I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. ~Henry David Thoreau With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it is the perfect time to talk about giving thanks. After all, that is what this day is all about: gathering with those we care about, sharing a feast and expressing gratitude for our abundance. […]
Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow. ~Swedish Proverb Our imaginations are such an incredible gift, allowing us to daydream and envision incredible wonder. As children, we used our vivid imaginations to create fun and exciting playmates and spectacularly fantastical situations in which we would ‘live’ for hours on end. Imagination was fun, […]
Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality. ~Alfred Painter People like being appreciated. Every gift deserves a thank-you, whether it is a material object, a referral, or to express your appreciation for someone’s friendship, acceptance or support. Although occasionally a thank you email or text message will do, a handwritten […]
Sustained busyness is taking a toll on the quality of our lives and our relationships. Free time. Two words that most people, including children, are unfamiliar with and wish they had more of. Our free time has been filled with work, errands, chores, extracurricular activities, social obligations, classes, projects…the list goes on. And to top it […]
Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value. ~ Albert Einstein In Western society, much of what defines a person, especially in their ‘career,’ is their success. And this success usually revolves around the monetary or material as well as ‘one ups-manship‘, that unspoken concept of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. We are […]
The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. ~William James Psychologist John Gottman can predict with 94% certainty within 15 minutes if a couple has a solid relationship, if their relationship will fail or will result in an unhappy union. After years of studying relationships, Gottman has discovered that happy, connected […]
Everyone appreciates a compliment but many of us don’t know quite how to accept them gracefully. Compliments can make us feel uncomfortable. We don’t want to appear as though we are ‘tooting our own horn’ by accepting a compliment yet at the same time, we want to enjoy it. Below are a few tips to […]
Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have. ~Unknown Robert Emmons, noted researcher in the psychology of gratitude, was asked what were the three key things he wanted people to know about gratitude. “First, the practice of gratitude can increase happiness levels by around 25%. Second, this is not hard […]
I love and approve of myself. ~Daily affirmation We all have that little voice in our head, the one that so often whispers in our ear things that chip away at our self esteem. “You’re stupid.” “You’re lazy.” “You’re not good enough.” “You’re not skinny or fit enough.” “You’re not wealthy enough.” These self-deprecating mantras […]
When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you takes things for granted or take them with gratitude. ~G.K. Chesterson History of World Gratitude Day The idea for an annual day of gratitude began in 1965 in Hawaii during an international Thanksgiving dinner and it has been celebrated on September 21st for the last 51 years. […]
