Dalai Lama on Gratitude

“Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.” – Dalai Lama

Day 31 In Gratitude

News reports read, "Colossal storm for Midwest, Northeast Across the Midwest, South and Northeast, the heavy snow, wind, ice, heavy rain and severe storms rapidly expand Tuesday". This sounds like it's going to be quite a storm this week. My hope is for everyone to be safe and warm. The weather lately has been so unpredictable. My flight home from New York isn't until Thursday evening and my hope is that the storm will have passed by then. But for today, I am grateful to be safe and warm and for my husband, boys and entire family the same.

What are you grateful for?

Day 30 in Gratitude

New York has been slammed with snow this year! I just flew into the city and driving to Manhattan saw cars parked on some streets in little car igloos while other streets were completely cleared. They're expecting even more snow in the next few days! I am grateful to have had no weather affecting the flight in.

I was watching a new company set up their booth yesterday. I'm attending a trade show with hundreds of vendors promoting and selling their wares. Watching the booth next to ours during set up was very entertaining. 4-5 women, each with their own agenda, their own mission to make the booth look exquisite. They may have come with a solidarity plan, but from an outsiders view, they all seemed to have read the blue prints differently. I'm assuming that each of these women were, in their own right, highly creative. The entertaining aspect of all of this was watching these women try and push their creative ideas of booth design and merchandising on each of the other women. Chaos! Hours upon hours were spent putting up a display only to tear it down within a matter of minutes to put it up all over again. The funny thing is, today - the booth was packed with buyers - packed! After days of chaos and a bit of arguing, this booth was humming with business. I went over today to meet these women. They are all very strong, very smart business women who have nothing but respect for each of their partners. To watch these women the day before the show opened, one would believe that nothing would work out for them. Today, they came together and worked as a cohesive team, like a well-oiled machine. The art of collaboration and compromise was at work and it worked very well for them. I am grateful to be surrounded by such strong, motivated and creative women who have made a successful business for themselves while never compromising who they are and what they believe in. Congratulations!

I didn't sleep very well last night. Waking up at 3:30am in a hotel room when you're exhausted from a travel day is not the best way to start the trip. But tonight, I will sleep. So I am grateful to KNOW that tonight, I will get a great nights sleep, wake refreshed and ready to conquer the day!

What are you grateful for?

Day 28 in Gratitude

So much happening today. We closed on our home in Las Vegas tonight so that chapter of our lives is closed. We've learned much. Much about trust in others, much about acting on emotion. We've made some mistakes, we're licking our wounds and moving forward. I am grateful for every event that has taken place over the past two years. I continue to learn, continue to grow.

I am grateful to have a roof over my head. I am grateful for a warm meal, I am grateful for everything that I've lost in my life, and for everything I have gained. Think about this - Take a good, long look back over everything you've been through over the past years, the good events, the troubling events. Would you change anything if you could? I wouldn't. I feel like my life is like a giant puzzle and each year, I graciously accept another piece to it. The puzzle may never be complete but as each chapter closes I get to see another view of the bigger picture. For that I am grateful.

What are you grateful for?

Obstacles: A Matter of Perspective

For a long time it seemed to me that real life was about to begin, but there was always some obstacle in the way. Something had to be got through first, some unfinished business; time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it downed on me that these obstacles were my life!
~Bette Howland

Webster's dictionary defines an obstacle as "an obstruction that prevents a forward movement or course of action." Do you ever feel restricted by an obstacle - something that stands between you and what you define as a complete and whole life? Do you see the pathway of your life leading to a point at which you will one day arrive, where all obstacles will disappear? If you do, you are in for one long pathway. I don't know of anyone who doesn't have obstacles of one kind or another in their life. As a matter of fact, my observation is that often those who appear to have the greatest challenges in life, with apparent obstacles far larger than my own, seem to see their own challenges not as obstacles at all but rather as growth opportunities for forward movement. Thomas Carlyle wrote: "The block of granite, which is an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong." In other words, obstacles are all a matter of perspective. Do you see the challenges in your life as obstacles or opportunities? Do you see them through the eyes of a victim or a victor? Either way, let's free ourselves from any illusions: we shall always have challenges. How we see them is our choice.
Excerpt from The Art Of Being by Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D.

Day 27 in Gratitude

I love my dog. Everyday when I come home, it's like he is seeing me after being apart for weeks or months. Tail wagging, prancing around like he's a puppy (he's 9) and wanting to play. I am grateful that he is here to greet me.

I am grateful that my windshield wipers work. We had a crazy rain/ice storm today and without my windshield wipers, I don't know if I would have made it home safe.

I am grateful to be going to bed soon. As soon as I'm finished blogging, I'm off to la la land and I can't wait. The anticipation of slipping into a nice, warm bed with clean sheets is thrilling. I'm pooped!

What are you grateful for?

Day 26 in Gratitude

Self-Development is taking personal responsibility for one's own learning and development through a process of assessment, reflection, and taking action. The first tenant of positive self development is continuous learning. We don't exist in a vacuum, and we are constantly shaping and being shaped by our environment. That was very clear to me today. In my mind, I am poised, confident, calm, keep a positive attitude and stay focused. In reality, I am subject to my emotions, others moods, and the overall atmosphere of the office environment just like everyone else. In a nutshell, I saw and heard myself go down the very path that I try so desperately to stay off of. The dreaded NEGATIVITY PATH! Driving home going over the events of the day I made a pact to myself that the next time a situation arises, I will stop, take a deep breath and tell myself to look at the situation from a new and positive direction. Today, I am grateful that I am on a path of self awareness and also that I realize I am a work in progress.

I have nothing but respect for everyone I work with. I work with a group of creatives and they never cease to amaze me. The process in which they develop and design product is awe-inspiring. I am grateful to be working with such talented individuals.

I had a wonderful evening talking with a young woman who has decided to take her life into her own hands and develop and action plan to add passion and clarity to her life. I can only hope that I will keep her focused and add inspiration to her growth and development process. I am thankful to be a part of this wonderful process.

What are you grateful for?