Daily Gratitude: “No one has ever become poor by giving.”

I believe this wholeheartedly but the thing I find the most interesting about this quote is the author, Anne Frank. How much worse could an existence be, holed up in fear of your life, while the world as you know it is being decimated right beyond your walls.

Maybe knowing that a young girl in those dire circumstances could think this, we could try to give a bit more.

I know everyone is automatically thinking “but I don’t have any extra money to give.” Lord knows i went to buy some toothpaste today and put it back like it was poison $7 for toothpaste and no, it wasn’t gold plated or prescription. But i digress.

Giving isn’t just about money. Giving is time, attention, love, concern, a smile, a pat on the back. Maybe it’s a little acorn that a child picked up and wants you to have. Maybe it’s saying thank you for your friendship or for just being there.

And the other part of the quote is that no one ever became poor by giving.

It’s such a good point. Have you ever seen anything in the newspaper saying Joe blow became poor by giving too much. I suppose it’s possible but the universe has a way of taking care of those who extend themselves.

How do you define poor? Other than the money definition. The dictionary says “poor” relates to or is characterized by poverty; another definition is less than adequate and also inferior in quality or value.

Would you ever use any of those definitions to describe someone who gives? I think not.

And in fact, in metaphysics giving is an antidote of sorts to poverty. Why? Because abundance and scarcity can’t exist in the same place. And people who give have an abundance vibration and mentality. There is no scarcity in the universe unless you think there is.

When you give, you do so knowing that your cup will be filled again. Maybe not in the exact same way but you will receive more from the universe. Giving is like gratitude – there is very little that’s more powerful. When you give your sending the message that you trust that you will have all that you need. You cannot be poor if you have all you need.

Make a list (yes I’m big on lists because I think it helps to remove the emotional overlay in things) of tiny ways you can “give”. Make it a family project. Make it a car game if they still do those. Make it a contest in your home or your school or your workplace. Put up a giving board and award points. You can even make a joke by asking “does giving a crap count?” And then go around the room and see what answers you get.

Make these things fun. They aren’t chores. They are giving you joy too!

Daily Gratitude: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

Another simple recommendation for how to live your life.

Why don’t we do this? I think we don’t even consider building a new door. We’re so busy looking for a way that exists and often that works. As long as you don’t just give up but continue to try for a solution.

But when you can’t find a solution, why not try to build a new door. And the best way to do that is to reframe your problem. When you see it constructed differently, it’s easier to say “oh wait. I see now. Maybe if I did x, y would come out better”. Reframing (a word I don’t really like) is appropriate here because when you build a door you have to cut a new hole and then put up a new frame. Then you can hold your hands up (like you see in the movies) centering the problem. You now have another perspective. When it looks different, solutions may come more easily.

Build your door and mould your problem to fit it!

Daily Gratitude: “In every walk with nature one recerves far more than he seeks,”

Have you ever felt like this? You go for a walk because there’s so much on your mind. You don’t plan on anything but just moving and hopefully working things out. Then, you see something pink up ahead. You go over to take a look and it turns out a beautiful flower. Amazingly as you look at this pink beauty, you see clover and you begin to look for a 4 leaf clover. Then there’s a pretty leaf. And oh look – there’s a funny looking tree.

By the time you get home, you’re smiling and your problems are not as bad as they seemed when you left the house. In fact, it’s possible that you’ve started thinking more clearly about it. If nothing else, you’ve released some stress and anxiety.

Nature has so many gifts for us if we just open our eyes and hearts to receive them.