Just One Good Thing…

I was chatting with a friend about 2013; and she remarked that it had been a terrible year for her family.  She lamented that nothing good that had happened this year, and she was glad the year was at end.

I gently challenged her to reframe those negative thoughts.  I assured her that she could find at least one good thing that happened this year.  I reminded her that even if the one positive thing was as minuscule as breathing, something good had indeed happened! I also told her to take that one thing to find the all the other things that she might have forgotten.

So as 2013 comes to a close, I urge you to reflect on the amazing things that have happened for you.  Count your blessings big and small and say thank you!

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.  ~ Author Unknown

Stop and Smell the Roses

On a recent walk, I passed a neighbor’s house and a rose waved to me in the sunlight. I could not help it; I had to stop to sniff the beautiful scent of the rose. The rose gave me a magnificent gift that day, as it beckoned me to enjoy her beautiful aroma.

Another couple walking towards me saw what I had done, and yelled out, “That’s the spirit, stop and smell the roses, we never take time to that.” I joyously laughed and as they passed me, they too, stopped to inhale the beauty of the rose.

As I continued on my walk, I began to ponder the phrase stop and smell the roses. We often do not take time to enjoy simple pleasures. We live in such a hurried and harried society, running in many different directions at once. Mores the pity, that such a simple thing to do seemed like such a novelty that day.

I promised myself to make time for more moments like the one I experienced that day. I urge you to make a pledge today, to stop and enjoy the moment at hand and if you see a rose waving at you…Stop and say hello!

As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round. ~Ben Hogan

Wealthy Beyond Compare

I had an interesting conversation with friends recently. As we were kvetching about the state of our personal finances, I said that I needed to work through money issues. My friend gently bitch slapped me into reality and told me how wealthy I was.

As I was forced not to look inside my wallet but into the core of my being, I came to the realization of how true it is. It is so easy to get sucked into the “Ain’t it Awful Club” and participate in the general lamenting of the economy and the ills of the world.

Truth be told it is much more difficult to buck that trend and stand in my truth. I am wealthy when it comes to knowing my purpose in life, pursuing my dreams, and living each day to its fullest.

Yeah, I am wealthy indeed. I thank God for the Abundance of knowing my true self-worth and I am blessed to have friends to call me on it when I steer off course.

Today, I declare to all of you I am spiritually wealthy, my cup overflows, and I give thanks and praise. Peace

Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth... Happiness comes from giving, not getting. If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us also. To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it. ~ John Templeton