G*R*A*T*I*T*U*D*E; Five Life Lessons

It has been rather lonely around these parts for the past couple weeks. Jauncee is with her dad in Utah for 6 weeks and Jeslyn spent 2 weeks with her dad and is now at 4-H camp. And my sweet hubby is working round the clock! With all this time on my hands Clay and & I have had lots of stroller time, swinging time, tractor time, cuddle time, etc...And while he is napping, I have been taking advantage of that time and soaking up some good reads. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons, ones that I would like to share.

Gratitude:  thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling, emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

Gratitude is the greatest tool we have and one that sets a baseline. If one wishes you had more, you're poor; if you're happy with what you have, you're rich.

I have definitely in my life time spent a lot of time focusing on the LACK in my life: how I want this, or I want that, or how life will be better when this happens...of course, what happens when we focus on something? No matter whether good or bad, it just gets bigger and bigger. It can put us into a tailspin or it can elevate us to new heights. It all depends on the thought we choose to focus on.

My goal is to learn to always be happy with my life RIGHT NOT--not when the package arrives, or when we finally go on that vacation, or when this or that happens--I'll never want for anything else.
The greatest thing one can ever learn is to be happy right now. Happy without reservation!

This is such basic--but difficult--stuff, & I really need to be reminded about it. So from now on, I am always going to remember that...

WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN MOODS. Someone else may be rude, cruel, petty or downright disgusting--but how it effects us is up to us. We can choose to let it "ruin" our day, or we can choose to rise above.

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO CHANGE, IT IS UP TO YOU. If you look around at your life and feel dissatisfied with your relationship, your job, what your eating or how messy your home is, it is totally & 100% on YOU to change that. While we may like to shift the blame, tell other people that it is "their job", or ignore it and hope it goes away. The only answer is to CHANGE YOURSELF!

WE HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE OUR LIFE. Our generation spends too much time consuming & not enough time creating. Another good lesson: don't be envious or jealous of people who have what you want. Instead, look at their lives & learn from them!

NOTHING IS PERFECT--& NOTHING IS EVER REALLY FINISHED. It's easy to look at someone else's life & think that everything is wonderful all the time, but, it's not. Additionally, it'sall too easy to fall into the trap of thinking, "Once I get to that next stage, I can rest." Life is not like that!--Which brings us to....

EVERYTHING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH. Everything--yes, EVERYTHING!

We can choose the low road---anger, frustration, muttering below your breath, clenching your jaw, yelling, huffing, storming around in rage---or we can decide to take the high road. Take a deep breath. Smile. Forgive. Practice empathy & compassion. Recogonize that getting upset doesn't change our situation (& in fact simply entrenches us deeper in a foul mindset)!

"Life is not the way it's suposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you deal with it makes the difference." (Virginia Satin)

Such great words of wisdom...these are all things that someone could tell me and I would roll my eyes and say, "of course, you're right". There's a difference, though, in knowing something intellectually and knowing it emotionally; knowing it in a way that echoes on a deep, core level. Sometimes these obvious truths are some of the most difficult to assimilate...& until we learn them, they will keep popping up in our lives. 

I resolve with starting today!  

Give the best of yourself to everything you do today, then stand back and watch in awe at the day that unfolds tomorrow and every day thereafter.