Friday DO: Be Thankful

Friday DO: Be Thankful

Friday, November 21, 2014

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, hopefully all our thoughts are headed toward giving gratitude for all the blessings that have drifted into our lives. But did you know that giving thanks each and every day can make you happier in your day to day life? It's true - taking a few moments each day to think about what you are grateful for will change your entire perspective for the day. As someone who has battles depression occasionally, I find taking those sweet moments to recognize the little things that make me happy to be on this Earth really put me back into place. I feel whole and aligned.

To accomplish this feeling of completion, every morning I wake up and immediately list 5 things for which I am grateful. These things can be anything from the way your pet says good morning, to the sun creeping through your blinds, the way your soft sheets rub against your naked skin, or simply the way your first conscious breath feels.

Once you get in this routine, you will find yourself saying thank you for the simplest things in life.  In fact, yesterday on a drive, I could see the most beautifully sunset. I was privileged in that time to witness layers of soft orange, blue, and purple merge into the sublime. In that moment, I was instantly grateful for this amazing opportunity. I was happy.

This Friday, find the little things in life, and just say thank you. You will be happy you did. Be sure to tell me what sweet little moments you find!

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Learning How to Release and Accepting Loss

Learning How to Release and Accepting Loss

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

There are times when you realize not everything you enjoy can last forever.  In fact, sometimes losing a favorite item can really mature the senses.

The other day I left Zeke unattended for about 60 seconds.  Yes, 60 seconds.  In that minute amount of time he managed to find my favorite soup mug that I had left on the coffee table from dinner.  I suppose he accidentally knocked it off and it slammed against the futon frame. It doesn't matter.  When I returned from taking the trash out, I saw my favorite mug, dead on the carpet, with the spoon impaling it through the wrong end.  The rare sight of tears welled into my eyes.  I never cry.  Now that I recall, every incident that involved my crying relates to Zeke having destroyed things I love.  But that is besides the point because I sure love the little bugger.

The point is that gazing at that cup bottom laying divorced from its other half made me force myself to accept something I preach frequently: things are just things. Did any significant part of my life change? Not at all. Sure, I am still agitated.  But losing our favorite possessions is almost cathartic.  The realization that you have one less thing in life. Simplification. Decluttering. I do have lots of cups and bowls, after all.  Sometimes, losing your favorite possession is the best way to find release from the chaos of desire often found in our everyday life.

In today's world, we often get caught up comparing ourselves to our neighbors and friends. This has become especially pertinent in the world of social media.  We see people buying newer homes, nicer cars, new clothes, jewelry, dishes, or whatever suites your own tastes.  With Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Tumblr, and whatever else is out there, it is increasingly more difficult to separate ourselves from the chaos.  Why yes, I was fine with all my shoes yesterday.  Nothing is wrong with anything I have, so why do I suddenly need new boots?

So today, I say: Goodbye, favorite old mug. It was fun while we had our good times. You gave me lots of delicious soups in your limited life.  But the truth is, I have plenty of other dishes to do your job.  I am not without anything because I have everything I need, plus some.

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Monday Inspiration

Monday Inspiration

Monday, November 25, 2013

Hello all, it's time to start your week right.  I felt this picture was appropriate as we begin to spend our days focusing on Thanksgiving - a time to reflect and give thanks for what we have. In order to achieve inner wellness, it is important to maintain a list of what you are grateful for.  Start today.  Write down 5 things that you are grateful for.  5 things that make you happy.  Focus on those things and continue to do so for the rest of the week.  Keep a journal by your bed and write them down first thing in the morning.  It can be tiny things like loving the shadow being cast in from the morning sun, or happy that your hair is not messy.  It doesn't matter.  Make an inner wellness journal a top priority and I promise that you will have better days.

 With this in mind, do not forget to also give thanks for what you don't have. It's easy to show gratitude for what we do have, but harder to be thankful for things we lack. Everything exists just as it is for a specific reason, and that reason will bring forth light at one point or another.  Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe ten years from now.  Make today the day to find inner contentment with the world and remember that even when things are not playing out in your intended method, YOU can change the outcome.  Be in control and be strong.

Make gratitude a priority, and the world will make you a priority.

From Pinterest

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