Posts

Living In Gratitude: 7 Behaviors of Conscientious People

/in /by

Conscientiousness is a personality trait of being thorough, careful and attentive. People who exhibit this trait are efficient and organized, aim for achievement and possess self-discipline.

According to research, people who are conscientious live longer, earn more, have more influence, are happier at work and have better relationships than those who don’t display this characteristic. They also tend to purposefully avoid behaviors that will be detrimental to their long-term happiness and their overall success. Instead they focus on what will contribute to their achievements and contentment.

  1. Consider their purchases

Conscientious people stick to a budget. They don’t make impulsive and unnecessary purchases. Instead, they take time to consider if they really need or want something and how that might impact their finances. They also pay their bills on time and stay within their credit limits, all things that benefit their long-term financial stability. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Let Your Hair Down

/in /by

Fun is good. ~Dr. Seuss

Now those are words to live by. Fun is good. We need to find time to let our hair down and enjoy life.

Find time today to sing, dance, laugh, skip, be silly. Have some fun. Life is too short for being serious all the time.

All too often, we get caught up in the serious things life throws at us.

  • Can we pay our bills this month?
  • An argument we had with a loved one.
  • An issue in our job or problem with our health.
  • Feeling overcome with everything we have to do each day.

Read more

Living In Gratitude: Kindness

/in /by

Know that your kindness has a ripple effect in the universe.

Just like gratitude, kindness is powerful. It can have an enormous impact on the world. Opportunities to be kind are all around us, each and every day. When we spread the seeds of kindness, we help others and also fill our own souls and hearts.

Kindness is a virtue and is a much-sought after value in many cultures. No act of kindness is every wasted. It is even possible to be kind to those for which we have no fondness. The smallest act of kindness is worth more that the greatest intention and is appreciated a thousandfold. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Living Authentically

/in /by

Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else. ~Judy Garland

We tend to base our idea of who we are on our everyday roles. We alter who we are based on our role as parent, spouse, friend, sibling as well as what we do in our jobs or what professional qualifications we possess. We may even change our personas in different social situations, acting out of character because we think we have to do so to fit it. Fundamentally changing who we are to fit our various roles hinders our ability to truly be our authentic selves at the deepest level.

Research suggests that authentic people are well-liked and benefit from social support and other positive outcomes associated with experiencing close relationships.

Being genuine allows us to always be a first-rate version of ourselves. At the same time, it is important to not hide behind a veil of authenticity as an excuse to avoid uncomfortable situations.   There are always instances when we need to explore outside our comfort zone in order to learn and grow both personally and professionally. It is possible to be both authentic while evolving our personal style and identity. Read more

Living in Gratitude: Morning Rituals for Success

/in /by

Every morning starts a new page in your story. make it a great one today. ~Doe Zanamata

Studies prove that our willpower is at its peak in the morning. Establishing a morning ritual allows us to set our intentions for the day ahead. Mornings are the ideal time to create a routine and set priorities, as this minimizes becoming distracted by other less important things and helps keep stress at bay. It also ensures we achieve what we set out to do before our body and mind fatigue.

Here are 10 steps to creating a morning ritual for success.

  1. Go to bed early

The proper amount of sleep is necessary for mental and physical health. It boosts our creativity, productivity and ability to handle the challenges and opportunities the next day will bring.

  1. Get up an hour early

Although this sounds unappealing to many and will take some time to adjust to, research shows that early risers are more optimistic. They consciously anticipate problems and are able to minimize them effectively, a critical skill to success in our lives and careers. It also allows us to have quiet time along to plan and prepare.  Read more

Living in Gratitude: Stop Taking Things Personally

/in /by

There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.” ~Don Miguel Ruiz

Most of us have taken something someone else has said personally. If someone says something negative, we may get angry or upset. And when we continually rely on others saying positive things to make us feel good, we allow them to determine our self worth and confidence. Both negatively affect our self-esteem, our relationship with ourself and with others.

When we stop taking things personally, we realize that what other people say and do is not about us at all; it’s about them.

According to Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the Four Agreements, nothing others do is because of us. Their words and actions are a projection of their own reality, their own feelings, beliefs and issues. When we become immune to the opinions and actions of others, be they negative or positive, we are no longer allowing ourselves to be victims.

Three incredible things occur when we refuse to take things to heart.

1.We become the ruler of our own emotions and get clear direction for our life. When we take the things other people say personally, both negative and positive, we are in effect handing over control of our emotions and our life to someone else.  But when we choose to no longer take things personally, we are then in charge of our emotions and our actions. What other people think or expect of us no longer has an impact. We follow our heart, believe in ourselves and do what is best for us and our lives without being influenced by outside pressures. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Appreciation Benefits Relationships

/in , /by

Romantic relationships are never perfect. They are often a combination of frustration, passion, joy, and disappointment.

Often, we tend to focus on what we believe needs fixing:

  • He doesn’t take out the trash
  • She is always texting at the dinner table
  • He doesn’t listen
  • She doesn’t fill the cars up with gas

Though each of these issues could very well be perfectly valid, how about focusing on all the wonderful things we’re getting from our relationships?

Just as it’s a choice to criticize or blame our partners for what we think we’re not getting in a relationship, it’s also a choice to be grateful for what we have and for where we are in this moment.

Gratitude can not only improve your attitude; it can help improve your love life.

Let’s look at how.

How we act is what we attract. Kindness attracts kindness. Thoughtfulness attracts thoughtfulness. Love attracts love. One thoughtful act can make someone’s day. And guess what? It can make our relationships stronger. Read more

Living In Gratitude: When Life Isn’t Fair

/in /by

We have no right to ask, when sorrow comes, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way. ~ Philip S. Bernstein

Many of us live with the idea that life needs to be fair. When something isn’t fair, we experience numerous, negative reactions including petulance, outrage, hurt, despair, anxiety, and fear.

When our sense of fairness isn’t met, we often lash out at others or at ourselves. But where does this sense of entitlement come from, the idea that we must always be treated fairly?

There are many things in life, the world and history that aren’t fair. Terrible things happen to good and innocent people and good things happen to misguided and cruel people. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Learning From Mistakes

/in /by

Each experience is a stepping-stone in life, including any so-called mistakes. Love yourself for all your mistakes, they have been very valuable to you. They have taught you many things, it is the way you learn. ~Louise L Hay

We’ve been taught to be disappointed, be ashamed or lose confidence in ourselves when we make a mistake. Because of this, many of us do everything in our power to avoid making mistake. This includes not taking risks that could lead to (perceived) failure, going against the grain, thinking outside the box and doing things outside of our comfort zones.

But throughout life, we are in a constant state of change and learning. Each mistake we make is a stepping stone along our life’s journey. Mistakes enable us to learn and grow, to master skills, to become accomplished at many things, learn become more aware about what we want and what we don’t. If we use those ‘errors’ as lessons rather than deterrents to our personal progress, we can achieve amazing things. Read more

Living In Gratitude: 5 Questions To Ask During Dinner

/in /by

The strength and depth of our relationships contributes to our happiness and wellbeing.  But keeping those closest to us connected can be a challenge with our busy lifestyles. This simple, 5 question series created by world-renown relationship expert, Anil Gupta, is a great way to open up a dialogue with your family around the dinner table. The questions create an environment of acknowledgment, gratitude and discussion while keeping love and respect at the forefront.

How It Works

  • Jot down each question on a slip of paper and place in a bowl.
  • To start, have one member of the family choose a question and answer it.
  • Then, each remaining member of the family answers the same question.
  • It is important to take turns leading the meeting so every person gets to feel important, respected, loved and heard.
  • It is empowering for children to be allowed to ‘run’ a family discussion so be sure to include even the youngest.

Focus On The People

Dive right in with all five questions or ask one each time your family gathers to enjoy an evening meal.

1. What is it you’ve done today that you’d like to be acknowledged for?

Wonderful for both children and adults, this self-esteem boosting question helps us feel appreciated and recognize one another.

2. What are you grateful for today?

Gratitude increases self-worth and improves our overall physical, emotional and mental well-being. And, by expressing gratitude, we discover more things for which to be grateful.

3. What act of kindness did you see or perform today?

This question teaches children to extend kindness to others and to see kindness as a natural way of living. It also reminds adults and teaches children to be aware of all the beauty in the world.

4. What was great about today? What magical thing did you see today?

Asking this question promotes interest and involvement in each others’ lives. It also boosts happiness by focusing on uplifting things.

5. What unresolved issues do we need to talk about?

Reinforcing open communication, transparency and candor among family members, this question also prevents the build up of resentment by addressing issues on a regular basis, creating a place of love and understanding.

These 5 ‘little’ questions hold tremendous power. Asking the right questions while being fully present and aware will make an enormous impact on your family’s relationship. It will create a safe place for discussion, focus on core values of kindness and appreciation as well as nurture respect, awareness and mutual understanding.

May your day be filled with gratitude and good things.