Gratitude

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is once again upon us. The holidays can be the most stressful time of year – not because of what actually is, but what we have been conditioned to expect. Precious few of us have the kind of situations depicted in those Norman Rockwell pictures… and the Huxtable’s exist only on television.

The truth is far too many people have accepted fantasy as the standard. Real people have drama, trauma and uncomfortable stuff to deal with. It’s a part of life. So, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, what is there to be thankful for? Just look around.

Regardless of our circumstances, there is something to be grateful for. It is our responsibility to see the glass not half empty – not even half full. We must always see the glass running over. The way we feel about any situation is directly linked to our attitudes.

When starting your day, don’t pull out that mental list of things to do. Before you even get out of bed, take a few moments to think about things that make you feel good, those things that bring a smile to your face. Then give thanks for all of the good things you have in your life… even if on the surface it doesn’t seem like much.

Before you know it, that gratitude list will get longer and longer and you’ll notice that your day will go a whole lot smoother.

Weather Conditions....

So how’s the weather in your neck of the woods today? No, I’m not asking about tropical storms or sunny skies. I’m asking about how you are feeling on the inside. What’s your mood like right now?

Check your internal weather conditions frequently. Live today like the Weather Channel. What do you notice when you check in? What name would you give to how you are feeling right now?

Why do I ask? Well, because what you are experiencing in this moment is attracting more of the same in the next moment. Like attracts like. Negativity breeds more negativity. Doubt breeds worry and fears. Anger generates rage. Powerlessness facilitates despair. Panic makes bad decisions.

When you mix enough of the wrong stuff together, you get a perfect storm. Your thoughts emotions and speech influence what comes next in your life and how you perceive it. Just like a weather forecast, you can check your internal Doppler radar conditions and predict with a high measure of accuracy what’s coming next.

So if what you are experiencing in this moment is attracting more of the same in the next moment, do you like what you are experiencing? If so, keep doing what you’re doing.

If not, here are some quick tips to get out of that storm path and move into sunnier place.

• Be Thankful - Nothing clears stormy skies faster than gratitude and joy. Identify things in your life that you can be grateful for.
• Listen to How You Speak. - You can move yourself into higher ground just by being powerful in your language. Select words that describe a positive powerful ideal state instead of words that call to mind where you don’t want to be.
• Pay Attention to the Thoughts Running Through Your Mind. - Are you thinking more about what you want or what you don’t want? Just be aware of your thoughts and challenge the ones that come from fear uncertainty and doubts.
• Look at what you are doing - If you were taking action as your most powerful purposeful self, would you be engaging the way you are right now?

Regardless of what the weather conditions look like outside, if you check your weather conditions within, you can enjoy variations of your favorite seasons 365 days a year! Wouldn’t that make you want to go singing in the rain?!