Daily Gratitude: I can tell you that this is absolutely true. It began when I developed epilepsy at age 21. There went all my desires to become a neurosurgeon. Whoosh. Down the drain.
But at least I could still be a doctor. My life ended up perfect! And it still is perfect.
I didn’t let go willingly. That would have been too easy. But I had no choice in the matter. This often happens. And too many times we fight and resist. But you know what? The universe will win every single time. So it’s much better if you can just let go and ask your higher power what it is you’re supposed to do. It will show you.
Instead of the answer (what’s supposed to happen?) being considered an intruder at your door, invite the unknown in and ask it to stay awhile. Tell it to have a seat and ask it to share its wisdom with you. Then grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. Sit back and listen to its guidance.
Daily Gratitude: Today is the second day of looking for the wondrous things in your life.
Picking up where we let off:
Now do the same thing with people in your life.
Make a list of those you love, those you appreciate even if you don’t know the specific reasons you appreciate them.
If you do know, that’s even better. Write all of that down.
See how many people and /or how many qualities you’re appreciating in others.
take one a day and spend some time on that person or a specific characteristic that you admire or love.
I bet you’ll see that same virtue appear in other people you’ve listed.
That’s a good thing because it will show you what you value and that usually means you have the same thing or want the same thing.
When you spend time each day studying and contemplating someone or something, you learn more about it and more about your love for it.
You can use that one thing or person as an anchor for the day.
When things suck, bring your attention to that anchor and be grateful.
If you have an anchor to cast so to speak when the seas around you are rough, it will take your mind off the bad stuff and allow you to soothe your nervous system.
You could use this if you watch endless Facebook tik tok videos, making your stomach tighten.
Same if you’re watching the news or stuck in a traffic backup.
Go to your anchor for the day and calm your nervous system.
Then of course ask yourself if you don’t have something better to do.
Most of us do inane things but awareness is key to stopping them.
Use your anchor to break the spell.
Be grateful and appreciative of the little things in your life.
They are all around you.
I am pretty sure you’ll feel better than you will by watching the news.
This is a two part message. The second part will be tomorrow.
Daily Gratitude: There’s too much hate, unrest and chaos around us right now. So what can we do?
It may seem hopeless and as if there’s nothing you can do. But there is always something – you can always go inside and take inventory.
This morning I was “doing my thing” and realized how grateful I am for my mindless routines – you know- brushing my teeth, taking my meds, making my protein shake, turning on the lights, reading etc.
I found myself enjoying what I was paying attention to. And realized that is what life is about – we pay attention to some things and not to others.
Often our minds want us to pay attention to the external stuff as a distraction from dealing with or discovering what’s going on Inside of us.
That’s where we can do some good – inside.
Take some time to look around you no matter where you are.
What do you see? Now pretend you’re “enlarging” that picture.
Look at things individually.
If you’re in the car, look at the dashboard.
Depending on how old you are, think about things that are there that you didn’t used to have.
I told you I gave away my 2004 vehicle because I had the van I use for my races now.
The van is a 2020 model.
And although that’s almost 6 years old the fancy things in it that I didn’t have in my other vehicle just mesmerize me.
Sometimes I notice them and am in awe.
But I need to be thanking them for being in my life and making my life easier- after I get used to them of course but that’s a whole other story.
Sure they’re inanimate objects but they are energy.
So why not express gratitude for and to that energy.
Make a list of the wondrous things in your life.
For older people like me this is easy – once I make the effort to do it.
After all I can remember when we finally got a tv in our household.
Can’t get much older than that.
Focus on your gratitude and appreciation for these things.
And for the people that made them happen.
This is one time when it’s good to stay inside your world for awhile.
