Appreciation and Gratitude
Each year, with the approach of the Holiday Season, I’m always delightfully surprised by the way most peoplebegin to treat each other so much better… and, as far back as I can remember, I’ve always wondered why it can’t be that way all the time. I mean, why does it seem that we need a certain date to start being and acting in a more loving and kind way to each other? What prevents us from celebrating each moment, of each day, in a way that enlivens and enriches our lives? Why do we need an ‘excuse’ to allow ourselves to feel this way throughout the year?
Are You Stuck in the Grind?
It’s not too difficult to see that most of us are so caught up with the ‘responsibilities’ and challenges of daily living that we seldom seem to have the time to pause a moment to consider how we would like our lives to really be. We rush around, from one ‘urgent’ task to another, fully immersed in the day to day activities that seem to consume all our energy and attention. We are over-stressed, over-worked, and under-fulfilled… we barely have the energy, or desire, to do anything more than to ‘survive’. At the end of the day, we slump on the couch, mindlessly watching television. and wonder if this is all there is to life? Can this be all there is?
Maybe There is Another Way
Let’s stop a moment to consider some alternatives. But first, you will need to acknowledge and accept where you are now… How much time do you spend each day to allow yourself to be present to what is going on in and around you, to notice the little things that bring you joy and happiness? Do you purposely bring your attention to what makes you feel better, or have you fallen into the routine of only finding ‘what’s wrong’? Do you have a persistent gnawing feeling that even when things are going well, it won’t last, and there is some kind of impending doom just around the corner? What is your underlying expectation of what life will bring you?
Choosing to Feel Better
If, after taking an honest look at your present situation, you feel somewhat depressed or hopeless about your ability to have it be any different, please rest assured that it doesn’t need to be this way, and that there are easy, simple steps you can take to create a more empowering and fulfilling life. The one habit that I’ll be exploring here is the practice of appreciation and gratitude, but I assure you there are many other ways to hop off that treadmill you may presently seem to be on.
Yes, You Can Choose It!
So, the next step is to make the commitment that you DO want to experience something more fun andfulfilling… and that you are willing to do something that will improve your ‘happiness quotient’. Then, just set an intention that you will begin to notice each little instance in your surroundings that reflects something ‘positive’ and life-affirming. Start with little things like appreciating that you are alive and well, and that you are breathing and that your body is carrying on countless functions with little or no conscious effort… that, regardless of your situation, you are still here, and capable of making small changes that could affect you, and the lives of those you love, in so many ways. Notice that when you move to pick something up, all you did is make a decision on what you wanted to do, and your body magically responded to your tiny command, and accomplished the task without you having to control each of the millions of micro-movements needed to reach your goal. We are all surrounded with countless similar examples, and I’m sure that if you take the time and this small effort to explore all the possibilities, you can come up with an endless list.
Express Your Thankfulness
As you begin to notice and discover all these new ‘wonders’, take a moment to express your gratitude for the many ‘gifts’ that the Universe has always been sending you. Feel it as deeply as you can, and allow yourself to bask in the glow of the ever-present Joy, Love, Light, Peace and Abundance that is your birthright. Know that this is taking you one step closer to living the the life you’ve always dreamt possible, but were too distracted to notice in the past. Let the momentum build as you continue to find even more to appreciate and give gratitude for. Live in the expectation that there will always be more of what you want… dare to dream big… choose to behappy, and let it all unfold in a natural and effortless way.
To the degree that you are willing to apply this simple ‘tool’ in your ongoing daily life, you will be moving closer to taking back your True Power as the Creator of Your Reality… there is no ‘other’ person or thing that can do this for you… it is always YOUR choice!
Thank you for allowing me to ‘show up’ as being of service to you on your journey to wholeness, and the return to sanity… I have no words for the gratitude I have for your part in my life. I love you… NAMASTE!
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Teleseminars/Archives info: Up until September 4, 2014 (GGY 29) Greg and I were hosting a one hour, totally free teleseminar every Thursday evening at 8 PM EST. We had decided to temporarily discontinue them as we explore other possibilities in the future. We’ve now decided to host at least one more show on Thursday, December 11th @ 8PM. You can join us by simply calling into this number (1-857-232-0476) and dialing this number (226919) when asked for your access code. I promise it will be fun and informative… see you there!!
You can find the archives of all the past teleseminars on my website, here. Greg also has a link to these archives on his blog site, plus a ton of other info, including a schedule of his upcoming live events and a list of his great books.
ECAP Tip of the Month: One of the best ways to add a extra ‘juice’ to the exercise I described above, is to keep an appreciation/gratitude journal. Each day, usually before bed, you can sit down and write about all those things you noticed throughout the day as you were willing to notice and mentally record the many ‘gifts’ and ‘signs’ you received. This simple practice will not only ‘lock in the learning’, but it will create a resource you can use to remind yourself of how great your life is when those ‘downturns’ occasionally pop up.
Contact Info: If you want to contact me, set up a free intro session, subscribe to my newsletter, or view an archive of past newsletters, you can visit my website at: BeyondBeliefCoaching.com. If you would like to read or comment on this, or past newsletters, or if you want to peruse my other brilliant offerings, you can visit my blog at Frankly Speaking.
Miscellaneous: One project I’m working on is to present a live video online workshop to explore and explain how to use the ECAP, and the material from Greg’s books, to get the results you are looking for. This will be a free webinar, and will be archived on YouTube as a resource for anyone who wants to know more about playing the game of “Grow A Greater You”… further details will be included in future editions of this newsletter and on Greg’s site.
Quote of the Week: By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Benjamin Franklin
As a side note, did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the turkey the national bird? Personally, I’m kinda glad that that never happened. 😉
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, and a Joyous Holiday Season!
Frankly Speaking 