and peace loving culture. That all changed with the arrival of the Spanish and their eventual conquest over the Incas some 500 years ago in the Andean region of South America.

The Power of Feeling Good Now

Your well being is at the very core of your existence. Being happy with who you are and what you have right now while at the same time wanting more is essential to your well being. Be content with the knowledge that the Law of Attraction will manifest the reality you desire. However, you must remove all doubt, unworthiness and impatience from your thoughts. Learn to accept and appreciate that which you have now by living with an attitude of gratitude.

In the bible Jesus states "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom". He wasn't referring to people living in poverty. By stating "poor in spirit" he was referring to those who are humble and receptive, not egotistical or self important.

To your continued prosperity,