How to Practice Gratitude in Advance to Manifest What You Want (With Examples)

Practicing gratitude in advance has been one of my most powerful manifestation tools for over a decade, and as a licensed school counselor and bestselling author of several books about the power of practicing gratitude, I've witnessed how this technique creates profound shifts for people struggling with anxiety, uncertainty, and feeling stuck in their lives.

What I love most is hearing from readers who started with this practice and discovered it completely changed their relationship with their dreams and goals. Some tell me it helped them finally take action on things they'd been putting off for years, others that it reduced their anxiety about the future - but everyone mentions how it made their biggest dreams feel actually possible for the first time.

This technique combines the proven benefits of gratitude practice with the power of visualization, but what makes it so effective is that you're living in the feeling of already having what you want. That emotional component is what creates real change, both in your mindset and in the actions you naturally start taking.

“Gratitude in advance is the most powerful creative force in the universe. Most people do not know this, yet it is true. Expressing thankfulness in advance is the way of all Masters. So do not wait for a thing to happen and then give thanks. Give thanks before it happens, and watch energies swirl! To thank God before something occurs is an act of extraordinary faith. And that, of course, is where the power comes from.”

— Neale Donald Walsch

What Is Gratitude in Advance?

Gratitude in advance (sometimes called future gratitude) is simply feeling thankful for things you want as if they've already happened.

Instead of only appreciating what you currently have, you're expressing genuine appreciation for your dreams and goals like they're already part of your reality. It's this beautiful way of living in the feeling of what you want to create.

Why Future Gratitude Works So Well

What I've discovered through years of practicing this is that something magical happens when you feel genuine gratitude for your future.

Your brain starts treating these dreams like they're real possibilities instead of just wishful thinking. You naturally become more motivated to take action, you worry less about whether things will work out, and you start noticing opportunities that were probably always there but you just weren't seeing them before.

What Changes When You Practice Gratitude in Advance

People always ask me what they can expect from this practice, and honestly, the shifts happen in so many areas:

With Your Dreams: You get clearer about what you actually want (not what you think you should want), and those big goals start feeling achievable instead of impossible.

With Your Mindset: You spend less time worrying about whether things will happen and more time in that excited, hopeful energy that makes everything feel more possible.

With Your Actions: You're naturally more motivated to do the things that move you toward what you want, because it already feels real in your heart.

With Opportunities: You start recognizing chances and connections you might have missed before, because you're already aligned with what you're creating.

How to Practice Gratitude in Advance: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Write Your Gratitude in Advance List in Present Tense

Think about the next month, year, or longer. Write as many things as you wish, and write them in the present tense, like they've already happened.

For example, "I'm grateful for my amazing Hawaiian vacation with my family," if you've always wanted to travel there, or "I'm grateful that the world is at peace," if you want to extend your gratitude even further.

Some examples from my own gratitude in advance list are:

"I'm grateful to be in optimal health and at my optimal weight. Also that I look good and feel good in my body."

"I'm so grateful to be surrounded by people who fully love and support me and help me shine my LIGHT. I'm also grateful anyone who doesn't do this just fades out of my life, effortlessly."

And then I like to add some zany ones, just for fun, like:

"I'm so grateful to own the perfect pair of jeans that look amazing on me."

"I'm so grateful I ate the most delicious chocolate ever, and savored every moment while I was eating it."

I love adding fun little gratitudes like this because when they do happen, it's like getting a wink from the universe.

And yes, the year I put the chocolate one on my list, it came true.😊

I actually started collecting these gratitude-in-advance practices years ago because I kept seeing how powerful they were - not just for me, but for clients, friends, and eventually thousands of readers.

This technique is one of my favorites that I share in Give Thanks: A Gratitude Journal, because I've found that when people combine future gratitude with daily appreciation practices, something incredible happens. They start living in grateful energy consistently, which is where all the manifestation magic occurs.

What's beautiful is that you can practice gratitude in advance on its own, or you can weave it into your regular gratitude routine. Many of my readers tell me they do their daily gratitude writing first, then end with a few future gratitudes - it's like bookending their practice with appreciation for what is AND excitement for what's coming.

 The award-winning gratitude journal that will guide you to a more fulfilling life. Learn more→

Step 2: Create a Gratitude in Advance Vision Board

What I personally do to really set my gratitude intentions is to first write them out, then find photos that complement them.

I actually love combining this with regular gratitude journaling - there's something powerful about both writing your appreciation daily AND having these visual reminders of what you're grateful for in advance. The combination keeps you in that grateful energy consistently, which is where the real magic happens.

What I've discovered from working with thousands of people is that having variety in your gratitude practice makes all the difference. Some days you might feel inspired to write future gratitudes, other days you need to focus on appreciating what you currently have, and sometimes you want to combine both approaches.

This is exactly why I created Give Thanks with different types of prompts - including future gratitude exercises alongside daily appreciation practices. Having that structure and variety keeps your gratitude practice fresh and prevents it from feeling repetitive or forced.

Step 3: Share Your Gratitude in Advance Practice

Once you've written your future gratitudes, read them to a trusted friend or loved one, your counselor or coach, or with a group (this is a really fun practice to do with people at an event or in the classroom) or read them out loud to God or nature.

Then tuck them away for a while, and come back to it to see how many future gratitudes have come true.

I promise, you'll be amazed at how many do.

What readers tell me is that sharing gratitude practices - whether daily appreciation or future gratitude - doesn't just keep you accountable, it actually amplifies the energy of what you're creating. In The Gratitude Jar, I share how our family gratitude practices literally transformed our darkest moments into miracles, and future gratitude was a huge part of that process.

Give Thanks is actually designed specifically for sharing - it's the only gratitude journal created for two or more people to use together. Many couples and families love doing future gratitude exercises together because it helps them dream and create as a team while staying in that grateful energy that makes everything feel possible.

Taking Your Manifestation Practice Deeper

If gratitude in advance resonates with you and you want to build a complete practice that transforms both your mindset and your ability to create what you want, here's how to expand this single technique into a life-changing routine:

For Daily Foundation Building: While gratitude in advance is powerful for manifestation, having a consistent daily gratitude practice creates the energetic foundation that makes everything work better. Give Thanks: A Gratitude Journal combines both approaches with guided prompts for daily appreciation AND future gratitude exercises. Many readers tell me this combination keeps them in grateful energy consistently, which is when manifestation feels effortless instead of forced.

For Meditation and Energy Work: Combining gratitude writing with meditation amplifies both practices beautifully. Simple Serenity: Five-Minute Meditations for Everyday Life includes gratitude meditations specifically designed for manifestation. Many people love doing a gratitude meditation first to get into that high-vibe energy, then writing their future gratitudes from that elevated state. The combination is incredibly powerful.

For Hope During Challenging Times: The Gratitude Jar is my deeply personal story about how gratitude practices - including gratitude in advance - literally saved my family when we hit absolute rock bottom. If you're going through difficulty and wondering if these practices really work when life feels impossible, this book shows you exactly how to find hope and create positive change even in your darkest moments. It's proof that gratitude and manifestation work especially well when you need them most.

For Family and Relationship Manifestation: Some of the most beautiful future gratitudes I've seen involve relationships and family connections. Give Thanks and The Gratitude Jar both include ways to practice gratitude in advance with loved ones - whether you're manifesting better relationships, family healing, or shared dreams and goals.

The beautiful thing is creating your own combination. Some days you might need solo future gratitude, other days shared manifestation with your partner, sometimes meditation followed by writing. There's no wrong way to build this practice into your life.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gratitude in Advance

Does gratitude in advance really work for manifestation?

Absolutely! I've been practicing this for years and I'm honestly blown away by how many of my gratitude-in-advance items actually come true. What I've learned is that it's not just about wishing - when you combine that feeling of genuine gratitude with actually taking steps toward what you want, something shifts. You start showing up differently, noticing opportunities, and making choices that align with what you're grateful for.

What I've learned from years of practice and working with readers is that gratitude in advance works even better when it's part of a broader gratitude lifestyle. When you're appreciating what you have daily AND feeling grateful for what you're creating, you stay in that high-vibration energy that makes manifestation feel natural instead of desperate or forced.

This is why I love combining future gratitude with daily appreciation practices. Give Thanks includes both types of exercises because they support each other beautifully - daily gratitude keeps you grounded in abundance, while future gratitude keeps you excited about what's possible.

How often should I practice gratitude in advance?

I personally do this practice a few times a year - usually around New Year, my birthday, or when I'm going through big life changes. Some people love doing it monthly or even weekly. Honestly, there's no wrong way. The magic is in taking time to really feel into what you want and expressing genuine appreciation for it, whether that's once a year or once a week.

What I've found is that consistency with some form of gratitude practice matters more than frequency with any specific technique. Some of my readers do future gratitude monthly, others seasonally, and some include it in their daily routine. The key is staying in grateful energy regularly, whether that's through daily appreciation, future gratitude, or both.

Many readers tell me they use Give Thanks for their daily practice and then add future gratitude exercises during goal-setting times like New Year, birthdays, or major life transitions. Having that foundation of daily gratitude makes the future gratitude even more powerful

What's the difference between gratitude in advance and visualization?

Great question! Visualization is more about seeing what you want in your mind, but gratitude in advance is about actually feeling thankful for it like it's already happened. There's this emotional piece - that warm, appreciative feeling you get when something wonderful occurs. That's what makes it so powerful. You're not just imagining it; you're living in the feeling of already having it.

This is such a great question because understanding this difference is what makes gratitude in advance so much more effective than basic visualization. In Simple Serenity, I include visualization meditations, but what I've discovered is that when you add that grateful feeling - like you're thanking the universe for something that's already happened - it shifts everything. You're not just seeing it; you're living in the emotional reality of already having it.

Can you practice gratitude in advance for other people?

Oh, I love this! Yes, absolutely. Some of my favorite gratitude-in-advance entries are about the people I love. Like 'I'm so grateful my son feels confident and excited about starting college' or 'I'm grateful my husband's knee pain is completely healed.' It's such a beautiful way to send love and positive energy to the people who matter most to you.

How long does it take to see results from gratitude in advance?

This is so individual, and honestly, part of the magic is letting go of the timeline. Some of my silly little gratitudes (like that perfect chocolate experience!) happen within weeks. Bigger life things can take months or even years to unfold. But here's what I've noticed - even when the exact thing doesn't happen, something related or even better often does. The key is writing it down, feeling genuinely grateful, and then releasing attachment to how and when it shows up.

Continue Your Manifestation and Gratitude Journey

If gratitude in advance speaks to you and you're ready to build a complete practice that transforms both your mindset and your ability to create what you want, I'd love to share the resources I've created to support your journey:

Give Thanks: A Gratitude Journal

The only gratitude journal designed for sharing

Perfect for: Anyone ready to combine daily appreciation with future gratitude for powerful manifestation. Unlike other journals, this one includes both traditional gratitude prompts AND future gratitude exercises, plus it's designed for couples, families, or friends who want to manifest together. The guided prompts keep your practice fresh and help you discover new sources of appreciation while staying focused on what you're creating.

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“I love the gratitude prompts given in the book. They helped me to look at all areas of my life and be grateful. I love the God part the most. This book in addition to ‘The Gratitude Jar’ book completes the story. It makes gratitude more believable.”

Simple Serenity: Five-Minute Meditations for Everyday Life

Complement your gratitude practice with manifestation meditation

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Why readers love the combination: Many people find that meditation helps them access that high-vibration energy before writing future gratitudes. The visualization and gratitude meditations in this collection pair perfectly with gratitude-in-advance practices - you can meditate first to get into that elevated state, then write your future gratitudes from that powerful place. This creates a complete daily practice that addresses both energy and intention.

The Gratitude Jar: A Simple Guide to Creating Miracles

A deeply personal story of transformation and hope

For anyone needing hope: This is my personal memoir about hitting rock bottom and how practicing gratitude literally transformed my entire life from despair to miracles. If you're wondering whether these practices really work when life feels impossible, this book shows you exactly how gratitude and manifestation can create profound change even in your darkest moments.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Short, quick, amazing book! If you need a little pick me up and help navigating how to be thankful this is the perfect book.”

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