gratitude

Five Ways to Transform

If you’re looking for ways to transform your life, here are five tips that will get you on your way. These five rules come from Buddhist teachings and if applied daily and in the mornings before your daily grind starts or even before having your first cup of coffee, they will help you to see life in a different light. I’ve been practicing these five rules for about a week now and it has made me calmer, more in tune with myself and believe it or not, my mind is under control as well!

Find a quiet spot and take three deep breaths to center yourself. Repeat each affirmation two or three times to let it sink in and take hold.

I am grateful for this new day.

Really simple but not so simple for some of us. Gratefulness needs to be learned and if practiced daily, it can transform your life in a positive way. Come up with one or two things you are grateful for and go from there.

Let go of yesterday.

This is a hard one. How often do we carry “yesterday” and all its disappointments, anger and sadness like an albatross around our necks? More often than not is the answer. Let go and let yesterday lie where it should. It is done with and today is a brand new day to make it all better.

I am calm and in control of my mind.

It has been said, “Rule your mind or it will rule you.” This simply means, “you have the power to train your thoughts and control your mental state, rather then being controlled by your thoughts and emotions.” Be in the present and use conscious effort to train your mind to shape the thoughts you entertain. “Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.” Guard them with care.

I will respond with kindness today.

Listen without judgment or interruption. Show appreciation for the people around you and an act of goodwill doesn’t hurt either. Wear a smile while you’re doing it and change the world one act at a time.

Everything is temporary.

Know that change is inevitable, it will come whether you want it or not. Nothing is forever except change so learn to let go when it happens. Accepting impermanence can help you to appreciate the present moment and adjust to new situations as they happen.

Five rules to live by but it takes practice to get it down pat and to apply it to your life. Not easy but with practice it is doable. Good luck and see you on the other side of a life well-lived! 👍

Self-Love

According to one source, “Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others.”

That said, when was the last time you talked to yourself with compassion? When was the last time you gave yourself some extra care and when was the last time you took care of your needs first. I don’t do those things often enough but it is necessary for your total well-being. Some days, I’m running around like a chicken with its head cut off taking care of others and on other days, I am my own worst critic. I am quick to blame and I stay there for a while to my own detriment. When I emerge from this destructive behavior, I am usually in a bad mood or everything seems just a tad gloomier.

We need to be nicer to the person we carry around. Compassion is needed and positive self-talk as well. Start by loving yourself first and it will create a ripple effect in the world around you. I think women are natural caregivers and in the process we forget to take care of ourselves. It’s time to stop and smell the roses even if it’s only for a little while. Enjoy the following quotes that bring “self-love” to the forefront and try to shine the spotlight on “YOU” for a change.

FRIENDLY REMINDER:

“It’s perfectly okay if the only exercise you get today is flipping the pages of a book or stirring your tea or smiling with friends. Well-being means your WHOLE body. Make sure your soul is getting as much exercise as your glutes.”

I sometimes forget to give my “soul” the same kind of attention I give to my body. Time to take note and do different.

“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” Anna Taylor

Another important point here. Set those boundaries so you know in which direction you’re headed.

“Self-confidence is a super power. Once you start to believe in yourself, magic starts happening.” Unknown

“Be proud of who you are, and not ashamed of how someone else sees you.” Unknown

It’s true isn’t it? How someone sees you is not your problem. You are enough as you are and always remember that.

Here are a few more for good measure.

“Don’t let your mind bully your body.”

“Remember how you show up for yourself is how you teach others to show up for you.”

“Choose yourself more.”

“Life is too short to be mean to yourself.”

“Less self judgment and more self compassion.”

“Choose people who choose you.”

“Live your life like the story you want to be in.”

And finally:

LOVE YOURSELF

YOU ARE ENOUGH AS YOU ARE!

Have an amazing day.

Gratitude (Archives)

Zig Ziglar called it the healthiest of all human emotions and it is one that is often overlooked in our day to day existence of what we call “living.” It is unpretentious, it takes its place quietly in the ranks of emotions and waits to be recognized like a step child who is often left wanting. More often than not we walk past without giving it the recognition it deserves.

“Gratitude helps you see what’s there instead of what isn’t.” Unknown

What is gratitude?

Simply put and according to graygroupintl.com, “It is a deep sense of appreciation for the good things in our lives, both big and small. It is about recognizing the positive aspects and expressing gratitude for them. When we practice gratitude, it not only benefits our mental health but also our physical well-being.”

If it is that important, why hasn’t this poster-child for good mental health been given more attention and accolades?

Perhaps, it is because as humans we have a tendency to overlook the “good stuff” and we tend to focus on the lack thereof and all the negatives it entails. If only I had this, then life would be so much better is the mantra we wear with pride and have hone it to an art form that we are blinded to the abundance that surrounds us.

“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” Rumi

Practice it daily and it will turn your life around. I still haven’t grasped this concept of being grateful but I am working on it.

How do you practice gratitude? According to mindful.org, the people in the know, it starts like this and if you do it regularly, “it is a game-changer; it has far reaching effects, from improving our mental health to boosting our relationships with others. Living your life with gratitude helps you notice the little wins— and over time strengthens your ability to notice the good.”

Start by observing. Notice the thank yous you say.

Keep a journal of all that you are grateful for and believe me there is plenty to be thankful for.

Make a vow to be grateful everyday.

Meditate – anchor yourself to the good things in your life. Be mindful and live in the present.

The day before was a tough day. Things just didn’t go the way I wanted it to and so my focus was on all the bad stuff which in turn helped me to go further down the rabbit hole. At the end of the day I decided that today would be better. The gratitude part didn’t come till later. I went ahead and booked a massage and as I was lying on the table, face down and staring into nothingness, listening to the soothing music in the background, a small voice said, “Say thank you.” I did and I repeated it several times just in case it didn’t hear me the first me! As the masseuse applied gentle strokes to my back, I realized that I was surrounded with and by abundance.

I slowly started counted off the things I was grateful for and the list was never-ending. The gorgeous day, the blue skies, my friends, the people who cared about my existence and last but not least the wonderful massage that helped to soothe my frazzled nerves. It was a game-changer. I walked out of there with a smile on my face, my woes forgotten for the moment at least and well-prepared for the day ahead.

If you can’t afford a massage even the simplest of things will do it. Go for a walk, pay attention to the sights and sounds, things that help to lift up your soul. It could be as simple as taking in a deep breath, or watching a bird in flight or a tree in bloom, its colors mesmerizing and the scent wafting by better than any artificially manufactured perfume but most of all say, “THANK YOU.” Be grateful for the abundance surrounding you, the roof over your head, the food, nature and all the little and big things that help to make up your life and soon the glass will no longer be half empty but overflowing. A friend said to me, “you need to do what you preach,” and he is right. Thank you friend for being my friend!

Practicing gratefulness is helping to turn things around in my life. It doesn’t come easily but the more I say thank you and appreciate what is around me, the less I see the negatives not that they aren’t there mind you, but to a lesser extent. This too takes time.

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” Tony Robbins

Have an amazing day.

Taking Things for Granted

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” Cynthia Qzick

We do that a lot don’t we? We take people who love us for granted and things that serve us for granted as well. I think it is a given in this fast-paced world of ours. We’re on the move and our focus is on a hundred little and big things that there is no time to stop and appreciate what is staring us in the face. We do take notice when the person is no longer there or the thing you depended on has taken a break for whatever the reason.

Learning to appreciate or to give gratitude is a lost art of sorts it seems. I learned it the hard way this past week as my dependable car, the four-wheeled contraption decided to show me that sometimes it needs a break too. I am very focused where my car is concerned. I make sure the service gets done and the summer and winter checks get done as well but this year I let the winter check go unnoticed. A well-meaning friend told me that it wasn’t necessary to get it done every year and I listened. I noticed that the car wasn’t heating as it should and still I left it to chance. It (the car) let it be known clearly and loudly that it was a no go! It is now in the service shop and has been there for the last 4 days. The water tank or tube or whatever you call it has a crack and needs to be replaced. I HOPE that is the only thing wrong with it!

The thing is, now I realize how dependent I’ve been on it to take me from Point A to Point B and I gave it no thought at all. It was a given and now I know that I’ve been taking it for granted.

Sometimes we need to stop, take a good hard look at the people and things we depend on and show them the gratitude they deserve. We tend to leave such things to a later point in time or only when they are gone or missed and that is not going to do it. Take the time to say, “I thank you,” or “I love you,” or even “I’m grateful” before it’s too late.

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” G. K. Chesterton

Have an amazing day.

Update:

The car is back after getting a new water pump and a thermostat. It seems to be working fine and just in case, I gave it a well-deserved hug!

“Gratitude helps you see what’s there instead of what isn’t.” Unknown

What is gratitude?

If it is that important, why hasn’t this poster-child for good mental health been given more attention and accolades?

“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” Rumi

Practice it daily and it will turn your life around. I still haven’t grasped this concept of being grateful but I am working on it.

Start by observing. Notice the thank yous you say.

Keep a journal of all that you are grateful for and believe me there is plenty to be thankful for.

Make a vow to be grateful everyday.

Meditate – anchor yourself to the good things in your life. Be mindful and live in the present.

Practicing gratefulness is helping to turn things around in my life. It doesn’t come easily but the more I say, thank you and appreciate what is around me, the less I see the negatives not that they aren’t there mind you, but to a lesser extent. This too takes time.

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” Tony Robbins

An Amazing Day!

“Everyday is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been and move on. Don’t let negative words or actions of others affect your smile. Decide that today is a good day.” Unknown

I’ve decided that it’s going to be an amazing day! Once I get out of bed that is. The covers keep my feet warm and the dark room offers comfort. I can stay here forever if I let myself but I’ve got “miles to go before I sleep.” The poet, Robert Frost, is talking about having much to do before death comes calling but I’ll keep it on a lighter note. I’ve got lots to do before I can put my feet up again but the biggest thing on my mind is to have an amazing day.

It’s all about the mindset folks. Mindset is defined as, “a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.” I’m bent on having an amazing day today so here we go!

It will be an amazing day because I won’t sweat the small stuff. Whatever comes my way to kick me off my pedestal of entertaining only good thoughts will be met with “ignore and let go.”

It will be an amazing day because I will be good to myself. I will lose myself in nature to clear my mind and enjoy the thousand miracles it offers. While I’m out there I will take as many deep breaths as I can so that by the time I get back home, I will be floating on air!

It will be an amazing day because I’m going to find a quiet spot and proceed to shut the world out. It’s my time and I will do what I want to. I will close my eyes, tune out the noise and go within and repeat the mystical sacred mantra OM for as many times as needed. I will stay there for awhile and then emerge a brand new person having ostracized all the bad stuff, just like a butterfly that emerges from the cocoon and sees the world for the first time.

It will be an amazing day because I will actively work to shut out negativity. I will also shut out negative people those whose only preoccupation with life is to bring people down with their words and deeds. Today that’s a no go and ignore and close the door will be my response. If need be, I will do a cleansing ritual, just kidding. I will bolster up the positive aspects of my life and hope it will be enough to keep negativity away. Fingers crossed or I will need to do more OMs to keep it at bay.

It will be an amazing day because I’m going to enjoy my own company. I will pamper myself, eat nutritious foods, nurture the inner child and open my eyes to miracles around me. Ones I don’t see caught up in the day to day cycle of this thing called life. I will see me for who I am and I will know that I am enough as I am.

“Another day starts. Let the adventure begin. Good morning, have a great day.”

Go out and have an AMAZING DAY!