Surrounded by gratitude

This week I can't turn around without receiving more messages about gratitude.  To tell you the truth, I'm loving it.  Might as well jump on the bandwagon and express a little thanks.  Today my lesson in A Course in Miracles reminded me, "Love is the way I walk in gratitude."  Making a daily or weekly gratitude list helps me slow down and appreciate the life around me and within me.  As the seasons change, my list contains things like, the beautiful orange leaves or falling asleep to the sound of rain.  If I don't take stock of these little moments, the seasons and years have a way of just passing by.  I WANT to feel grateful.  It feels so darn good.  Plus sometimes I get so lost in my own thoughts that I forget where I am or what I'm doing.  I'm sure you've been there...you just checked your phone, saw an email and forgot what you were trying to do it the first place.  There are so many distractions.  Taking 5 or 10 minutes to physically write down a gratitude list has huge benefits.  Today on Marie TV I learned that writing a gratitude list for 21 days creates 25% more life satisfaction.  The participants in this UC Davis study ended up exercising more and drinking less alcohol.  Friends and family even reported that they were more pleasant to be around.  Sounds pretty great, right?  Do it for your friends, do it for your family, do it for your waistline!  If you want to hear more from Marie, check out her video below.

The challenging part is being grateful even when things don't go your way.  For example, today an important meeting was postponed.  I had been thinking about this meeting for a few weeks and had been preparing myself.  Instead of getting all pissed off, I decided to turn up the gratitude.  I see that this unexpected change affords me more time to research the foundation and prepare my cover letter.  I do believe that the Universe is conspiring in my best interest.  I don't know yet exactly where I'm headed, but I have faith that it's somewhere good.  The next time you're in a traffic jam, remember that you're supposed to be there.  Why?  Who knows?  Just turn up the gratitude, put on a podcast or call an old friend (hands free, of course).  Use that time to enhance your life instead of getting all upset and miserable.  Trust me, you'll be happier for it! 

Thanks for reading and taking time out of your day.  I'm grateful for you!  Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Reflecting Back

One of the best things about having a blog is being able to look back at your journey.  This morning I was reading one of my all time favorite posts called Transformation and realized how far I've come.  At that time in my life (February 2011) I so inspired and lit up with possibility.  I was working on my National Boards and preparing for Seagal tryouts, both scary and overwhelming endeavors. Reflecting back, most of my best experiences in life have been the ones that scared me the most.  I had considered leaving teaching because I was so intimidated by National Boards.  Seagal tryouts were so far outside my comfort zone that I felt like I was tapping into a new side of my personality.  By allowing myself to chase scary dreams, I was able to expand and learn so much about myself.  A year and a half later, I sit here with a beautiful National Board Teaching Certificate.  I didn't make the Seagals that year, but I would not take back the experience for anything.  I was definitely guided in the right direction.  Shortly after, Kevin came into my life.  With his support, I entered the Ayurveda Wellness Counselor program.  Each goal that feels massive in the moment has been a stepping stone showing me the way.  Going to teach in Colombia lead me back home and into a career I love.  Going to Bali lead me to deeper meditation and Ayurveda.  Now I'm reconnecting with my inspired dreamer mindset.  I want to continuously live in that enchanted place of wonder.  There is so much life to live, and I refuse to limit myself in my own mind.  After finishing Half the Sky, I'm feeling called to explore other ways to serve women.  It doesn't seem like a coincidence that the Bill and Mary Gates Foundation is in my backyard.  It is time to play big and co-create with the Universe!

"We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?... Your playing small does not serve the world."  -Marianne Williamson