Daily Gratitude: There is so much we could do if we only recognized that what was holding us back was our lack of belief that we could do it. A baby doesn’t know it doesn’t have great motor coordination. It only knows it sees something and wants to get to it to touch or hold it. It also doesn’t have any “failure” belief so when it falls down it doesn’t say “damn I’m a failure. So I’m never going to try to walk again”. It learns “failure “ thinking from those around it. Even if you think that you’re too old for this to apply to you, think how you can encourage those around you or those who come to you for advice. Don’t tell them “well it looks pretty impossible. Why don’t you do them the favor of believing in them. Maybe some of that belief will rub off on you. Always think first “I can do this. I just have to figure out how” instead of “this is impossible” or “this is impossible for me.” Try it for awhile and see if your thoughts and attitude changed.

Daily Gratitude: How true this is. We talk a lot about resistance and I think Resistance (yes with an intentional capital R) has its strongest hold when it comes to letting go. We have to control everything and know how everything is going to work out) or at least “know” all the possibilities. It takes forever to realize we have no control over all that no matter how hard we try. Letting go means “losing” to so many of us. It should actually be considered a “win” if it has to be considered anything. Personally, I know how good it feels if I stop trying to make things happen – and happen the way I want them to. Or, if i just say “OK, I’m going to sit back and let this all unfold as the universe, not me, plans”. Once I’m able to do that, my breathing is not so tight and i don’t feel as jittery (calming my nervous system). It’s a feeling of great relief and sometimes plain old joy to feel that easy deep breathing. Can I do this all the time? Heck no. Am I trying to do it more? Definitely. What helps? “Everything always works out for me!” As dorky as that sounds, if I say it enough it’s so much easier to let go.

Daily Gratitude: Optimism is such an important quality for you to cultivate. Even when things seem to go wrong, know that they aren’t really going “wrong”. They are teaching you something. It’s simply your job to figure out what it is you’re supposed to learn. Everyone talks about all the attempts at creating the light bulb that Edison made before he hit the right one. But you better believe that Thomas didn’t just hop from one attempt to the next. I will bet you he had an evaluative period in between attempts where he asked “what did I learn from this?” In fact he once said he discovered 13000 (or whatever the actual number was) ways not to make a lightbulb. Can you look at your “failures” and “mistakes” in this way and ask the universe what it’s trying to teach you….and is there a better way you can approach this failure? Never let any opportunity?