I'd like to add that the level of intensity in your gratitude is also a factor.
For example, I'm grateful when somebody cares enough what I think to ask my opinion about something. I might even say "I appreciate your asking...." But then again, I might not. But I still feel good for a brief moment that my opinion matters. Tomorrow - or even later tonight - I won't give it a second thought.
Now let's pretend someone just pulled my son from a burning building, saving his life. The intensity level of my gratitude would be indescribable. My feelings of gratitude towards that person would override just about any other thoughts that I could entertain.
He/She owes me money? Forget about it.
He/she never returned my chainsaw? Keep it.
He/She needs to borrow money? How much and how soon?
Pure, sincere, joyful, exhuberant gratitude has given me the most success with the LoA and life in general.
If I go down the list of level 1 gratitude, and give pure and joyful thanks with a high level of intensity, I speculate that I would come out better than if I went down the level II list and offered only mild appreciation for those things. Maybe I'll try it and see...  |