The Power of Thankfulness

Early morning sunrise by H.M.P ©


The Power of Thankfulness

One of the biggest lessons I've learned in life is simply to be thankful.  It's a life lesson that we hear all of our lives, in cliches, speeches, and reprimands from our parents growing up, but it kind of becomes "white noise" as we get older.  Don't get me wrong - I'm always thankful for a gift or when someone helps me out - but it's that deeper thankfulness for life, breath and life's 'moments.'


It's about living in the moment. It's about when everything seems to be going wrong in your life, and it's hard to see any positives, or any way out and then you notice how warm it is sitting in a sun's ray.  It's about going to a job you dislike at 6:00 a.m., your kid's principal calling and telling you he's suspended - again, and your divorce lawyer's appointment at 3:00 p.m.  It's when every aspect of your world seems to be falling apart piece by piece and then . . . a beautiful crane flies up from the ditch and right over your car.  Graceful, slow piloting wings.  Soaring.  Free.  Beautiful!  That's a moment to give thanks.  


In those moments - those moments of perfect clarity and perfection - that I know God is near and taking care of things.  It's a moment meant to give thanks.  Somehow we get through the children's problems, they graduate in the end; and somehow we get through our days or weeks at our job and move on when we're ready; and somehow the lawyer appointments end and we survive the divorce process.  We get through it with 'time'.  


"Time heals all things!"


It's what we do with our time in-between that matters.  Life and happiness is about enjoying each moment we are on this earth - each moment we have breath - no matter what is thrown at us.  After all in the end, it is all about life lessons.  


Helpful Hint:
Keep a daily journal.  Every morning, get up 10 minutes early and write down 5 things you are thankful for, before any other daily journaling.  You will be amazed at how it changes your day by changing your focus.  You can bring good things to you and into your life!

Simple Strategies For Life

Notice Me  by HMP ©

Simple Strategies For Life

Life can be incredible, beautiful and filled with passion, but life can also throw you a curve ball.  I found there are some strategies that one must live by in order to remain authentic to oneself.  Authenticity is important because without it, we are just 'faking' our way through life.

For clarity, here are some important strategies to incorporate into your authentic self - every day - and in every situation:

• Tell the Truth - Always & as QUICKLY as possible

• Notice Everything: physically around you and the emotions within and acknowledge

• Stop Talking & Start Listening - really listening - and not just 'hearing'

• If in Doubt - Wait it out - sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all - for a little while until you have greater clarity

• Eat, Rest and Call a Friend if you're lonely meaning take care of yourself -  don't expect someone else to look after your needs

• *Learn to Enjoy Your Own Company*  This is super important in 'finding' your authentic self, what you love and what you need.  Do this and you will also never be bored with life

• Give Something to Someone every day!  It can be small, like a few important minutes of your time, or it can be just giving some spare change to someone in need.  Even sending a 'Thank You' card to someone in appreciation of something they've done or meant to you and why is a form of giving to others.  Complements are great - as long as they are sincere and without ulterior motives. The greatest gifts I have given are those that I have given that are most in need and in complete anonymity! 

Spend some time today just looking around you, wherever you are, as boring as the surroundings might be, and see how many different sights, smells and sounds you notice when you are 'tuned in'.   Touch the things around you and feel those things that look tantalizing - like the smoothness of a round stone or the coolness of a piece of metal.  How do you feel inside when you experience these sensations?

Enjoy the sensationalness of your day! 

Allowing Your Inner Voice To Lead You

"A New Beginning"
By HMP ©

The Inner Voice Leads 

We all have inner wisdom that we need to locate, access and trust; however we also have something called an 'inner guide'.  Our inner-guide is like a compass that longs to lead us to where we should be in our lives.

It talks to us in whispers, brings us to opportunities and uses our inner wisdom to try and guide us.  

If we are stressed out or anxious however, our inner voice is lost behind the noise of our anxieties and busyness of everyday life.  It is important to find that quiet time(s) during each day to ask, hear and listen!

Have you ever had to do an appointment, or felt that you 'should' do a certain task, but something was holding you back?  You had an urge to spend your time doing something else, or finding another answer to the problem?  Perhaps you ignored this 'gut' feeling and ploughed ahead at whatever it was you were going to do.   Then, things didn't work out!  Perhaps your car had a flat tire, or the boss hated your idea or the appointment that you made all efforts to attend was cancelled anyways.  That would be the result of a quiet inner voice trying to nudge you to "think" and look outside the exterior of all things.  Dig deep.  Then deeper.  Think it over.  Realize what and how you're feeling about something and explore that.  

This story reminds me of Jenny.  Jenny was going through a tough divorce and had to commute over an hour to attend legal meetings.  She hated those meetings, and never felt quite ready - but she did as she was told by her lawyer and showed up every time anyways.  One such weekend, Jenny was actively dreading her Monday morning appointment with her lawyer.  She wasn't feeling great, couldn't sleep and was kind of upset but not sure exactly why except that she didn't feel ready.  She decided that she would call and cancel first thing Monday.  She felt better immediately upon making that decision, and did just that.  Later that day she discovered a piece of documentation for her case in  an obscure place and that she never knew existed.  It would save her thousands in legal fees!  

Today, go for a drive in the country.  Without "thinking" consciously - just drive.  Turn down roads that your inner voice guides you.  Have no destination other than where you are lead.  Let your inner voice tell you when and where to stop.  Stop.  Breathe in your surroundings and take note.  Exactly what you need today will be here in this place . . . at this time!

P.S.  Bring your camera!©

Finding Your Inner-Wisdom

'Self-Knowledge is Everything' by HMP ©

Finding Your Inner-Wisdom

Inner-Wisdom is that wisdom of self, wisdom of knowing, wisdom of consciousness and wisdom of conscience.  Every human being has inner-wisdom, only some access it or parts of it, and fewer are able to tune into it well enough to use it.

Inner-wisdom is essentially how well we know ourselves and trust our inner truths.  We are each born with an individual personality and set of talents.  From there we develop interests and gain life experiences that create certain pathways in our brain that can remain forever. Unfortunately sometimes these old pathways are created from unhealthy scripts from our past as well.  They sometimes tell us we "shouldn't" or we "can't" do something, and even that we are "not good enough" at something. However, new pathways can be forged and old pathways re-written once we know how.

My friend, Anne, is working in a stuffy, airless cubical with no sunlight doing mundane paperwork for a mostly unappreciative boss. She feels like it's worth it, it pays the mortgage and explains that she gets to go on a cheap Mexican vacation once every two or three years as well. Yet, she finds it hard to get out of bed most mornings and stopped having a bounce in her step many years ago.  She admits to finding herself count down the days to the weekend or her next time off.  Although she says she's basically pretty healthy, she gets several colds and flus every winter and can't remember the last time she felt overwhelming happiness or insurmountable joy.  Someplace in the far recesses of her brain, she really always wanted to be an artist.  But she shoved that thought back behind those "how would I ever make a living painting" and "it is ridiculous thought" places.  Old pathways are blocking Anne's inner-wisdom.  Anne needs to forge a new pathway in her brain and in doing so she will create a new and happier life.  A life she was meant to have!

Take some time today to realize the 'old scripts' that are playing such a huge part of your life.  Write them down, acknowledge them and then replace them with new scripts.  Silence the old - bring in the new!©