Daily Gratitude: I probably talk about this one too much but that’s because it’s one I have to keep reminding myself of. For some reason we don’t see anything as a success unless it’s either a) big and flashy (obvious) or b) complete and able to be crossed off our list. But success is actually making it through each day. There are some of you who will think that’s BS and others who will shout “yeah!” because they have been (or are in) that kind of situation. When I had the post shingles nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia), making it through each day was a bigger accomplishment than anything else I’ve ever done. Did I celebrate that? No – I was too worried about when the next surge of electricity would come. Fast forward 9 years to yesterday when I was out on my training walk and i had to stop at a light at 3.5 miles. I realized how important it was for me to be grateful that at least up to that point none of the physical problems that have popped up lately hadn’t bothered me that morning. It didn’t matter what night show up later. What mattered was that I felt good right then and there. That was a success and it was my “job” to express gratitude for that success. Yes, later my foot and knee started to let me know they were there. But did that take away from the earlier success and the happiness that went with expressing my gratitude? For once the answer is “no”. I could still feel the excitement of that recognition and it was fun and made me want to repeat the process. One tiny little thing forged how my whole day went. I could have chosen to ignore it but fortunately I didn’t. What can you consider a success today?

Daily Gratitude: I found this an interesting and pertinent quote. The most important part is that we can control how we feel and joy is a feeling. I’ve heard people talk about how they’ve been amongst the most poverty stricken people and yes they were so happy and that it didn’t take much for them to be joyous. That is remarkable but definite evidence of the validity of this statement. Haven’t you had times when something you usually enjoy “gets on your nerves”? But then again in a few days it’s back to making you happy again? Take some small disappointment and see if you can change how you feel about it. As I was driving to Tennessee i practiced that when drivers zoomed in and out of the traffic or cut me off. My first reaction was aggravation but as soon as i recognized this I said “their actions are not in my control but I can choose not to let it bother me”. It was easy to shrug it off then. By the time I got to Tennessee it became so much easier and quicker. I need to keep practicing but since I felt so good about doing it, it’s worth practicing with all things. We’ll see what happens.

Daily Gratitude: Which soul do you want to be? Don’t you want to enjoy things and people you love? When we complain and moan about stuff, it diminishes the energy we have to love things. In contrast, putting lots of energy into love seems to simply generate more energy. Isn’t that a better way to feel and live? Are the things we complain about things we can do anything about? If so then stop complaining and take whatever action you need to in order to fix or change it. If the answer is “no, there is nothing you can do about it”, then stop complaining and go find something you enjoy. You’re not harming the thing/person you’re upset with but it is harming you with all that negative energy. Is that your intent or desire? Probably not. Next time you start to complain, stop and think about how you feel (anger and hurt) and how you’d like to feel (indifference perhaps). Remember a stoic rule: “If something has already happened, it is not under your control now; if something is not under your control, it is nothing to you.”