Daily Gratitude: I write a lot about this because I think it’s essential especially when things appear to be chaotic and not as we had “planned”. Being blessed really is a frame of mind. The more we concentrate on that feeling and thought, the better our nervous system reacts and as a result, the healthier we are. Stress, hate, discontent, worry, fear and doubt create the opposite effect in and on our bodies. Many of the chronic illnesses today can ultimately be traced back to stress. When we don’t acknowledge that and don’t make an effort to change our inner “core temperature”, we just allow things to go haywire. Could you set your alarm (or a reminder) for every hour or every two hours of the day, stop for about 20-30 seconds minimum, look around you and find ways in which you feel blessed? Could you do that for a trial of one day and then see if you feel any different at the end of the day? It may not be a major change (although it might be) but see if there is at least a smidgen of a change. If so, are you willing to try it again? If you feel that’s being too compulsive, could you just do it when you’re waiting – in traffic, in line, in an elevator, etc? I know you can do it.

Daily Gratitude: Are you even aware of where your script is coming from. I grew up in a community where essentially the family decided what Junior was going to be when he grew up. Usually that was something they thought would make him successful like a doctor or a lawyer or some other professional. God forbid Junior wanted to be an artist or an author. So, all his life Junior followed the wishes of his parents. He was never happy. He always wanted to pursue the career he felt was his. But he let others write and dictate his script. Do you know anyone like Junior? Maybe it’s not a complete script but only part of it. That is sometimes harder to recognize it. Is usually comes in the concept of career or profession but it can manifest itself in other aspects of the belief system. I’ve mentioned that I was taught that you can’t trust anyone. Where did that come from? My parents. Did it last a long time? You betcha. And it’s not me. Not my essence. But I didn’t know that this one little statement could have such an impact in my mental, emotional and physical health until I came to look deeply at why I either did certain things or felt certain ways about some things. And that’s just one belief system of the hundreds or thousands i developed in my past. It will take a long time and a lot of work to pull up all the weeds cluttering my garden. What about your garden? Do you know where your weeds are?

Daily Gratitude: I think the keyword here is “if” as in “if you can change your mind”. Why? Because even when we realize that changing our thoughts can, indeed, change our lives, we often don’t see it happening. Mostly that is because we don’t actually change those thoughts, OR, even more surreptitiously, we may change some of our thoughts, but not all of them. So we end up with conflicting ideas, concepts and thoughts. When this happens, your life doesn’t change because everything has to be in alignment. For instance, you can’t proclaim that you want peace in some place in the world that’s at war while you’re not happy in your home life (or work or school). The disharmony there contradicts the “harmony” you’re professing to believe and want. Peace is peace no matter where you’re looking. Until you look at your entire world and thought processes (in other words, your core beliefs), you won’t manifest the things you say you believe in. You can eat “healthy” all day long and exercise for hours every day but if you still believe you’re fat and you’re not pretty/handsome, nothing permanent will occur. I know one thing that has come to mind since I injured my clavicle. It has forced me to slow down (I’m not sure how much more I can slow down now that I’m retired but that is part of the universe’s message to me, I’m sure). But I think it also has a message about balance in my life. Balance has become a key factor for me in the last 14 months or so. I need to look at that. It would have been easier had I been able to recognize this without having to bust my bones. But it’s been proven in the past that I don’t listen well. Sigh. Anyway, take a look at your life and see what it is you want to change (if anything). Then take a long and earnest look at ALL aspects of your life to identify any inconsistencies you might find. Work on all of them and see if that helps change your external results.