September, 2019 |

September 23, 2019September 23, 2019

Gratitude: A Powerful Appreciation

When we are very young, we are taught manners. We are taught to say please and thank you. As we get older, the thank you portion of what we were taught starts to take on stronger meaning and feelings around it. As adults, we often say “thank you. I appreciate it.” Again, a stronger message with stronger feelings behind it. An even stronger aspect of this fine manner is gratitude. What is gratitude exactly? According to Merriam-Webster, gratitude is the state of being grateful: THANKFULNESS.

In my world, gratitude is the ultimate in appreciation. It’s not just saying “thank you”. It is all about your energy and feeling around what you are grateful for. Gratitude can and should be expressed regularly for all things. People, places, things, etc. Gratitude affirmations are my favorite. “I am grateful for this life. I am grateful for this beautiful day. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for my coffee!”. The key is to FEEL grateful too. Don’t just say the words (although there is something to be said for “faking it until you make it”). The FEELING behind the words is where all the magic begins. The words alone trigger our brains to cease all thoughts and get present real quick. The FEELING is what is resonated out through God and the Universe. This causes you to be at the highest frequency for receiving.

Living in a state of gratitude also does something magnificent. It puts you in a present state of positivity resonating at your highest level. What in the world does that mean? Well, let’s break it down. A “present state of positivity” means now. Not the past, not the future. NOW. Why is that so magnificent? Because it is impossible for our brain to succumb to any other thoughts other than what we are currently showing gratitude for. Now, “resonating at your highest level” magnifies positive emotions. WHAT??? It’s really quite simple. It’s the Law of Attraction. The positive emotion that you are emitting through gratitude will attract more positive emotion to you. You get what you give. Are you looking for a path to happiness? This is it!

I always tell my clients that you can test this theory (and you WILL be tested). Let your ego run. Let your brain start thinking about the past, about the future. FEEL how your body feels. Are you experiencing anxiety and depression? Are you experiencing dread and fear? Now, turn it around. Find just one thing you are grateful for. Make sure that you are picking something that truly makes you feel joy. Do you love sunrises and sunsets? Go enjoy one and say out loud “I am so grateful for the beautiful sky and loving the calmness I feel.” Are you struggling with your job and having negative thoughts about it? “I am grateful for this job and the money I earn that provides the things I need.” This gratitude practice will immediately stop any negative self-talk or feelings you are experiencing and get you into the present right now! It will also feel good when you are saying them, and who doesn’t want to feel good?

Showing gratitude will also attract things to you that you desire. The key is to use the same “I am” format and attach how you would feel as if it has already happened. Here is my example: “I am grateful that I am a successful Life Coach helping hundreds of people create their desired life. I feel thrilled knowing that I am making a difference!”

So, I challenge you right now to find ten things you can be grateful for. Do this every day! Do this in the morning and do this at night before bed. Say them out loud. Write them down. Feel them every time you practice and watch how things unfold. If you have questions about any of this, please feel free to contact me! I would love to chat about how your gratitude practice is going.

September 15, 2019September 15, 2019

Slow Down!

When I woke up this morning, the sun was barely peeking up over the horizon. I am very fortunate that all I have to do is roll over in my bed and watch the day come alive. The air was crisp and cool from last night’s rain and the smell in the air was fresh and alive. As the sun got higher, the birds started chirping. Louder, more frequent and intense with their song. My thoughts did not immediately go to everything I needed to do today. My first thought was coffee! But seriously, my thoughts were also all about how wonderful this life is that I have and how grateful I am to make this time to wake up with the sun and the birds. And yes, still coffee!

I have been thinking a lot about the pace at which people live their lives. I have so many people in my world that are constantly on the move. Constantly on the go. Constantly “busy”. They have kids that need to be shuttled from here to there all the time. They have demanding jobs that have them running. They have demanding husbands who don’t really help, or rather, some don’t LET them help, maintain the daily requirements of living. There are so many things that can become more important than slowing down and actually living life. I know, because I was one of those. I wasn’t just “busy” and running constantly. I was in a true state of chaos. It was so much a part of me that I thought that what living was supposed to be.

I want to honestly share with you why my life was this spinning wheel of chaos. It actually took me years to actually see what was happening. It was a great example of “you don’t see it when you are in it”. You only start to see it when you are out of it. So, I can tell you I was filling my life with things so that I didn’t have to focus and deal with the truth. My reality. Some things were necessary and had to be a part of my life. But I allowed those things to take over. And then I added more things. This went on for years. Really, almost two decades. That’s a long time. And I was tired.

When I started to slow down and actually make time for me and work on everything I was avoiding, I found that I was not just running through my life, I was running away from and running to something all at the same time. I was stuck, running. It was like being in limbo, and my “busy” state of life was really just avoidance. A defense mechanism that kept me from having to stop and actually walk through my life instead of run.

For those that are experiencing life this way, I am here to tell you, YOU ARE NOT LIVING! Constantly running does not make you a superhero. It doesn’t let you be the real person that you are. It doesn’t allow you to live. It’s all a facade and it’s time to stop.

I challenge you today to take 30 minutes and just be. Take that 30 minutes and sit or walk and just observe everything around you. Smell the air, feel the wind. Watch the sun. Hear the birds. You don’t have to think. You don’t have to feel. You don’t have to fix. You don’t have to run. JUST BE! I promise, your world will not fall apart. It will all still be there waiting for you when you resurface.

I recommend that you do this every day. Pretty soon, it will become such a part of your day it will become your safety net. You will start to slow your pace. You will start to find the courage to deal with whatever it is that you are running from or to. Let it happen. Let yourself live! You deserve it and I believe in you!

September 2, 2019September 2, 2019

A Master Chef Lesson

I was struck so deeply last night by a realization while watching Master Chef Challenge Season 10. Hubby and I have been following it most of the season. We were rooting for a very young contestant, Micah, who was only 19 years old. From the very first episode when he received his apron from Chef Ramsey, he was so grateful and so humbled. Why? Because Chef Ramsey said he BELIEVED in him. This kid was competing on this show all alone. No family, no friends, and he gave up everything to be there. Fast forward to the Family Reunion episode. The contestants’ family members were invited to come and support their loved ones in the competition. Micah had no one. As they were introducing the various family members, the camera kept panning over to Micah, and the look on his face every time was just heartbreaking.

As the competition went on, you could see Micah’s confidence deteriorating. When it was time to present the dish, he was the last one chosen. The entire time you could see the deflated, defeated look on his face. I knew right then that he had given up. He stopped trying and succumbed to his lonely realization of not having anyone to support him. This sealed his fate.

When he was asked to remove his apron, he lost it. He told the judges how grateful he was for the journey and how much he had learned. He also said that he gained so much more from the experience because his whole family told him they did not support him. His mom told him he would fall flat on his face and she would not be there to pick him up. But the support from the judges and the other constants was heartfelt and appreciated. What an awful thing to say to your son! Then, Chef Ramsey did what he does when he wants to be amazing. He told Micah that after the show he would work with him and help him achieve any dreams he had. Micah thanked him and said it would be an honor. It was at that point, his face started to light back up.

Why do I feel compelled to talk about a TV show? There are a couple of notable things going on here. First and foremost, belief. Sometimes it is difficult to push through when it is just you and nobody else rooting for you to win. It makes it so much harder to stay focused and positive. Think about it as an adult and then rewind to your childhood. Imagine how devastating it would be to hear such awful things from your mother. The processing is very different and extremely damaging.

Two other notable things are going on here. Realizing and working toward a dream and not giving up. These two go hand in hand. Micah had a dream and he did everything he could to make it come true. He didn’t give up. Even when I thought he did, he came back around and realized he wasn’t in it alone. He had Chef Ramsey in his corner! He also had all of the viewers in his corner, rooting for him. Believing in him and his dream.

I have been in Micah’s shoes. Everything I did growing up and throughout most of my adult life, I looked for my mother’s support. Hell, I would have settled for ANY form of acknowledgment and encouragement, but I never once got it. The only thing I got from her was jealousy and hatred. If it wasn’t for my dad and the rest of my family and friends, my outcome would have been a lot different.

So, are you finding yourself alone in your corner when it comes to your dreams? Do you have the support you need from your loved ones? If not, I highly recommend you reach out to someone. Find a mentor, a coach, or just a loving, supportive ear to bounce your thoughts and experiences off of. We all need someone to help us celebrate our wins! And if you are having trouble finding someone, talk to me! I already believe in you so we are halfway there. You just have to raise your hand.