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

Words of the Year

Today I learned that pragmatic was the word of the year as determined by Miriam Webster. I thought nope...That is certainly not the word of the year for citizens from the land of Positivity.

Florence Scovel Shinn wrote the book "Your Word is Your Wand." She spoke about how our words are filled with magic and power.

Thus, I conjured the seven words that positively describe this year and how they can propel us in 2012.

7) Believable! Whether it was a moment of synchronicity, a time when the Universe winked at you- It was not unbelievable but Believable- Good things can and do happen.

6) Angels- The angels that walked through our lives… some we knew and more often than not the anonymous ones that just do good on this earth. They’re all around and have helped us all this year.

5) Dreams- Just by have the ability to dream, to have goals and a wondrous plan is what gives us hope to go on in this topsy-turvy world.

4) Action- The song Put One Foot in Front of the Other, inspired this thought. As long as we keep moving in a positive direction and take action, we live to dream another day.

3) Transformation- This year has been all about change and for every constant there is change. The time to change is now. If you want, create a new reality. Dare to be the person that you want to be… Today!

2) Gratitude- The ability to be grateful for taking a breath and a brand new day is essential to a positive attitude. We often assume our abundance is reelected by our monetary status. Our abundance is so much more- and it multiplies when we say thank you

1)Love- Love yourself enough to be brave. Make a difference in your own life and others. When you see the world through Love colored eyes the world reflects love right back at you.

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

Externally Grateful…

November was a month filled with thirty days of thankfulness. I have so much to be grateful for. If I said thank you as much as I have been blessed they would be as countless as the stars!!!

I urge you to think about giving thanks all year and not just around the holidays. Create a new habit and make it an important part of your life.

Just as you make time to dream and to play, make time to smile and be grateful. Take a moment of your day to give a playful wave to the Universe, and be thankful in that moment.

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” Brian Tracy

A Weathering Perspective

I am so enjoying the change in New England’s weather. We are finally drying out after a deluge of rain hit the area. So many of us are still dealing with the aftermath that to see the sun has put a smile on everyone’s face.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and the damp weather often takes a toll on me and believe it or not can make me irritable. I decided I needed to get out of the “ain’t it awful club” and be grateful for every bit of rain and every ray of sunshine that God has bestowed upon us. At least I have hands that hurt and I have legs that although they may ache, they still function.

This shift of perspective and the feelings of gratitude reminded me of BJ Gallagher’s poem about the weather and I thought it was apropos. We often say, “We weathered the storm, or weather it out.” Enjoy the weather wherever you are and be grateful.

WEATHER REPORT

BJ Gallagher

"Any day I'm vertical is a good day"...that's what I always say.
If you ask me, "How are you?"
I'll answer, "GREAT!" because in saying so, I make it so.

When Life gives me dark clouds and rain, I appreciate the moisture that brings a soft curl to my hair.

When Life gives me sunshine, I gratefully turn my face up to feel its warmth on my cheeks.

When Life brings fog, I hug my sweater around me and give thanks for the cool shroud of mystery that makes the familiar seem different and intriguing.

When Life brings snow, I dash outside to catch the first flakes on my tongue, relishing the icy miracle that is a snowflake.

Life's events and experiences are like the weather they come and go, no matter what my preference.

So, what the heck?! I might as well decide to enjoy them.

For indeed, there IS a time for every purpose under Heaven.
And each season brings its own unique blessings.

Angels in Our Midst

When we least expect it, angels appear to get us through the murky causeway of life. Angels walk in human form and help us on our path. Whenever we think we are alone, their healing presence warms our spirits, our minds, and our hearts.

I am truly grateful for the angels who constantly step out, scoop me up, and embrace me in their universal message of love. The angels who walk among us have blessed me time and time again. Whenever, I have stepped out on faith and asked for God’s guidance and eternal blessings on what next to do…. An angel appears.

Angels are watching over all us and for that, I feel we are truly blessed.

Richard Smallwood Angels lyrics

Through dangers seen and unseen, there's protection all around.
Under the refuge of God's wings, security is found.
For there are angels watching you to keep you in all of your ways,
keeping you from stumbling, so don't be afraid.
God's appointed angels watching over me, angels watching over me.
Angels watching over me, angels watching over me.
Unseen hands, guiding me, through my storm and through my rain.
Healing hands, holding me, through the darkness of my pain.
Wings of love encamped around me, so I will not fear, for I can feel thier
presence hovering near. Nothing but... Angels watching over me All night, all
day, angels watching over me my Lord.
All night, all day, angels watching over me.
All night, all day, angels watching over me my Lord.

Angels watching over me.

Thank You

Recently, I called someone I had done business with to tell them thank you. I wanted to let them know that they had done a great a job and that I had really appreciated their efforts. The response was one of utter delight and surprise. She was quite taken back and kept telling ME thank you.

So often, we call a company to voice our dissatisfaction with their product or their customer service. Yet, when something goes well we are often silent. The old adage says, “Have something good happen tell one or two people, when something goes wrong tell ten to twenty people.” Worse than that, we embellish the story beyond belief. Why is that? Shouldn’t we shout from the rooftops when things go well and tell as many people as possible?

A simple and heartfelt thank you cost you nothing. It is free and the payoff is great. Today, I urge you to appreciate someone.

Thank You…Two simple words that go a long way.

Say No to Complaining

I recently had the pleasure of reading “The No Complaining Rule” by Jon Gordon. What a fun story. It is great tale of how complaining and negativity in the workplace not only ruins our attitude at work but spills over to our personal lives.

Yes once again, this blog post is reeking of a Pollyanna moment but hey. I loved the premise of this book. I thought about how all of us can apply these simple concepts in our topsy-turvy world. In the No Complaining Rule, Gordon gives us five things we can do right now instead of complaining.

1) Practice Gratitude

2) Praise Others

3) Focus on Success

4) Let Go

5) Pray and Meditate.

If you do nothing else today but follow rule #1) and have an attitude of gratitude, your world will be a much brighter place. As the books says, Positive or Negative the choice is yours.

Hint! Choose Positive!

Mine eyes have seen the beauty

Every day is a miracle of God’s beauty on this earth. A while back a fellow blog poster http://www.gosmelltheflowers.com/ posed the question about places we have visited. I return to that thought today as I think about the beauty of the earth.

I love to go to places where you can witness God’s beauty and see what man has been able to do long before technology existed. Last year I was in Argentina and was able to visit the Iguaçu Falls and I declare it is absolutely magnificent! Stories have reported that upon seeing Iguaçuu, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed "Poor Niagara!

I also love the Mexican Pyramids, specifically The Pyramid of the Sun in the Teotihuacan and the Pyramid in Coba. These architectural ancient sites are not to be missed. After climbing to the top of the Coba Pyramid and looking below, I was in AWE at how our world was developed and who I am because of it.

There are so many places I could name and so many more places for me to go. To see beauty all around us is the joy in life!

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

Words: Folliott Pierpoint Music: Conrad Kocher

In Memoriam

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend in the America. Traditionally this day of remembrance is for those who have died in our nation's service. Yet, today the Memorial Day weekend is better known for kicking off the busy summer season.

This weekend many of us will visit cemeteries honoring our dead. You will see many families placing flowers and other remembrances on all their loved ones graves. But this year it got me to thinking about all who sacrificed their lives for the country.

In these uncertain economic times, I want to take a moment to say thank you to our men and women who serve our country. This is a time when it doesn’t matter whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you swing left or right, to know that those who serve are truly special.

So as you take off this weekend to play, have fun, and eat great barbecue- - take a moment and say a prayer for those who live to fight another day. Peace.

It is the Soldier
Father Dennis Edward O'Brien
United States Marine Corps

It is the Soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag,

and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

In Memory of the Saint

Happy Mother’s Day! On this day, I choose to give praise to the saint, my mother. What you don’t see the halo around her head. ;-)

Granted most of the time, I ignored her advice when she was alive, feeling as if I knew better. But in her death, her wisdom, and love shines through daily. My mother always believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt. My mother loved the underdog. She was a champion to all of us. She constantly told us that we could do anything we put our minds to.

My mother, the saint, also believed that rules should be broken as long as it wasn’t illegal. That you could flirt your way through just about anything, and she could convince the devil himself to give up him evil ways and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yes my mother was the best influence in my life on learning to take risks. Her go for it attitude was second to none. At her funeral so many people came up to us and told us of what she had done for them. Some of it we knew about but most we did not, because that was her true character. She did for those around her, believing in the spirit of philanthropy, and never spoke of her good deeds.

Yes, my mother the saint, who teased me one day that I wouldn’t know the use of my behind ‘til it was sore. Yes, I miss her insight, her laughter, her wisdom, her joie de vivre, and most of all I miss her. I will end with one of her favorite quotes.

There is so much good in the worst of us
and so much bad in the best of us,
That it doesn’t behoove any of us
To speak about the rest of us.

attributed to many authors

¿Why are you special?

You know one of my favorite interview questions is to ask someone why they are special. People become dumbstruck or better yet they look like a deer caught in headlights. We can easily talk about our skill sets and why we are qualified for a particular job. But when we get right down to the heart of who we are, why you are special seems to leave us baffled.

Yet if you ask a small child, why they are special, they have zero hesitation and zero limitations to their answers. A child might tell you that they are special, because they can jump, their parents told them so, they are beautiful, they are smart, they know how to share, they can color, they can run fast, and the list goes on.

What happens to us, as we become adults that we can not even put together a list of what makes us special? The fact is that we are all unique and amazing individuals that God created us to be.

So I ask you this today…...... Why are you special?

Gratitutude

According to the dictionary the definition of gratitude: the state of being grateful: thankfulness.

This word gets bandied about especially this time of year. During the Thanksgiving Holiday, people greet each other with Happy Thanksgiving. My translation of this greeting, I hope you have a great day and that you are truly thankful for everything in your life. We should be grateful for being alive and working each day to make a conscious contribution to the planet.

Think of this day as a day of gratitude. Today be really grateful for every moment of your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Vision Boards

You know everyone is talking about Vision Boards or Treasure maps. What in the world are these things?

For me a Vision Board is learning how to play and have fun with your subconscious. You can use poster board, constructions paper or even a notebook; and glue, scissors and whatever magazines or newspapers you have on hand; and get to work to create a picture of what you desire most. It is your personal collage that enables you to visualize your dreams in a creative way.

Now the most important step….. Look at your Vision Board and focus your energy on a daily basis with true intent and this will help you attract your goals. It is not just the board but how you feel when you look at the board that does the trick. Try it! It works!