Somehow that struck me as the way we often live our lives. The 'never opened' part, I mean. WE HAVE SUCH INCREDIBLE GIFTS of talents, ideas, inspiration, goodness, and yet how much of it do we ever use? Like the parachute, our gifts are rarely opened. They're rarely out there for the world to see these gifts or for us to enjoy.

The parachute, the sign said, had a stain. And so it is with us as humans. The stain of our lives is the fear, the self doubt - we let those block us from fully experiencing life and LIFE'S POSSIBILITIES… the possibilities waiting there to be opened like the parachute.

So how do we learn to open the parachute - to rid our selves of the self doubt - to go for the big dream? The dream of prosperity, relationships, happiness, ease of life, serenity, giving back - the endless list that filters through our heads. The first step is gratitude. Gratitude sets up a positive vibration within us.

Esther Hicks says in her book, 'Ask and It Is Given:' that the vibration of appreciation is the most powerful connection between the physical you and the outside world. She says that it's not even necessary to understand the law of attraction to get results. The simple act of gratitude and appreciation, causes all things you desire to start flowing into your experience. The big dreams start to materialize. That's VERY ENCOURAGING, isn't it! Sometimes in life, we think everything has to be hard. We're not even willing to try the simple things, the things that really work, because it's outside our experience.

Tim Wood, a millionaire real estate agent from Big Bear Lake California, says the "If you don't have a dream, your life will be about problems." So which should we have - the big dream or problems!

Helen Keller said, "One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar!" If we consent to opening our parachute to the big dream possibility, WE WILL FEEL THE IMPULSE TO SOAR!

By focusing on your gratitudes, you'll open your parachute to receiving. The receiving might an idea. It might be a person. It might be a vision. All leading to your big dream, or the formation of a big dream if you have none now. WHO KNOWS WHAT TALENTS YOU MIGHT HAVE HIDDEN INSIDE OF YOU? Isn't it worth discovering? Of course it is. The world waits on you because you are in the chain of unfolding for us all.

Florence Littauer, internationally known speaker and author of Personality Plus, has a fabulous speech called 'Silver Boxes and Silver Bows.' In it she says, DON'T DIE WITH THE DREAM STILL IN YOU! So if you're ready to soar, start today with gratitudes, gratitudes, gratitudes. Even when things 'go wrong,' be grateful! Who are you to know that this might not be the blessing in disguise, the hidden detour to your real purpose, the one the world needs.

3 SECOND FOCUS TIP - As you go through your day today, make mental notes of EVERYTHING that happens, 'good or bad,' and ATTACH A GRATITUDE LABEL TO IT in your mind. Say to yourself 'Thank you for …' Review them as you travel home tonight, and tomorrow night and the next night. I promise you that a shift will occur - an important positive shift.