“We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours.” —Dag Hammarskjöld

When the world looks full with forest greens sitting up against robins-egg-blue skies, take a walk in a natural landscape and practice opening up. Take deep breaths, and let go of the tensions that we too often use to grasp who and what we believe we are. For a few moments, unlock your heart and allow yourself to trust in the Earth.

Dissolve the “to do” list in your mind and replace it with a “thank you” list. Give yourself the gift of abundance by taking a moment to silently thank the people, qualities, and things that you value in your life. The list may run longer than you would have thought. Even if your list seems pathetically short because of external circumstances, think of just one person or event to be thankful for. Some gift of the world can always be found near at hand. Maybe it’s the whoosh of the breeze moving through the trees. Perhaps it’s the firmness with which the ground meets you as you move across it.

Whatever your circumstances, you may find that by cultivating inner values such as compassion, wisdom, gentleness, forgiveness, and balance, you influence your outer world for the better. When we train our attention on these gifts, the quality of our lives improves. We feel happier, which makes us more open to miracles.