Living In Gratitude: Before Your Speak…THINK

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This T.H.I.N.K concept is a gentle reminder to consider what we say before we say it. It allows us to communicate from a place of thoughtfulness and consideration. By employing the T.H.I.N.K. process, our messages come across more clearly and are better received and as such, our relationships benefit. It allows us to be aware of how emotions play a part in our communication.

I have a friend who always uses this theory, especially in tough situations. It doesn’t mean she can’t communicate her feelings and needs but it enables her to do so in a way that doesn’t inflame the situation while getting her message across in a gentle, kind, yet firm manner with everyone in her life. This is one of the things I greatly admire, appreciate and respect about her.

How we say things as well as what we say play huge roles in our ability to communicate. Keeping in mind the T.H.I.N.K. theory to help guide us as we speak with friends, family, coworkers, managers, strangers, children, telemarketers and everyone we encounter on a daily basis.

T – Is it true?

Is our message fact or is it an exaggeration coming from a place of frustration, irritation or anger? If what we want to say is indeed true, move to the next step. Read more

Living In Gratitude: At the End of the Day

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At the end of the day, remember all the positive things that happened. Smile. Feel the comfort of your bed. Have sweet dreams.

In each of our lives, every day brings a variety of occurrences and emotions. Some are challenging, annoying and inconvenient while others are sweet, refreshing, empowering and enjoyable.

As you end each day, this is the perfect opportunity to reflect and wipe the slate clean. Embrace the things that made you smile, the ‘feel good’ things happened. Let go of those occurrences that evoke stress, irritation or dissatisfaction.  Read more

Living In Gratitude: Celebrate Everything!

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Embrace life with enthusiasm.

When we make a commitment to mindfully live in this manner, we find that there is a lot to celebrate. In fact, there is something to celebrate in everything, in every day, big, small or in between.

Little kids are overjoyed by the simplest, smallest things. It doesn’t take much to give them immeasurable joy. Splashing in a pool, playing on a sandy beach, rolling in the grass, unwrapping a gift, eating their favorite foods. The young do things with unabashed gusto. They sink their teeth into each experience and live in the moment. They celebrate everything. (Well, maybe not absolutely everything but you get the picture.)

The same goes for dogs. They are thrilled to see you each and every time you come home, love to play and snuggle, eat and even sleep with gusto. Like children, dogs embrace life with heartfelt enthusiasm. Read more

Living In Gratitude: World Gratitude Day

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When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you takes things for granted or take them with gratitude. ~G.K. Chesterson

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 49 years.

Held at the East-West Center, the dinner was hosted by mediation guru, Sri Chinmoy, director of the United Nations Meditation Group. He suggested the idea as a globally unifying holiday and each person in attendance vowed to hold a gratitude gathering every September 21st in their own country.  The United Nations Meditation Group formally celebrated World Gratitude Day on September 21, 1977 at the New York Headquarters where Sri Chinmoy was honored for his work.  Since its beginnings, World Gratitude Day has been observed in numerous countries around the globe. Read more

Living In Gratitude: The Right Path is Not Always Easy

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Sometimes the right path is not always the easiest one. ~Grandmother Willow (Pocahontas)

Life presents us with many choices and opportunities, some that are simple and straightforward and others that are anything but.

There are times when the decision on which path to take is obvious. And there are times when we are faced with embarking down a road that is fraught with difficulty and maybe even evokes fear and insecurity, yet we know that it is the right one to take.

Seemingly easy ‘shortcuts’ can derail us. They steer us away from our true selves and our understanding of what’s right and wrong by offering a tempting way to avoid the unpleasant. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Appreciating Dr. Wayne Dyer

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Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change. ~Wayne Dyer

On August 29, 2015, the world lost an amazing person when Dr. Wayne Dyer passed away. His positive outlook about life during good times and bad from a young age led to him being one of the world’s personal development and self-empowerment pioneers. He had and will continue to have a profound impact on the lives of many.  Read more

Living In Gratitude: Authenticity

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Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. ~Brene Brown

Being our authentic self doesn’t sound like it should be difficult. After all, we are who we are, right?

Yet there are numerous outside influences that impact us, many of which make us feel we have to modify who we genuinely are. By succumbing to these external pressures, we are not being true to ourselves, our gifts talents and potential. It takes practice to  be true to yourself, your values and ideals rather than bending to what others (be they friends, family, colleagues or the media) want or expect us to be.

Below are 9 steps to living an authentic life and embracing the wonderfully unique person that you are.

1. Self awareness

Acknowledge and accept everything about yourself, both the good and the not so good. This acceptance and understanding of your imperfections creates a deeper comprehension of yourself as a unique individual, bringing you closer to your values and making you more resilient. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Admire Without Questioning

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Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own.

Studies show that women frequently compare themselves to other women and in doing so, come up short and feel lesser than. On the other hand, when men compare themselves against other men, they generally place themselves as better than.

The comparisons we make are many: physical, social, parental and career-based among others.

When we as women look at other women, we judge ourselves against them and find fault in ourselves.

We see physical attributes, their abilities as a mother, their successful career, their talent, their fitness, the car they drive, the house they live in…the list goes on.  Read more

Living in Gratitude: Thankful For My Struggle

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I’m thankful for my struggle because from it I have found my strength.

As the saying goes, there is a silver lining in everything. And that includes life’s struggles, disappointments and challenges.

When we come up against anything that challenges us, we have a choice. We can give in and feel sorry for ourselves or we can reach deep inside ourselves and harness the incredible power and strength we all possess. Some of us aren’t aware that we even have such mental, emotional and physical fortitude until a struggle presents itself.

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Living In Gratitude: Strive To Be Of Value

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Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value. ~ Albert Einstein

In Western society, much of what defines a person – at least in their chosen ‘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 taught to strive for success rather than to be of value.
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