Can I be grateful for Boxing Week?

We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought.

Chinese Proverb

We have a new member of the household – a little black kitten with some white on her. She is very loving, very docile and very sweet. The dog seems to have adopted her already, and the other cats either ignore her, hiss at her, or can’t get enough of her. Cats are such amazing creatures, and I’m so grateful that we have a world with these wonderful little animals.

Here are the reasons I love cats:

1. Their purr – it’s such a happy and contented sound!
2. Big eyes that see everything
3. Soft fur
4. Some cats love to cuddle
5. It feel so good to pet a cat!
6. Cats have an amazing sense of when people are upset, and I’ve had many cats who have curled up on me when I’m not feeling well or I’m upset about something.
7. Kneading – it’s so funny to watch them knead things around the house!
8. Each cat is so unique with a strong sense of who they are and what they want – we can all benefit from their example.

Do you have a cat? Leave a post below to let everyone know about your wonderful feline!

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Heaven’s Light!

The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.

Epictetus

I stayed away from all the boxing Day craziness today, and spent the day at home with my daughter. We cleaned out the guinea pig, walked the dog (with a stop at the park to play, of course), rearranged her room, went sledding and did some cleaning of our rooms. Maybe not the most restful or lively of days, but as I organize my room, I feel lighter and more focused on what I want.

There was a problem though – at the beginning of the day, my attitude was really positive. I was glad to clean out the guinea pig and walk the dog, but somewhere along the way, I let myself get cranky and I didn’t stop it. I even wallowed in the “poor me” energy for a while until another car almost hit mine.

At that point, I still didn’t shake my mood, but I realized that I was feeling really angry. I started thinking about how lucky I was that I wasn’t in an accident, especially with my daughter in the car. I was grateful that she stayed calm when I was slamming on my brakes instead of panicking. I thought about the sledding we did together, and how silly we must have looked when we spilled out on one run. Looking at the good parts of the day, my mood began to subtly shift back to the positive side of the spectrum.

I’m so grateful tonight for the near miss in the car – it got me thinking better thoughts and feeling grateful for the small blessings from today. What challenge/problem have you faced that was really a blessing in disguise? Please leave a post below to let me know – I’d love to hear from you!

Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards Men (and Women)

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

Tonight, I feel grateful for my wonderfully dysfunctional family. I’ve never felt like I’ve fit in with them, and it feels like I’m on the outside looking in every time we get together. It’s tough sometimes, but I’m actually grateful for it because I work harder to help others feel included and fit in. I work harder to make a space in life for me outside of my family, and I have some really big dreams that I am driven to achieve so I can enjoy the accomplishment.

But I’m most grateful for this outsider feeling because I wouldn’t be the person I am if I hadn’t been a part of this family, even if I am an outside part. And I’ve learned something amazing recently – I like me. Sure, I’ve got faults and problems and challenges and quirks, but I am a really great person who has accomplished a lot in her life, and I am driven to use those experiences to help others.

I may not be up there with Bob Proctor, Rich Dad or Brian Tracy just yet, but I will get there. Every time I take a step towards that goal of helping others realize their dreams, I reaffirm that, and I wouldn’t be on this path if I hadn’t had the family I’m in.

So tonight, I want to honour my family, and let them know that I love them and I am so grateful to have them in my life every day. Thank you for giving my the chance to open and expand into this amazing woman I am today. I wouldn’t be here without you, and I hope to make you proud. Love you all!

God bless us, every one!

It isn’t the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it.

Quoted in The Angels’ Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

I was given the most wonderful gift tonight – the gift of true friendship.

I have been having a challenging time this year with respect to money, but I am working hard to change my circumstances. I know I’m luckier than many – I have a roof over my head, good health, warm clothes and plenty of food. There is a family that I am connected to through a friend that recently almost lost their father, so I know how blessed I am. Some friends have seen me struggling, cutting costs, holding back and they decided to help me out. 

Tonight, I was presented with gifts for myself and my daughter from some wonderful new friends. I’ve only known these ladies for a short while, but they are generous, supportive, kind and big-hearted. To show you just how amazing they are, one of them stopped traffic on a busy highway to rescue a kitten. I’ve felt so blessed to meet them just because of how wonderful they are, and being around them made me feel like I would be okay in spite of a tough year.

Tonight, I am deeply honoured to have such amazing people in my life. I’ve been praying for wonderful, supportive people in my life and these ladies are the answers to my prayers. I am overwhelmed by their generosity, and I don’t have the words to express the depth of my appreciation and gratitude.

Because they are in my life, I know that I can turn my life around. Because they are in my life, I know that my daughter and I will be okay. Because they are in my life, I believe in true friendship again.

Thank you, Girls, from the bottom of my soul. May we enjoy years of deep, rich friendship and more triumphs than sorrows. You Ladies are amazing! Thank you!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale 

Today is the first day of my daughter’s Christmas break, and we’re both really excited about spending time together. I love spending time with her, and today we were talking about dreams and what we want in our lives. Here are some of the things I am grateful for when it comes to my daughter:

1. She has a silly, quirky sense of humour.
2. She is blessed with a slim physique and a great metabolism.
3. She loves math, and can’t wait to get to school (although she is looking forward to spending lots of time with me over the holidays).
4. She’s a good reader.
5. She has a wildly wonderful imagination.
6. She loves to act out what she creates in her head, with really different voices for each character.
7. She’s sensitive, and empathetic – she always wants to stop and help when someone is hurt.
8. She is an energetic, enthusiastic performer at her Christmas concerts with her friends, even though she can be quite shy on her own.

I am blessed to be her mother, and have such a strong bond with her! She’s the reason I never give up on building a better life.

Dear Santa, please bring me a new computer for Christmas!

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

Saint Augustine

I sat down yesterday to do my post, and my computer froze on me yet again. So I am holding the intention that I am able to get a new one before the end of the year. For now, this is what I’m grateful for:

1. Wrapping presents
2. Putting together toys
3. Finally getting some toys out of their packaging, a feat that sometimes takes more time than the kids actually play with the toys!
4. Internet Christmas cards 🙂
5. Afternoon naps
6. Knowing that Santa has more than enough treats to fill a stocking
7. Having a supply of batteries on hand for when I need them Christmas morning
8. That Christmas is almost here! 🙂

This really is a fantastic time of year – what’s your favourite part about Christmas?

Lessons from my body

A bodily disease, which we look upon as whole and entire within itself, may, after all, be but a symptom of some ailment in the spiritual past.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

When I was looking for a quote for this post, this one really caught my attention. There has been a lot of stress and anxiety in my life lately, and I know that has contributed to the health challenge that I’ve been facing in the past 24 hours. My wonderful body is amazing at letting me know when there is something spiritually amiss or if I am not following the guidance I’m receiving from Spirit.

Recently, I’ve been ignoring my intuition’s cries to get out of a situation that I’m involved in. These aren’t subtle messages – these are screams from the Universe that I need to get out of this area, fast. And I’ve been ignoring them, out of fear of the unknown. I wonder, “If I leave, will everything be okay?” This situation has a sense of security to it, but it’s a false sense of security. There is very little security in a situation that is unpredictable, and yet the pretend security of it is very alluring.

I’ve been afraid to make a decision, or to even listen to my body, so my body forced me to look at myself and what I was doing. I love my body for that, and I am grateful for this introspective time.

Here are some of the realizations I’ve had after being forced to slow down:

1. I’ve gained Amazon Bestseller status through participation in The Gratitude Book Project, and that is something no one can ever take away from me.
2. There is a bigger purpose to my life, and I am not fulfilling that by staying in this situation.
3. I’m denying the people who need and want my unique help by staying in a situation that is draining, stressful and not on purpose for my life.
4. I’m letting fear and outside circumstances control my life, instead of me being in control.
5. This situation is not only negatively affecting me and my health, it is negatively impacting my daughter’s health. We both deserve a better than this.
6. This situation has helped me to get clearer on what I want, and what I don’t want, in my life.
7. I can’t go into a New Year being dragged down by this situation.
8. I’m looking for security and breaks outside of myself – it’s time to trust that I have everything I need available to me.

I know what I need to do – get out of this situation. Now, I just need the courage to do it.

Is My Temple Falling Down?

A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.

Hippocrates

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit under the weather and ended up being very sick last night. It’s been a while since I’ve been this sick, and I’m so grateful that I’m having this chance to reflect on my health.

I am grateful for:

1. The good health that I have been experiencing this year.
2. The strong body that I have begun to create.
3. The chance to enjoy a day of rest and relaxation.
4. I’ve watched a bit of TV, something that’s a luxury for me right now.
5. Enjoying time with my nephew and my daughter.
6. Getting rid of bad health habits.
7. Being able to eat again. 🙂
8. Being given the chance to rebuild myself into a healthy version of myself.

I’m always grateful when I get the chance to sit back and take stock of my life. 🙂

Do you like yourself?

To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are.

Unknown Author

I don’t know why I chose this quote for today’s post. It’s not really about gratitude, and this topic wasn’t my first choice for this post. I was going to talk about how great snow is –  its beauty, its ability to slow us down and its gift of Christmas.

The kids are Christmas crazy right now, and all that joy and energy seems to lend itself to a gratitude blog. However, when I was looking for a quote, this one popped out at me and I knew that I had to write about it tonight.

We go through our lives trying to be what we think other people would like. We hide all the brilliance and wonder that is us, and we play small so we can fit in and be “normal”. I’ve never fit into the little box that was presented to me, but I sure did tried hard to get in that box. I did my best to be shorter, fatter, prettier, nicer, smarter, etc.; I worked on being a part of the background so that other people could be the star of the show, and feel good. I worked so hard at being invisible that there were times when I talked that nobody heard me or saw me. I had succeeded in being a wall flower, and I was completely miserable.

Despite my superpower of invisibility, I occasionally got noticed, especially when I laughed. My uncle Charles had a laugh that washed over you like a brook dances along the stones in its bed. Everyone was happy when he laughed, and I did my best to create the same kind of laugh for myself. Many people told me it was too big, too loud, too annoying, but the habit of laughing like that was ingrained in me and there were times when I couldn’t stop it, even if I tried. I did my best to crush it (hey, I was trying to be normal!), but I only managed to make it go into hiding most of the time. I was like everyone else, and I spent most of my time fighting depression.

One day, I hit bottom and wondered about jumping into the lake, and not bothering to come up again. I felt like everyone in my life had abandoned me, and I felt like there was no one who would even care if I wasn’t here anymore. My quest for invisibility was complete – why stick around? I even felt that my daughter would be better off without me, and that I was the reason why she was having problems.

Thankfully, all the work I had been doing on myself kicked in, and I heard Bob Proctor’s voice complementing me on a sales simulation we had done on a training call. He saw me, he saw the potential within me, and he believed in me. To Bob, I wasn’t invisible, nor was I invisible to my daughter. I started to climb back up, and be me.

In just a few short months from that dark day, I’ve done some amazing things. I’ve climbed the CN Tower, collaborated on a gratitude book that became an Amazon bestseller, and I’ve stepped out and been me.

All those years, I was trying to be a person I was never meant to be, thinking that the bright, beautiful, talented Jenny wasn’t the right person for my life. Thanks to the work I’ve done on myself, I’m beginning to take the lead in my own life again, and I now have people coming to me who love my laugh, my ideas, me.

There are still times where I’m being pushed to be invisible, and I do still fall into that behaviour pattern more than I would like. I’m in a situation now where I feel like there is a target on my back if I stand out and get seen, but it’s just temporary. I’m making sure that I keep a low profile, but I don’t hide who I am in order to make someone else feel better. And, if I do become the next target there, I’ll be grateful to see the end of that situation.

I’m asking all of you today to take a look at the times you play small, and ask yourself why you are doing it. The smaller you play and the less brilliant you shine, the less you help the people who need and want that beautiful light of yours to shine!

Tonight, I want to show my gratitude for all the wonderful gifts that I’ve been given. Thank you, God, for the blessings you’ve given me of:

1. Intuition
2. Kindness
3. Generosity
4. Patience
5. Believing
6. Intelligence
7. Beauty
8. Inner Strength, and many, many more!

What gifts have you been given? Please leave your list of below – let’s shine some light on our True Selves!

Maybe my computer isn’t getting enough love…

Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.

Joseph Campbell

When I sat down to write my post yesterday, my computer froze up on me. Again. Maybe it’s time to ask Santa for a new computer!

Here are the wonderful things I was grateful for yesterday:

1. Getting my Christmas shopping done! I scaled back quite a bit this year, and I got it finished up yesterday. I think there are a few pictures I still have to print off, and some cards to send, but my shopping is done – WOOHOO!
2. Cuddling with my daughter and my nephew yesterday morning.
3. Having a wonderful dinner with one side of my family, and enjoying drinks and presents after.
4. My girl having lunch with her father and his side of the family, and having a good time while she was there.
5. Enjoying a great lunch with a friend who is home for the holidays – I’ve missed my lunches with Jess!
6. Doing Christmas cards with my daughter.
7. Going through pictures of Madeline and I, and seeing how amazing my little girl is growing up to be.
8. Feeling relaxed and joy-filled yesterday as I worked through my To Do list, especially since there is a lot going on right now that isn’t great. I look at the blessings I am getting from these situations, focus on what is working, and just enjoy the moment. So far, it’s keeping me healthy and sane!

See you in a little while to post today’s batch of gratitude!