Gratefulness

Yes, Thanksgiving is over and thus the "day" to be thankful is behind us. You are now free to go back to your usual self and grumble about the economy, the weather, your job, etc. Need something to grumble about? Read the morning newspaper or watch the morning news. Egad.

Or.... or, you could try something new. Welcome to December 1, 2010. For the record, this is the only time, ever, that today will be December 1, 2010. Seems like something worth celebrating or, at the very least, acknowledging.

To celebrate this month and start my day with a smile, I made a list of the things I feel grateful for this morning. My love, my son, my dog, the pending birth of the newest baby in the family, frozen organic wild blueberries for breakfast, the flowers that have inexplicable bloomed on a palm-like tree in my house...

Starting the month by remembering the things I'm grateful for makes the day seem brighter. If each day seems brighter, it will actually start to feel brighter and pretty soon the news won't matter so much any more. Take a few moments and jot down 3 things you're grateful for today. Three little things can make all of the difference in the world.

Body Image

You have an assignment. Take all of your clothes off and stand in front of the mirror. What do you see? Are there parts of your body you love? Are there parts of your body you're not so crazy about? Look carefully... where do you see muscle tone? Is your skin clear? Are your eyes more sparkly? Is your hair shiny?

All too often when we catch a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror the first thought that goes through our mind is something negative. Ugh, we say, my (insert your particular flavor of criticism here.)

Have you taken the time to celebrate your physical form and be grateful for all of its hard work and effort? If not, while you're standing in front of the mirror in all of your naked glory, tell your body thank you. It does a terrific job for you each and every day, even when there are things about our bodies we're not so crazy about.

The impact of body image on our overall health and well-being is significant. If you feel better about your body, you're more likely to feel better about you. There are no perfect bodies and many of the people that spend all of their time striving for the perfect body usually do so while sacrificing something else in their lives (often happiness). Eating well, exercising each day and getting enough sleep can improve your body and greatly elevate your body image.

Tell your body it is beautiful. When you do, your body is more likely to tell you the same thing back. 

How Much Do You Weigh?

There are many ways to answer this question. The most common way is how much your physical body registers when you get on the scale. Easy enough to do and something you should do on a regular basis. It is good to know where you are.

Some people have physical bodies that don't weigh much, but their mind is completely weighed down by thoughts that don't serve them. Do you spend your time thinking about how much you dislike your job? That is one very heavy thought and it probably doesn't do you any real good. If you have this thought or one like it, this could be a great time to stop. Replace that weighty thought with productive ideas to lead you on a path to find a new job. Do you need some additional training? Do you need to get a student loan? Do you need to volunteer for an organization to get some new experience? Spend you time on those thoughts. They are much better for you.

Another way to weigh yourself is the amount of stuff you have in your life. Many of us, myself included, have spent a number of years accumulating stuff. For the record, I have a lot of stuff. All of my stuff was procured with a greater purpose, mind you. It has simply all added up into way too much. My physical body doesn't weigh so much but I have a ton of stuff. It makes me feel heavy. I am weighed down by stuff and worse yet, some of the stuff requires maintenance. How did I fall into the trap of getting stuff that then requires my time and energy to keep? Seems like a very silly waste of time, doesn't it?

I am cleaning out stuff today. And I'm going on a stuff diet. I don't want to be weighed down by stuff and I'm pretty sure this stuff won't be missed. I think a better way to live is to accumulate experiences and leave the stuff for others.

Think about how much stuff is in your life. Then think about how much stuff you really need. Autumn is on the way. Be like a tree who sheds leaves and let go of your stuff. Who knows what you'll then have room for in your life?

3 smiles and 1 frown

Do you remember today? Did anything great happen? Anything bad? This evening when asked "How was your day?" what will you say?

All too often we get caught up in the busy-ness of our daily lives and forget about the little things. I have several friends and colleagues that wear the badge of "busy" proudly on their chest. At some point (was it in the 80s?), being busy became a competitive sport. Many people run around being more busy than the next and then actually add things to do when their busy meter falls below frantic (yes, I have been guilty of this myself).

What do we miss with all of this busy-ness? The smile from a stranger, the hug of a child, the kudos from our boss. Granted, we may miss some not so good stuff too. We stub our toe on a chair, we spill our tea onto some important papers, we hear of the misfortune of a friend or experience some for ourselves.

I contend there is something important in recognizing the good and bad in each day. Recognizing the good helps us remember to be grateful. And the good reminds us life is pretty good on this side of the grass even when we stub our toe. Sure, we'd all like to forget the bad parts of life but they do serve a purpose. The bad parts of life help us to recognize how good the good parts are. Let's face it, life would be pretty boring if everything was perfect. Remember the movie "Pleasantville?"

So here is a little experiment for you today. Near the end of the next several days, make a little list. Record four events/memories/ideas/encounters/thoughts from your day. Three of them will make you smile; one of them will make you frown. Then when someone asks you about your day, you can pick one of the smiles and share the smile. When you're feeling down and too busy to find time for fun, read your list of smiles. Then read your frowns and remember how very good life is.

Give up the badge of busy and remember to be grateful. It might just make all of the difference in the world.

108 Gifts to Give Yourself

Since you have been reading along all week, by now you've gotten both Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts all settled. A journal for each and a list of lists to record 108 meaningful memories.

Now it is time to give yourself the same gift. The weekend is upon us so venture out to a bookstore and buy yourself a lovely journal. A sturdy one or a pretty one. One with blank pages or one with lines. Make it a meaningful selection. Afterall, it will survive well after you've left this life.


The 108 entries don't need to happen all at once. Don't put any pressure on yourself. This is your project to do at your leisure. For mine, I allowed two pages for each list. I wrote the title of the list at the top of a in pen and I've made entries on some of the lists, but in pencil. I'm aware, I may decide to change some things as time goes on. I fully plan to be in this life for at least 60 more years so I don't want to make all of my 108 entries permanent just yet (and besides, I like pencils anyway). Granted some of them are permanent... the day my son was born ranks as number one of the 5 most memorable days of my life.

I'll continue to work on my lists and am pretty certain the 10 favorite songs will be the one which will change the most. Now I'm thinking about all of the places I want to go that could be contenders for the most memorable places I've visited (Notre Dame in Paris holds a spot currently).

Most importantly, creating my list of 108 memories helps me to remember how sweet life really is. It gives me something to read if I'm having a bad day. And, I get to share the idea with others and see how much they enjoy starting the project. So, until I have an actual book published for you to buy and complete, go out and buy a journal and start your 108 Memories. When my book comes out, your friends will think you're really cool for being an early adopter.

Happy weekend!

A Steady Diet of Gratitude

Yesterday we talked about getting rid of any anger you may have stored up inside and dispersing any new anger coming your way. Remember --- growl and spew! I'm assuming each of you, dear readers, has followed said sage advice and has gotten rid of any residual anger. And now? Now you are hungry! All of the space inside previously full of anger is now empty and you may not be quite certain what to do.

Do not fear, there is an answer. And a good one! Gratitude. If you feel any space or void inside fill it with gratitude, I promise your days will become brighter. It is very easy and something you can do for yourself or express to others.

Some ideas.... look the cashier in the eye and say "Thanks for your help" when buying your groceries. When your barista puts your cup of coffee on the counter, give them a smile and say "You've made my day!" Give your partner/kid/pet a hug in the morning and say "I'm glad you're in my life." When you see a spring robin hopping about the yard, give him a little whistle.

To practice internal gratitude, start a list. This is not a test and not something you need to do all at once. If you have a journal, devote a page to Gratitude. Start making a list of all the things you are grateful for. Family, friends, work, sunshine, rain, pets, your favorite cozy sweater... you get the idea. Be as specific as possible. And keep adding to the list. For a great life practice, take a moment each day and add something to your gratitude list. Simple things, big things, shared things, secret things. It is your list. When you're feeling blue, read your list. When you're feeling happy, add lots of things. There are millions and millions of things to be grateful for. Fill yourself up with them.

Pretty soon, you'll feel more happy! When you feel more happy, your health will improve. Really, truly. It is simple and easy. Give it a go!