Happy Thanks-Giving

By: Gratitude Girl Carolyn

Happy Thanks-Giving Day.

This morning I am sending out my most heartfelt appreciation for this life. In the midst of what may seem like chaos, I feel ever grateful. In the midst of what may seem like economic woes, I remain ever optimistic. In the midst of what may seem like world turbulence, I claim peace, joy and wholeness.

I am so grateful to be able to write this instantly available message. Imagine how unbelievable this type of message would have been even 15 years ago. Now, carried within the push of a button, I have instant access to the entire world. Instantly I can compose and send my message to every computer in the world. And for the foreseeable future, this particular message will await, in some cyber storage vault, the opening by interested persons. Can you imagine what this means?

Instantly we now have the ability to do what we could only imagine a few years ago. And this instant communication tool should be held with reverence for the power that it contains. Never before have humans possessed an instant means of communicating with so many of their fellows. We have a responsibility to hold this awesome power with fierce and constant vigilance, as well as with gratitude.

My gratefulness this morning is for the ability to communicate with my friends, my family and with the world. And my intention is to remind us all that we hold the power of the word within our grasp. In ways that will echo throughout history, we hold the power to use this tool for expanding our appreciation of the world, or for engendering hate. We hold the power, every one of us, for expanding love or expressing doubt. We hold the power, now captured within our computers, to encourage the development of world peace, or to destroy our species.

I am grateful for this day and for this incredible means of communicating. And I am grateful that the opportunity exists to express my thoughts and feelings. I am grateful that we can encourage each other to use our new tools with respect and reverence for the power to build, or destroy, which these tools contain.

So with every email, every instant chat, every blog post and every other means we now have at our disposal, may we remember the awesome power we hold in our hands. May we be grateful for the medium of communication and may we be aware of its power. As with the spoken word, the written word and the thought vibrations we send out, every message we compose has the ability to advance our species, expand world peace, encourage our fellow humans, and to restore joy and love. I am grateful to be able and willing to choose this day to express only peace, to express only love and to encourage all of us.

May your day be full of grateful moments. May your family be well. May your enemies be turned into compatriots by your love and may you feel the presence of universal peace and healing, today and every day! Happy Thanks-Giving.

Namaste.

“MAYBE” A Zen Lesson on Gratitude

by Gratitude Girl Carolyn

“MAYBE”

There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.

“Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed.

“Maybe,” replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “Maybe,” answered the farmer.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Maybe,” said the farmer.
______________________________________

Two weeks ago I sent out a request to the universe. “I need a new place to live. It should have hardwood floors, be safe, serene and be within a mile of my favorite grocery store. It should be within walking distance of the library and it should be no more than $450 a month.”

That is the order I put in to the universe. Immediately my ego mind began to say, “You won’t find anything at that price that is livable! Apartments are twice that cost in this town!” I silenced my own mind chatter by reminding myself that there were surely circumstances that I could find where someone needed me and all of these requirements would be met.

The next day, while visiting my friend Phyllis, she mentioned to me that she had a friend who bought a new condo, but she had gotten sick, and wanted to find someone to rent the condo so she could recoup her association fees. “How much are the fees?” I asked. “$450 a month. Shall I call her and tell her about you?”

So, calls were made, meetings arranged and I found myself in a 2100 square foot condo in the heart of town, meeting with the owner. “Fantastic” you say? “Maybe”.

So we looked at the condo, and sure enough it needed lots of painting and general cleaning. And Peg (the owner) and I reached an agreement that I would do all the deep cleaning and all the painting in exchange for a rent reduction of $450 a month… “Wonderful” you say? “Maybe”.

I wrote out a simple, temporary lease and, at my intuition’s urging, added a phrase that if the lease did not happen, Peg would pay me at an hourly rate for the work I had done. We signed, and I began. My oh my. Heavy, dirty and hot work. Cleaning, painting and getting it ready to move into in ten days.

On the night before the move in, Peg and a friend came by and checked out all of my work. “This is amazing.” the friend said over and over… So Peg and the friend went home. All set. Ready to sign the lease the very next morning.

When the next morning arrived I left early and took my frozen food over to the condo before my meeting with Peg. And when I stepped off the elevator, there she was, all embarrassed looking, no eye contact and there was a locksmith changing the locks! “Bad News.” you exclaim? “Maybe.”

I left and waited at the coffee shop, and while I waited, I admitted to myself that Peg was probably changing the locks to enable her to NOT sign the lease. So, I sent myself a text message. “Love, Peace, Joy, Brotherhood, BE KIND. “

And here she came…” I JUST CAN’T DO IT.” ” I JUST CANNOT SIGN THIS LEASE!”
“How sad” you say. “How mean” you add. “Maybe.”

I was glad I had a few minutes alone at the coffee shop. I was glad I had time to send myself a text message to remind me to be kind. For, as sure as I know my name, what was happening was about her, and would work out for the best for me… As I waited, I reminded myself over and over of my own motto “Breathe. Give thanks. Repeat.”

So we parted ways. It did take me an hour and a half to gather all my supplies and get the condo cleaned out. And it took her two checks to pay for the painting supplies and my time.

And yes, I did cry from sheer exhaustion. But I did not cry in anger, nor did I try and make her feel bad or wrong. And I did not feel any need to take into me any message about me.. I was just grateful that we could part ways relatively painlessly. My lesson? Be grateful. Always. For everything. You never know when the thing that you believe is happening for the best will wear you out and turn you upside down. And truly, when you label events as “good” or “bad” my answer is “Maybe.”

The sure thing I believe? Gratefulness is the way, in all circumstances, with all people, all the time.

Namaste.

Regaining My Muchness

by Gratitude Girl, Vanessa Lowry

Sometimes you don’t realize something is gone until it returns. I’m grateful that I’m regaining my “muchness.”

I saw the movie Alice in Wonderland recently and Johnny Depp’s character, The Mad Hatter, says to Alice, “You used to be much more… ‘muchier.’ You’ve lost your muchness.”

I think we are born with a great deal of muchness, but it gets conditioned out of us. Then we only think we are something (or nothing) in comparison with someone else. Never really owning how “much” we offer by standing in our own light and letting our gifts shine.

I realize that as I compare myself to others, my muchness is impacted. I started thinking of all the beliefs I’ve had of being “too much.” When I was in junior high, my guidance counselor, Mrs. York, (who I liked and respected) told me I was “too sensitive.” Then my ex-husband echoed that many times during our 10-year marriage.

In high school, I was “too smart” to be attractive to the boys. (Or I thought that anyway.) I’ve spent years frustrated that I was “too picky”, “too independent”, “too nice.” (And “too nice” circles back to bite me, especially when it means I’m taking care of someone else’s needs before my own and getting exhausted and resentful in the process.)

The other side of the equation is “not enoughness.” Things like, “not talented enough,” “not skinny enough,” “not bold enough,” “not persuasive enough.” Is it any wonder that the edges of my muchness got worn down?

I’ve started noticing how often I compare myself to others… making myself feel better or worse because of the comparison. Now, as the comparison leaps into my mind, I remind myself that I am enough. Not too little and not too much. Just the right amount of Vanessa… the perfect amount really since I’m the only me there is.

Alice had a drink to make her smaller and a cake to make her taller, but it wasn’t until she embraced her “muchness” that she was able to slay the Jabberwocky.

So, I’m comparing less and appreciating more. I’m noticing the simple things about my life that are working right now and letting my emotional guidance system pull me toward what I want to increase. I’m laughing at myself and with others. I’m spending time in nature as often as I can. I’m finding ways to work with friends as we all enjoy the process of increasing our abundance of money and connection. I’m talking to myself like I talk to others, with kindness and understanding. And, my muchness is growing.

Now there are more and more times in the day when I adopt Alice’s line after she battles the Jabberwocky. “How’s THIS for muchness!”

Not just another Gratur-day

by Gratitude Girl Robin Kirby

So I will begin……I am so profoundly touched on a daily basis by this wonderful community of gratitude that has arisen for our “30 Days of Gratitude” project. Each morning as I read through materials in search of a juicy quote to post on our Facebook fan page, I steep myself in literature from some of the greatest positive thinkers in history. I look forward to reading the feedback we receive and to sometimes engaging in brief dialog often with someone whom I have never met, and who might live halfway around the world! I feel linked spiritually with all 800+ who allow me/us this communication and this sharing.

Saturday, Carolyn, Vanessa, and I hosted another wonderful Saturday Gratur-day celebration. This was an intimate gathering of amazing individuals….again some of whom we had never met, and others who are dear friends. After a bit of visiting and getting-to-know-you chatter, we formed a circle, and from this point on, time was suspended, as we began a deep healing meditation. We focused on our physical bodies and noticed how our bodies might have been sending us physical messages in the form of discomfort, and meditated on the spiritual or emotional problem at the root of the issue, then transformed that message into the healing of the old wounded place that fueled the physical ailment. We then began to send love and appreciation to all of the parts of our bodies that feel good and function very well, noticing that all of the time, the greatest percentage of our bodies do feel good and are in perfect functioning order! From this place of healed energy we visualized healing for others and for the planet…….WHOA…..such powerful healing took place.

What stunned me the most, was the sharing we had after the meditation. Remember, this is a group of people who 30 minutes earlier did not know one another. The sharing in this circle was so intimate, it was like talking in a group of friends we had known our whole lives. The thing that united us all was our commitment to living more gratefully.
Ohhhhhhhhh……then there was the gong! Our Gong-Guru, Ben Lowry intoned the gong for us creating waves of sound that at once dissolved our old issues and amplified our healing. I felt like I was floating on the sound. What a gentle and nurturing process!
Please join us for our next gathering, or host one of your own and send us an invitation! We would love to meet you.

I am so grateful in this moment for the beautiful gathering of souls that is our community …in love and in unity, amplifying the energy of gratitude. I so appreciate my Gratitude Sisters for riding on this journey together, and for the peace that I feel and the love that I receive each and every moment as gratitude spreads worldwide!

Namaste y’all.

MY Dentist Rocks (Mostly)

“The value of a good dentist is beyond comprehension.” CGB

Yesterday, I broke down and finally went to my dentist, Dr George. You might not think this would be a great topic for a Gratitude blog, but while I was in ‘the chair’, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was to have this service available to me.

In many countries around the world, and even in many areas in America, capable dentistry is simply not an option and oral health education is sadly lacking. The World Health Organization maintains that among 12 year olds in Saudi Arabia, there are on average, 5.9 cavities per child. Can you imagine?

5.9 cavities per 12-year-old child? Don’t get too outraged. The United States is by no means in the top 100 for lowest rates of dental cavities. Our children, on average, have 1.9 cavities per child. And this number has been increasing steadily over the past few years.

But, back to my story. When I lost half of an older filling about a month ago, I really did not want to go to the dentist. You might call me a chicken, but a more accurate title is ‘procrastinator’. It just didn’t seem too urgent. Until I began to experience a toothache. That motivated me!

After a through teeth cleaning and a new set of x-rays, my dentist put me on a round of antibiotics before fixing my tooth. Finally! I get to the heart of my tale.

As I reclined in the dentist chair, rather nervous, I began to think about this blog and all of the parts of my experience that I ‘could’ use to generate gratefulness. You might not have thought about dental work and gratefulness together, but I did as I felt the prick of the anesthetic needle, saw the drill coming towards my mouth and felt the vibrations of the repair.

As Dr. George worked in my mouth, I thought about how lucky I was to (1) have a dentist I could call and see within a couple of days, (2) have a dentist with new, clean equipment, (3) be able to trust the expertise of both the dentist and his dental assistants, and (4) know that I was not at risk of secondary infections from unsanitary conditions or untrained folks pulling my teeth or poking around in my mouth.

So, when otherwise I might have been tense and worried and wishing I was somewhere else, I relaxed, took a deep breath, focused on sending healing light to me and Dr. George, and silently chanted a gratefulness mantra. I felt the mood change as I consciously began to be grateful, rather than resistant. I kept my mind on all of the aspects of my experience that were positive and I relaxed into the present moment.

And at each present moment I was OK. I was being taken care of by a team of highly skilled, caring health professionals who were attending to my needs with total concentration. My mouth was numb to ease my pain, Dr. George’s tools were new and state of the art and his assistant was calm and peaceful, and made small talk as the work progressed. I felt my gratitude increasing as my fear lessened. Or maybe I felt my fear lessen as my gratitude increased?

Even though all of this happened without one word from me, my gratefulness practice eased the tension in the room. As I became more and more centered on how lucky I was to be able to get my tooth repaired, instead of being afraid, the others in the room also visibly relaxed. I am pretty sure they did not make note of how easily the repair progressed, nor how calm I seemed, but I made a big mental note:

Gratefulness works-for everything!

Thank you to all caring health professionals and a big ‘Thank You’ to Dr. George.

Namaste.

Choose a Different Story

By Gratitude Girl Vanessa Lowry

“Life is a series of choices. Choose to be happy. Choose to live your dream. Choose to live in the present moment. Choose to love with all your heart.” ~Bevin Lynch

“Gratitude is the antidote to a shitty day.” ~Wendy Watkins

I’ve been reminded this week that I have the choice over what I think and what I focus upon. When my friend calls me and is sad, I can be sad with her, or I can help her see the silver lining to the situation. When the person in front of me in the grocery story has a full shopping cart in the 12 item lane, I can be upset or I can send the few extra minutes taking three focused breaths and bless the time of stillness. When it takes me 20 minutes to go 1.5 miles from my house to get onto GA 400, I can rage at the Atlanta traffic or I release tension by toning OM until the space between the cars opens up.

I’ve recently started learning about the spiritual practice of Ho’oponopono. The simple explanation is that it is an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. It involves accepting responsibility for anything that comes into your experience that feels negative in any way and releasing it with these four phrases: I’m sorry; Please forgive me; Thank you; I love you.

I had a situation with a client where she decided to terminate our agreement. It came as a surprise me as she had been indicating she was pleased with my work until a few days before. I process things by journaling and decided to shift my energy around this by writing about it using the four phrases of Ho’oponopono. Here is one version I wrote in my journal about this experience.

“I forgive my client for firing me and forgive myself for the insecure feelings that evokes within me. I’m sorry for being defensive and feeling inadequate. Thank you that I have the opportunity to tell a different story and to recognize the powerful, creative, talented connector that I am. I love this every expanding part of my heart that allows in exactly the type of people I want in my life and the financial abundance to do all that I want.”

I wrote several versions, one right after another, examining the varied feelings this experience brought up and shifting the energy of it. It helped me look at “this reality” from a different perspective and realize there were ways for me to feel grateful for this experience although it didn’t feel good in the moment.

Choosing to make a shift, a moment at a time, changes the energy you are standing within. And this moment is the only place you have any power anyway. Use your power to choose gratitude. Thank you. I love you!

“If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?”

by Gratitude Girl Robin Kirby

My friend NW used to say “If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?”

I have not taken care of my body very well over the years, often abusing it with food and with lack of exercise, so I have decided to change this area of my life…..Let this new journey commence….4 weeks ago!

Yes, I joined a gym and I actually GO there and work my heart and my muscles. My goal is improved strength and improved health. If I become the hottest 52 year old therapist in Atlanta, that will be an additional bonus. What I am coming to appreciate is that there is nothing like a new undertaking to remind me to consistently keep turning my thoughts toward what I appreciate.  Staying focused on the fact that I have begun this endeavor and have made progress has been challenging for me at times, when I have looked around the gym to see others able to do so much more than I.  There are men and women far older than I who out pace and out lift me by a long shot. I am clear, that when I focus on “what is”, I get more of “what is”. When I focus on lack of fitness, I get more lack of fitness.

I am glad that I have the opportunity to further change my focus toward appreciation and gratitude, especially for my body. In fact what amazes me is that despite the abuse and neglect that I have visited on this body, it still works !  What a magnificent gift! My senses that are housed in this body continue to see, feel, taste, and hear and perceive! My legs move me along with ease. My arms are fully able to embrace my loved ones. I still have boundless energy for work and for play. The wrinkles on my face are indicative of many smiles and much laughter.  Indeed it is miraculous that my body is still able to do everything that is important to me…..including growing stronger with exercise and good nutrition. Thank you body, thank you.

Soooooo…. I am learning to show appreciation to my body by caring for it as well as I cared for the bodies of my children. When my children were living in my care, I made sure that they were involved in a balance of activities to improve their bodies and their minds. I fed them fresh foods, balanced meals and healthy snacks, (and a FEW empty calories every once in a while). I love my children, and I showed that in many ways including taking great care of their health. I am learning to treat my body like it is precious to me.

I am grateful that my body is becoming stronger and healthier each and every day.

Here are two people who inspire me……enjoy!

89 Year Old Yoga Instructor

and

No Arms, No Legs, No Problem

Grateful for “Everything”?

From: Gratitude Girl Carolyn

“Breathe. Give Thanks. Repeat.”

I woke up this morning knowing that it is my turn to post on the blog.  I love this!  I also woke up this morning obsessed with an idea about being overweight.   About me being overweight!  I figure I have to talk about being grateful, and I want to talk about being overweight so how can these two topics merge?

So, let’s start where we are:

Over two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.

Over one-third of U.S. adults are obese.

Less than one-third of U.S. adults are at a healthy weight.   (Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010; 235–241.)

Only 31 percent of U.S. adults report that they engage in regular leisure-time physical activity.  (National Center for Health Statistics)

That’s interesting, isn’t it?   Almost the same percentage  participate in physical activity as those who are at a healthy weight.

When I woke up with this topic on my mind, I immediately began to consider, “How can I be grateful for this extra 30 pounds I am carrying?”  That’s a hard question.  But a valid one.  We continue to put forth the idea here and in our lovely little book, 30 Days of Gratitude (www.daysofgratitude.com), that everything that happens is worthy of our gratitude.  Everything?  Are you sure?

Shall I be grateful for this extra weight?   Shall I give thanks for my jiggly butt and my wiggly triceps?   Should I give thanks for the hip pain that accompanies my decreased mobility?   Will I choose to be grateful for the clothes that seem to be getting smaller every time I wash them?  And for the silhouette I glimpse as I walk past the picture windows of the stores downtown?

I say a resounding “Yes!”

Give thanks for the pain in your lovely earth body that alerts you when you are hurting it.  Give thanks for your body’s response to all that extra food.  Give thanks that you live in a society that has abundant food that is readily available.  Give thanks that you can see and feel your shape.  Give thanks that you really do know it is a simple matter, usually, of eating less and moving more to regain or stay at a healthy weight.  Give thanks that somewhere in your mind, you remember how to have a healthy weight and a healthy body.  Give thanks that your body reminds you to eat healthy food.  Give thanks that you have a brain that can make decisions about food and exercise.

Give thanks that we have wonderful, instant access to valid health information available on this magnificent instrument called the internet.  (www.mypyramid.gov)  Give thanks that you can read this blog.  Give thanks that your body still does respond to what you eat and how you move.  Give thanks for the ability to shift your thoughts to health and well-being.  Give thanks for the support groups that exist solely to share information and assistance and wisdom on this journey.

Give thanks that when you overeat, your body lets you know by feeling uncomfortable.  Sometimes, really uncomfortable.  Give thanks that you have ample hints to let you know your ideal weight.  Hints such as the inability to climb a couple of flights of stairs easily.  Hints that encourage you really to love yourself and get out for a walk.  Give thanks that if I am in a grateful mood, really… then I can hear the chatter in my mind that keeps urging me to “take a walk, buy healthy, toss out the chips and the sugar laden junk, drink a glass of water, call a buddy, make a list, read a book, join a group, meditate, laugh, smile, be grateful.”

Our friends, Esther and Jerry Hicks and Abraham, make it very clear.  ”What you focus on increases.”  As I laid in bed in the early morning and contemplated this blog, and you my friends, this sage advice became crystal clear.  As if a beam of brilliant light was shining on this whole gratitude idea.  Of course!  Gratitude is the answer.

What we focus on increases.  I can remove all resistance by focusing with gratefulness on every moment, every part of my body, on every thought, and on all the alternative ideas for my health that cross my mind.  Instead of focusing with resistance on my weight, “I hate being overweight.”  I can begin to focus my gratitude on the same thought.  ”I am grateful that I am overweight.  My weight is a perfect indication from my magnificent body of what I am eating.”  This thought, while focusing on the same theme, completely turns it towards the light.  And it is true.  My weight IS the perfect reflection from my body of what I eat, how much I eat and how much I move.  Can you see the difference in these two thoughts?

One is painfully focused on shame and revulsion.  The other is focused on celebrating the wonderful mechanisms in my body that respond to my actions.  There is no blame or shame in the second sentence, just a celebration of the magnificence of my body’s ability to let me know I am overeating.  So if I focus on the celebration of my body and its unerring reflection of my eating and physical activity level, I naturally will begin to be more grateful and more focused on its messages to me for health.   And as I become more focused on my body’s perfect messages to me about my diet and exercise, it will naturally increase the celebration and the messages.  ”What we focus on increases.”

Consider the different messages we give our bodies.

“I hate my body.  I look disgusting.  I will never be thin.”  And the universe increases the flow of hate and disgust and overweight.  We are ordering from the storehouse of the universe exactly what we want through our words and thoughts.  I think the universe might be saying, “Wow, dear one, I really hate that for you, but you are the boss, and what you just ordered for today’s experience is ‘hate, disgust and pain’.”

Or we might say:

“Thank you, my perfect body, for letting me know when I eat too much to maintain you in perfect health.  Thank you for giving me pain in my joints to alert me to the need to exercise.  Thank you for storing all the extra calories as fat deposits so I can clearly see and feel when I am not at a healthy weight.”  And the universe might say, “Wow, dear one, we are so pleased to hear you praising the magnificent body that you have.  We shall increase your willingness to heed the wonderful messages of your body to let you know when you are eating more than is necessary and when you should get up and move about.  We shall increase your joy with the ability to decipher the perfect messages you body is giving you, and we shall easily and effortlessly help you pay attention to your diet needs and your physical needs as you are eating and planning your meals and your activities for the day.

So, am I grateful for this extra 30 pounds?  You bet I am!  Each extra pound is a perfect message from my magnificent body.  Each extra pound and every aching joint is a perfect love letter from the body I came forth with to experience this world.  Not only am I happy to have the ability to see and feel my diet and exercise choices so clearly expressed, I am grateful to have this space to explore my thoughts.  And I am ever grateful for you, dear reader, as we journey together.

Namaste

“Breathe. Give Thanks. Repeat.”

Graturday in WV

by Gratitude Girl Vanessa

We had so much fun at our Gratitude Meet-up in Atlanta a few weeks ago. Many of the people who have downloaded our free e-book, 30 Days of Gratitude, live in other parts of the US and all over the world. So, we are thrilled to have people join us with their own Gratitude Meet-ups wherever they may be.

The members of Valley View Seventh Day Adventist Church joined us for “Graturday” on May 1st. Here is their “grateful for” list and a couple of photos taken that day.  Host your own Gratitude Day and share the results with us!

Basking in Gratitude at Valley View Church

Valley View Seventh-day Adventist Church Gratitude list

Good medical test results.

Friends with a great sense of humor.

Answered prayer.

Family together again.

Easy work week.

Victories over trials.

My precious husband.

My wonderful wife.

Guardian angels.

God’s help and grace.

God’s help, blessing, and company every day.

Tribulations which keep us dependent on God and allow us to grow in Him.

My love of learning.

Electricity, heat, water, food.

Great family.

God’s forgiveness.

Friends, family, and God’s love.

Getting a job.

Employment opportunities God has opened for our family.

God’s grace.

Answers to prayer.

The blessed Hope.

A church to attend.

Teen Challenge, an organization the Lord used to save my grandson and other young people like him.

Thank God I was born in America.  God bless America.

For God’s many blessings.

For my church family not giving up on me.

For health, also the beautiful world God made and filled with flowers, lovely trees, and rushing water.

The amazing grace of God and salvation through the blood of Jesus.

God’s love and mercy.

All the good and perfect gifts from God.

For God loving me so much that He sent His son that I might live and receive all His blessings, including salvation.

Being able to sit at work and make beautiful pictures to share with others.

To meet people and tell them of God’s love.

Grati-gathering

by Gratitude Girl Robin

This time last week I was making preparations for our first gratitude meet up. I was feeling such excitement about the beginnings of stretching our project to include meeting participants personally for the purpose of amplifying the vibration of gratitude on the earth.
I loved the feeling that came with connecting with people newly coming into my life! Every person who came into the door brought positive energy, and an openness to new experience. I stood back for a few minutes, and watched as people met and interacted. I realized how not too long ago, the thought of hosting and meeting new people triggered low level anxiety for me. I used to need to push myself past these feelings in order participate in activities like this. What a different experience this was for me! I was able to see that as gratitude has become my focus, the painful shyness that I used to experience did not surface.
The events of the day were more powerful that any of us anticipated. Our meditation and sharing circle brought up beautiful stories and a depth of sharing that was both surprising and delightful! Many shared about the light that they experienced in their meditation. I became aware of how grateful I felt to be present in that moment feeling my vibration magnified as the energy of the group united in sending healing energy to those in need and to the planet. We were so blessed to have our “grati-dude” Ben Lowry perform a sound healing for us with his gong. I could feel myself and others releasing stale and unwanted energy and bringing in divine love and light.
Carolyn, Vanessa and I were thrilled as we thought we were bringing a successful event to a close….We were surprised and a bit shocked to discover that we were not finished after all. As we were prepared to say good bye, nearly everyone who came wanted to buy a “hard copy” of the book and a spontaneous book signing event occurred!
We were all laughing with joy as we signed books, shared hugs, and took in great, great love, as we shared one last moment connecting with each precious soul who came to share the morning with us.
Here I sit, one week later, still sitting feeling uplifted and inspired……..Thank you, thank you, thank you.