So what’s the big deal about focusing on gratitude? Why have I made the commitment to undertake this 21-day gratitude challenge and why do I consciously focus on making appreciation a part of my day-to-day life? There are a number of reasons, but a primary one is that focusing on appreciation just feels good. If I get to choose between feeling appreciation or frustration, then I will consciously choose the thought, focus, and emotion that feels better. And the more we practice feeling good, the better we can feel. This is using the principle that Energy Attracts Like Energy (also known as the Law of Attraction) to our advantage. Do we want to create a life where every day we feel a little bit better, or do we want to build on the energy of frustration, or other catabolic emotions? As I’ve already said, my choice is to feel good! There is also the belief that the more we focus on what we do want and the better we allow ourselves to feel, the more we are in alignment with our True Power (God, the Universe, Source Energy, Inner Self, Higher Coach–whatever works for you.) The more we are in alignment, the more guidance and clarity we receive, the more things fall into place with ease, and the more things we receive in our lives to appreciate. At an energetic level, appreciation is an anabolic emotion, meaning it produces productive chemical reactions and processes in our bodies. Anger, frustration, resentment, and fear are catabolic emotions that release stress hormones, and trigger destructive processes in our body. So when we allow ourselves to choose more anabolic emotions we are actually increasing our body’s ability to heal and move towards […]
Shift from Grumbling to Gratitude
Do you ever catch yourself grumbling about what someone close to you did or didn’t do? I know I cause a certain someone to grumble about me not putting my shoes in the closet and leaving little piles of things around the house that I’m going to put away “later.” By comparison, how much time do you spend thinking about all the wonderful qualities that person has, and how much they add to your life? Even though I consciously spend a lot of time focused on appreciation, I’ve noticed over the past several weeks how often those little moments of frustration—and maybe even resentment—pop up over little things. For me, those little things seem to show up most clearly when I feel like I’m not getting the support that I would like. This indicates that I’m either looking in the wrong place for support, or I’m not asking for what I want in my relationships. Now that I have this awareness, when I’m conscious of a resentment surfacing I can either shift my focus to the true Source of my support, or I can figure out what it is I want and ask for it. Both of those options are much more empowering than being struck in the grumble—or worse not even noticing it. In the assignment for day 13 of my Gratitude Challenge I am to pick three friends or family members that I see regularly and view their actions and gestures through a positive lens, assuming their goodness and witnessing their best intentions. Seeing the best in others is truly where I want my focus to be. When I feel any resentment bubbling to the surface I am going to shift my attention […]
I’m Positive about Surgery
The assignment for day 12 of my Gratitude Challenge is to make the effort to live life with a positive outlook. This would normally be a slam dunk for me. This is something I focus on every day. As the assignment describes, my intention is always to restrain from criticizing the people around me, dare to see the glass as half full, listen more than I speak, give freely of myself, and practice kindness at every opportunity. So it’s very interesting to me that I awoke this morning with intense physical discomfort that is centered around my female parts, which are soon to be history. Perhaps if you were to witness the intensity of this discomfort, it would give you an inkling as to why I have made this decision. After dealing with these issues since I was 15 and trying more alternative treatments than I can count on both hands, it feels like the next logical step to take more mainstream action. I have been reluctant to share this decision with you fabulous readers for a number of reasons. Mostly because I have been worried about your judgment. My assumption is that many of you will challenge my decision-making process to turn to surgery, and I frankly don’t want to justify it. There is also the concern that people won’t want to go to a wellness coach who isn’t, in their opinion, 100 percent well. That sounds like an immediate negative reaction to me. Here I am altering my behavior because I am afraid of what you might think. That’s never a good reason to do anything. And frankly, it’s being critical of you without giving you the benefit of allowing you to respond however you respond. So today, […]
Appreciate the Weird and Wonderful
Today I give thanks for my toothbrush. Wow does that contribute to my wellness. And I am thankful for toilet paper. Life would be a pretty sorry state of affairs without toilet paper. This is day 11 of my Gratitude Challenge and the assignment to try to see the world through the eyes of a child. I am to think about the things I take for granted on a daily basis, and then express gratitude for everything down to the basic necessities that sustain my current life. This and yesterday’s assignment to focus on the gifts I receive from my five senses make it clear that there is much about my life that I fail to notice and appreciate. It is easy to overlook everything from indoor plumbing and practically instant hot water, to unattractive parts of my body that nonetheless are incredibly functional and are critical to my wellness. It’s interesting because I think I do a pretty good job of appreciating my life on a day-to-day basis, but clearly there is significant room for improvement. So today I give thanks for central heat and air, which I would sorely miss should it stop keeping us comfortable. I give thanks for trash bags and for the folks who will be coming around our neighborhood today to take it away, and for my husband, David, who makes sure it’s ready and waiting for them. I give thanks for soft and fluffy towels that make drying off after my shower a pleasure. I give thanks for warm socks, particularly on a chilly morning. When you are in a state of appreciation, it boosts your body’s ability to heal down to the cellular level. It enhances awareness and […]
It Makes Sense
Today is day 10 of my Gratitude Challenge and the assignment is to pick one of my five senses to focus on and note the many gifts that come to me through that portal. Just contemplating this has me realizing how much information from my senses I disregard or take for granted. As I sit here at my desk, there is so much to see, hear, touch, and even taste and smell. I probably receive the most information from sight. Without even turning my head there is a rich array of things to see. There is the view outside my window—mountains, and bare and green trees that have the backdrop of a beautiful pale blue sky with just a few light clouds. There is the dull gray street in front of our house and the dry, brown leaves that cover the roadside. There are tan and rust-colored grasses and green bushes in the field across the street. I can see there is a slight breeze gently moving branches. I can also see the green metal porch railing and a car that is passing by. Out of the corner of my eye I can see a planter with some still-green petunias. On the windows are white sheer curtains and white window shades pulled half-way down. A glass orange and pink starfish hangs from the center of the white metal curtain rod. A tin angel with a trumpet is on the white wall above the windows—a gift from my Mother that was brought from Haiti during one of her mission trips. Flanking the windows are two brown cork bulletin boards with notes pinned to it, a running calendar, paint chips of colors I’ve contemplated painting the office, […]
Silly Little Signs of Love
A gentle touch in passing, a cup of coffee ready and waiting, an inside joke, a silly song for a favorite pet, the sound of a laugh. It’s easy to overlook these small things, but it is often the small things that add so much texture and joy to life. When we look for those small things that give us pleasure, acknowledge them, and appreciate them, we are adding a richness and spice to our lives. And every moment we spend in appreciation and joy actually enhances our bodies’ ability to heal and achieve wellness. It also just feels good. Today is day nine of my Gratitude Challenge and the assignment is to enjoy the people around me, and to take note of their unique talents, abilities, and personalities. This means being present in the moment and acknowledging those fleeting moments where love is expressed in a caress, a laugh springs from a shared sense of humor or experience, and a tiny gift is given that enhances my day. It also means contemplating those people I am with and truly valuing them for their unique perspective, and the gifts they bring to me—and the world. We often hold contentment, joy, and happiness away from ourselves as we wait for the big things we want to materialize in our lives. By being so focused on that future thing—maybe it’s losing weight, getting the right job, making a certain amount of money, or waiting for someone else to change, etc.—we miss out on the happiness that could be ours right now. What do you notice today that you might have normally overlooked? How does that small thing make you feel? How long can you make that good […]
Stay Authentic
Do you change how you act when you are around others in order to receive their approval? One of the things that I am focusing on in my own personal development is showing up as authentically me regardless of the people or situation. That doesn’t mean that I have to spew my opinions or be challenging if we have differences. Truly, it’s just the opposite. The authentic me is loving and accepting. The authentic me sees my value–and the value in each person and each situation. The authentic me knows that there are no mistakes and that the diversity of people and opinions is what makes the world go round. The authentic me knows that speaking my truth with ease and grace will be a gift to others—even if it doesn’t seem like it in the moment. But if I am acting out of anger, frustration, fear, judgment, or condemnation, I’m not being authentically me, and that is when it’s best to keep quiet. The onus is on me to stay connected to my Higher Self and to pay attention if I am coming from a place of love or a place of anger, a place of appreciation or a place of fear. If I am being authentically me, or if I am seeking the other person’s approval. One way for me to maintain my connection to my Higher Self in relationships—particularly if we have a history of pushing each other’s buttons—is to actively focus on all the good qualities of the other person. To literally practice seeing them in the best light before we see each other. I might literally create a list of all the things about the other person that I appreciate, and […]
Savor that Sip
It’s easy to take water for granted. Here in the U.S., we turn the handle of a faucet and drinkable water spews forth. We drink it, bathe in it, swim in it, clean with it, and flush away our waste with it How often do we stop and truly appreciate this incredible gift that is so critical to our life and wellness? Today is day seven of my Gratitude Challenge and the assignment is to take a picture of one thing, person, place, or specific moment that makes me feel grateful. I took a picture of my first of about 10 glasses of water that I will drink today. It’s a little mind-boggling that something so simple that we acquire so easily is so vital for all known forms of life. You can go a long time without food–as long as you are hydrated. I love the factoids that water covers 70.9 percent of the Earth’s surface, and the human body contains from 55 to 78 percent water, depending on body size. To function properly, the body needs between one and seven liters of water per day, depending on the level of activity, temperature, humidity, and other factors. Most advocates agree that about 2 liters (6 to 7 glasses) of water daily is the minimum to maintain proper hydration. Not only is water vital, but it’s also beautiful. Some of my favorite things in the world are sunshine reflecting off the surface of a lake, and the breaking of ocean waves. Even light sparkling off water as you pour it into a glass can be stunningly beautiful, as is the morning dew. Access to safe drinking water has improved over the last decades in almost every part of the […]
Gratitude is Powerful Medicine
Do you focus more on what’s wrong with a person, or do you look for things to compliment and appreciate? Turns out that if you tend to be critical, the person you are hurting most is you. According to this article by Ocean Robbins, several studies have shown depression to be inversely correlated to gratitude, meaning that the more grateful a person is, the less depressed they are. Robbins cites Philip Watkins, a clinical psychologist at Eastern Washington University, who found that clinically depressed people showed significantly lower gratitude (nearly 50 percent less) than non-depressed controls. As someone who suffered from a lot of depression in the past, I can attest that this was true for me. During those dark times, it felt like all of my focus was on what was wrong with my life. During those times, I think I would have argued that my life was less than perfect first and this caused the depression. But looking at it from where I am now, it’s clear to me that spending too much time on the problems in my life resulted in depression. Slowly but consistently shifting your focus to the things in your life for which you can be truly grateful is powerful medicine. Not just for depression but for overall wellness and wellbeing. Today is day six of my gratitude challenge and the assignment is to take a few minutes to call someone I haven’t talked to in a while and tell them how much I appreciate them. While I hope to uplift the person I am going to call, the person who will benefit the most is me. What are the things that you appreciate about the people in your life? Focus […]
Be Happy Now
Often, we focus more on those things we don’t have rather than appreciating the gifts and abundance that we do have. Emotionally—and energetically—there is a huge difference between yearning and appreciating. There is even a huge difference between yearning and wanting. We can want to be happy—and believe that it is possible—and can use that to fill us with positive emotion to motivate us further along our path. Yearning is focused on what you don’t have and the feeling that you have to have it to be fulfilled. It is the difference between allowing life-giving energy to flow through you and shutting that energy down to a trickle. It it putting off being happy instead of being happy right now. Today is day five of my gratitude challenge and the assignment is to take five minutes to write about how grateful I am for all the wonderful things that I currently have in my life. The assignment admonishes, “Don’t long for what you don’t possess—instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy.” That is a lesson to practice more than just today. The more you focus on what you do have, what you can do, and all that you did do, the happier you allow yourself to be right now. Today, I appreciate my thoughtful husband, who made sure I had breakfast this morning. I appreciate my wonderful family and friends, who love and support me by reading and sharing this blog. Our pets, who remind me to get outside and enjoy this glorious day. I appreciate our home and the beautiful things we have that were passed down for generations. I appreciate the abundance of food that we have in our cabinets and refrigerator that gives me a choice […]
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