Many people think about their own fair share of personal loss and trauma in the past year, many people remind themselves of things they did not do or should have done, things they did not accomplish. Then, the New Year's resolutions come out in readiness for the New Year ahead.

Stop with that right now!

Let's review the year that has just gone by with some gratitude... Forget the negative stuff - let's focus on the positive. Let's concentrate on what went right and what we did do.

Just because you are missing people that may not be in your life anymore, or you have not reduced those extra few pounds from your waistline, or didn't earn your first million pounds, is that any reason to focus on the sourness?

When I think of those I have lost, I am grateful for the love I shared with them, the laughs I had with them. I am grateful for my health and the whole lot of breathing that I did last year....

It's difficult to think about the things you did do, when you're concentrating so hard on the things you didn't do. You cannot go back into 2006 and change it, you may as well look back and think of all the wonderful moments you had, the fun things you did, things you achieved and accomplished and really celebrate them all. Then you can move forward to 2007 with renewed resolve to live your life the way you choose and not dwell on all that negative stuff... which we all know is a sure-fire way to get more of it!

So if we look back on 2006 and as we look forward to 2007, I want to have you think about a concept that is lacking in many these days and that is the concept and idea of gratitude and acceptance. Your investment in your own personal development will thrive in a nurtured environment.

Think of your unconscious mind as a metaphoric landscape that you are sowing seeds within... Well, you will make that land far, far more fertile with a better internal environment and it becomes better and more fertile with acceptance and gratitude.

I started using the idea of gratitude for getting more of what I wanted a while ago, and it has really worked for me, whether you want more resources to achieve the changes you want to make; more money, more clients, more time, more health or anything else.

The word gratitude is something so many overlook and I recommend that you introduce it into your life properly and for good.

It is very true indeed that if you want more of something in your life, be grateful for what you already have. As what you have increases, you can allow yourself to become even more grateful. You can be grateful to whatever (or whoever) you like, let me give you some examples;

To the Universe, to your God, to all that is, to universal love, to your own brain, to the process of evolution, to some kind of a higher power, to the natural world, to some kind of energy or chi, to natural law, to your unconscious, to a guardian angel, to a spirit, to all or several of the above, to things not mentioned above... Or just grateful to yourself of course.

You can be grateful to any or all of these, as well as anything else you can think of.

So, here are some practical steps to take to implement this into your life.

Gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to focus your mind. It is just like self-hypnosis when done properly. The pattern of gratitude in your consciousness gets you into receiving mode, and receive you will. Stuff you can feel grateful for includes:

Money, love, awareness, your mind, friends, loved ones, books, fun, laughter, health, knowledge, family, your home, feelings or pretty much anything and everything else.

Remember, what you focus on increases: if you only have £10, be grateful for that and you'll get more. If you haven't been in love since you were 10, be grateful for the love you had then; you'll get more. If you are only able to be focused for 60 seconds a day, be grateful for those 60 seconds, and more will be on its way.

Ok, so secondly, make a list of the stuff you want more of. Then, be grateful for whatever amount of it you've already got. Obviously (and I know the ironic amongst you will be thinking this), if what you want is a Porsche, and you don't have one, you can't be grateful for it. But you could be grateful for your existing car, or your bicycle, or your legs, or your wheelchair. Be grateful for what you've got, and it opens the way for you to get more.

So, how does this work? The brain likes it's patterns as well as familiarity; this is often born out when we have learned how to do something that at first seemed difficult and demanding (like learning to drive) and then we learn how to do it and we do it as if by auto-pilot.

If a person reinforces a pattern of shortage or lack, it becomes familiar. Often they start to filter incoming data to support the idea of lack. If a person reinforces a pattern of plenty, then they will filter incoming data to support that idea. You may ask "Will that really change the reality of the situation?", but bear in mind that you are creating your own perception of the reality of your situation in every single moment.

Let me give an example of this; Many people working in businesses or corporations today perceive a shortage of one sort or another, whether it's a shortage of capital, clients, time or staff. The more you focus on the shortage, the more of an issue it can become, especially if it's been going on for a while (remember, the familiarity factor means that even the most intolerable situation eventually become the status quo). I have written before on the differences of moving towards what we want rather than away from what we don't want. This is verging on the same.

One way to shift the shortage pattern is to start being grateful for what you do have. If you only have 10 clients and you want more, be grateful for the 10 you have - more will come. If you only have 1 member of staff and you want 5, be grateful for the one, and more will appear.

I'd like to offer an exercise to complete in the week ahead:

Instead of making a list of things to do this week - or writing your resolutions and goals for the coming year - I want you to make an "accomplishments and achievements in 2006!" list.

Yessiree! Go get a pen and paper and number from 1 to 100 on the left-hand side. Now, review your year and concentrate on all the wonderful things - of all kinds - that you did in 2006. They don't have to be world-changing accomplishments. They can be fun stuff you did with your family and friends. I am delighted for the quality time spent doing some wonderful things with my friends and family. Here's a sample from my own personal list:

My 2006 accomplishments and achievements:

1. Expanded my business.

2. Took a close family member for a lovely cosy evening at the pub and felt close with him.

3. Appeared on TV.

4. Donated blood at the blood bank.

5. Had many great runs along the sea front.

6. Read lots of books researching for my own new one.

7. Wrote 51 editions of my weekly ezine.

8. Shared several jokes with close family members.

9. Helped organise a camping trip for my close friends.

When you have finished your list, admire and review it. Be grateful for all those wonderful things that happened. Keep the list close to your bed for a few days and each morning before you get out of bed, acknowledge what you did last year. Then, in a few days time, every morning before you get out of bed, remind yourself for all the things in life that you are grateful for and open yourself to more and more of it. Give yourself some praise and acknowledgement. Relive some of those moments and achievements and use them to enhance your state.