An attitude of gratitude is the heartbeat of a love driven consciousness. Life through the lens of gratitude is an experience where the world does not only revolve around that individual.
Ego driven consciousness creates a paradigm whereby an individual feel that they can do as they wish without establishing any feelings attached to the consequences of their actions.
Ego consciousness is void of appreciation of anything other than self satisfaction. Gratitude is so far removed from the individual that they ridicule anything and anyone who emanates love.
Gratitude is more than showing love for people, animals, nature and other things. It is a sign of respect that a force outside of yourself gave their own resources for creation of the thing you are interacting with.
If what you are interacting with is food you are about to eat, the gratitude is directed in a few ways. Each of the ways is an aspect if directing your acknowledgement of respect and appreciation.
First is that you are blessed enough to eat instead of starving. Second is to bless the life of the food source for giving its own life to benefit yours. Third is that you had the money, skills or other resources in order to acquire that food to eat.
Gratitude is not just something we could choose to one in a while when we by chance remember to embrace it. It is a way of life. It is the path to harmony with nature, peace with self and oneness with all creations everywhere.
I recommend to live your life full of gratitude. Never feel you become less by being thankful. Instead, know that your world just became infinitely more expansive in the process.
All the best,