gratitude – yourhappyplaceblog

HAPPY World KINDNESS Day!

Published on November 13, 2024 by goforthegood11 Comment

What WILL you do in the world today?!

Every day we have an opportunity to be kind, to show up, to notice and appreciate, to be a little better than we were yesterday, BUT TODAY….IS THE DAY!!! For all those other days you had best intentions, should have, would have, could have…YOU CAN INTENTIONALLY do RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS…even ONE.

Just ONE little thing you can do can make a shift in someone’s day—make that automatically someone AND YOU. We always benefit from doing something kind for someone. We all know this, but why do we always have too many things on our daily to do list that often leaves out making a small, tiny difference in someone’s day!! Don’t think–just DO.

Here is a list of ideas…go do something small. Go make a difference. BE KIND.

Begin with a SMILE AND BEING AWARE OF THE ENERGY YOU ARE SHARING. We all bring something to the world—make sure you are being and sharing kindness. PEACE. LOVE and LIGHT to you.

Here are some ideas I posted another year…SPREAD THE KINDNESS

SMILE . Write a thank you note to someone you are thankful for . Leave random love notes . Celebrate someone you admire by taking them out to breakfast or dinner & share with them things you appreciate about them . Take some of your left over change & make people smile as you drop it in tip jars . Write fun messages in chalk on local paths or park areas . Leave change at a laundromat . Leave a Happy Day note on random cars . Buy flowers for a friend or teacher . Organize a local activity to pick up trash & fishing line (doesn’t break down for hundreds of years) in your local park . Make cards for Meals on Wheels . Do a sock drive for your local United Way (most needed item at shelters) . Leave a kind note in library books you have checked out . Genuinely listen to people when they talk to you . Turn off lights you are not using . Say kind compliments to others . Share something positive . Hand out some $1 bills to kids at a dollar store . Buy a huge bag of bird food & feed the feathered, little ones . Offer to walk an elderly person’s dog . Deliver positive notes to an elderly home . Put your phone down and invest in the people around you . A little way to say Thank you–give little baked goods or candy bars to those who give you great service at a drive-thru, nail salon, grocery store, delivery driver, mailman, etc . Write encouraging notes for strangers to find . Share something yummy with your coworkers . Give an unexpected hug to someone . Say hello . Walk a path, smile & say hello to every person you see . Start a family gratitude text chain (daily text of five things you are each grateful for) or family gratitude journal . Take a vase of flowers in to an elderly person who doesn’t get visitors . Plant a tree . Make a meal for someone . Give movie passes or tix for an event to someone who would enjoy them . Share a favorite book with someone . Make pinecone bird feeders . Thank local heroes (police, fire) by dropping off a fun bbq kit or baked goods . Ignore your phone when you are with someone for an entire day–try it! . Reach out to someone you have not connected with in awhile . For one day make sure you say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ . Write a letter to a teacher or mentor (someone who has inspired you) & thank them for the influence they have had in your life . Clean up a hiking trail near your home . Connect with someone who seems alone . Send a great joke to someone . Ask someone a highlight from their day . Be happy . Use a reusable grocery bag . Take some time for yourself . High five a stranger . Be present with people . Give longer hugs . Always remember the ‘golden rule’ . Check your personal attitude–is it positive or negative . Get grateful . Do your best to spread some kindness & love . More ideas…

Here are some additional ideas from the RAK website and other sources: Get someone’s door . Be polite & treat people with kindness . Clean up graffiti . Donate used books to a library . Give care packs to the homeless (or a blanket) . Share your talent of music with the elderly . Help someone with yard work or snow removal . Let someone go in line in front of you . Write a note of appreciation to a teacher . Mentor a child who needs a friend . Pay for a coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks . Return shopping carts . Thank your police or fire department with a fun note or treat . Write a letter or email to someone who made a difference in your life . Visit an animal shelter . Take a bag of dog or cat food to your local shelter . Pick up trash at the beach or nearby nature trail or neighborhood . Send a nice note thanking a soldier . Be a designated driver . Give someone flowers . Visit someone who is sick . Collect canned food and give it to your local food bank . Donate $1 to your child’s favorite charity . Start a charity day at your work & give the money to a good cause . Help someone with their groceries . Give hugs . Leave a nice note for your local mail carrier . Thank your child’s bus driver or crossing guard . Plant a tree . Give compliments . Send something inspiring to those you have on your email list . Be a nice driver on the road . Take shorter showers this week . SMILE . Start a piggy bank for a cause . Share something yummy with coworkers . Say thank you to your school principal and office help . Tell your parents (or send a letter or email) how much you appreciate them & everything they’ve done for you . Let your staff leave a little early from work & thank them for all they do . Give flowers to be delivered with meal delivery programs . Make valentine hearts for the elderly home . Give someone a “heart attack” on their door (bunch of paper hearts that say nice things) . Invite someone new in the neighborhood over for dinner . Have your child take a bunch of fun stickers or suckers and hand them out when the final bell rings . Genuinely thank your waitress or customer service agent or barista or car driver for doing such a good job . Make and share kindness bookmarks or give them to the school library to give away . Leave a $20 in an envelope and leave it for someone in need . leave random notes of kindness on a public mirror or bulletin board . give freely . spread LOVE AND KINDNESS everywhere you can…

JUST DO IT!! xoxo

PEACE. LOVE. LIGHT. JOY to you -H

Attachment in gratitude

Published on July 31, 2023 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

You always hear the wisdom in not getting attached to THINGS, but we are human and we do. We have been asked many times, “If there was a fire or an evacuation, what would be the most important items you would grab?”

It is a very interesting thought process, but in reality, do you really know?

Exactly two years ago we downsized and sold everything besides what we could fit into a small, 8 x 10 moving trailer. After almost 30 years of marriage, we had a lot of stuff. You begin to go through your things and see the attachment you have to them—It was very hard to let go of some of my daughter’s childhood toys because of the memories they hold. Boxes of childhood art, photo albums, report cards, crafts that were made, etc had to be put on phone photos for the memories. We could not hold onto everything—it did not make sense.

When we first moved to Oregon there had been a major fire in a surrounding area, so many people had been effected and had lost their homes. One of the people who came to do some construction on our home was one of those people. It was the perfect opportunity to ask them, “So, in a fire evacuation situation—what did you grab?” The woman looked at me, “My expensive jeans! My body is hard to find jeans that fit.” I smiled and was taken back by her answer. Everyone has their necessities! haha.

Another situation—one of our new neighbors just moved back to Texas last week. They had been packing up their stuff into a large, cargo bin that was going to travel by train to their new destination. My husband is very good friends with the husband, Don. My husband had gone over and helped Don finish up their packing with the heavy lifting of some fine furniture. One of the pieces Don had spent $7,000 on an Amish table that he had custom made. My husband teased that they had to move and lift this table with such care, like it was a million dollar table. Their moving cargo bin was as full as it could possibly be with stuff they had been moving and buying for years. Everything they owned was carefully packed floor to ceiling into this large, metal crate. Don has been keeping my husband in the know of how their travel journey has been going.

This morning my husband came up and told me that he had just talked to Don & Don just learned that their cargo train had derailed in Montana and everything they owned was gone! My heart sank for Don and all the time, hours and special care he had put into packing all of their belongings. They now had literally nothing besides the clothing on their back and a small travel camper they were living in. Don, in his usual, great sense of humor–chimed in, “So Jon, I will need to have your daughter, Kate make us some more of those cookies you sent us with immediately!”

This is where the other side of the story comes in…we must always remember to have a grateful heart for all that we are given. Don’s wife is a woman that is never happy with life. She sadly is the type of person you instantly feel heavy energy from and know the direction the conversation will ultimately go…negative, ungrateful…Every conversation with her held no happiness, no gratitude, just complaints about where she lived, the house, the weather, what she didn’t find on the beach, what wasn’t here on the coast, the lack of everything….on and on. It was exhausting.

Sadly, (not my best reaction. smile) when I heard this news, I instantly thought of Don’s wife and how she has never been grateful. I thought, “Karma” She has not been happy or grateful with anything she has had, so now it has all been literally taken away.

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” -Epicurus

This quote makes me think of how often our mind tricks us into complaining, whining, switching to see through tainted glasses those desires that ultimately harden our hearts. Our rose colored glasses become tainted and we lose focus of all we are gifted. This makes me think of my neighbor & how her perspective on life was wishing she was somewhere else, having shopping malls close by, mad about this or that—instead of seeing the beauty of where she was, the ocean within a 15 minute walk, the serenity, the quiet, the private beach, etc…to many this place is paradise, but how easily we can lose focus of the beauty, the gifts and wish it all away.

There is genuinely something to that! I think if we cannot be happy or grateful with what we have—-WHY would we receive more?

THINGS come and go. Money comes and goes…it is important for us to always remember what is the most important—the relationships, the love, the care we have for others. We become attached to the THINGS, but we need to become more attached to the gratitude for the people we care about most and the little things that make our days better.

I have always loved the thought—NoTHING can make you truly fulfilled or happy. So seeking gratitude can help us focus on those little things that will bring us Joy and a deeper life fulfillment.

How can we create an attachment to gratitude?

Turn it into a practice—weekly or daily “This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” -Maya Angelou. “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.” -Douglas Wood. “The number one joy indicator, the one thing that will predict whether someone feels joy in their life or not, is the practice of gratitude.” -John O’Leary “Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It’s the quickest, easiest, most powerful way to effect change in your life—this I know for sure,” -Oprah Winfrey

IDEAS: I have written many times about gratitude practices and how they have scientifically been linked to greater amounts of happiness. Here are some ideas: Gratitude list it daily or once a week. You can either journal, keep a list, voice memo, etc. Our family group texts out lists to each other & I compile them in a note on my computer.We have also done journals together before bed. It just depends on what works best for you in your life. Gratitude visit: Find someone who has been a great influence to you in your life & connect with them & share your gratitude for them in your life. Stop & fully enJOY the moments: when you find yourself making moments count, whether you stop and smell the flowers, savor the food, hug a loved one, laugh at a joke, watch a sunset, etc…stop and take it in fully.

Give thanks through prayer—“When I pray, I always thank Mother Nature for all the beauty in the world. It’s about having an attitude of gratitude.” -Miranda Kerr. “I lie in bed at night, after ending my prayers with the words ‘Ich danke dir für all das Gute und Liebe und Schöne.’ (Thank you, God, for all that is good and dear and beautiful.)” -Anne Frank

IDEAS: Have a special place you go to—a destination, if you will, of a sacred spot you can go to take some time to say thank you, feel and notice your blessings within your life and just be in the moment. A couple things I do–I have a special prayer rock by the ocean & I also have an outdoor rocking chair that I take a few minutes in the morning to look to the sky, rock and say thank you simply for the day. If you feel too rushed in your day to day, take a moment while you are driving to work or riding the train and get quiet within and begin a list of things to say thank you for.

Be someone’s need-–“Each day brings new opportunities, allowing you to constantly live with love—be there for others—bring a little light into someone’s day. Be grateful and live each day to the fullest,” -Kyo Maclear

IDEAS: Always be on the lookout for people who need a smile, give a stranger a compliment, start up a conversation at a coffee shop. Leave notes: Make a habit of once a month to leave little notes for people who waitress your table, a cashier at a drive-thru, someone you work with, a great neighbor & express your gratitude for them. Leave little post-it notes for those you live with and love. They always need a little encouragement and love. Always be available and offer support to those around you. Simply just listen in any conversation you are in—that is such a need. Stay off of your phone and be aware of anyone and everyone around you—at the mall, at work, school—smile, be the one who makes eye contact and makes another person FEEL seen.

Visualize—“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” -Kristin Armstrong “Focusing on one thing that you are grateful for increases the energy of gratitude and rises the joy inside yourself,” -Oprah. “When we dwell on the positive, and feed our minds with beauty and goodness, we exude positivity and create favorable situations. It’s as simple as that,” -Leona Sokolova

IDEAS: Create a visual journal of thanks. Make a collage of things you would like in your life. Simply breathe and allow a spirit of thanks.

Be aware of your gratitude—“When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” -Tecumseh. “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love—then make that day count!” -Steve Maraboli

IDEAS: Wayne Dyer would share his morning ritual of once his feet hit the floor out of bed, he would give thanks for a new day. Take a walk and notice the details around you: smell the flowers, look at the lines and symmetry in nature, just breathe, appreciate your eyes that can see the beauty around you, hear the birds and be thankful you can hear them. —-My sweet husband has had chronic ear problems that have caused him to not be able to hear higher pitched sounds, so there are many birds he cannot even hear. It makes my heart ache for him.—Stop and notice. Listen. Breathe.

What are you thinking about? What are you saying to yourself? “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” -GK Chesterton

I was just talking with my daughter about this. Our thoughts truly can create parts of our reality, so you need to be aware of what you are thinking and telling yourself. My daughter was sharing that she had felt like she had not done anything with her life at this point. I had to help her put her rose-colored glasses back on & SEE a little more clearly. I reminded her that she had just been offered and was working in the Marine field, was photographing seals for an incredible internship opportunity, has made lots of friends & is going to be the President of a huge ocean club on her college campus…I said, “If you cannot begin to see the charms of your life, the gifts you have been given, why would God be so excited to keep giving you more?” We literally went to a store & found a pair of rose-colored glasses & took some fun pics of her to remember the conversation. Sometimes we need to change our lenses & focus on the incredible things & practice being grateful.

Notice the little things—“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” -Robert Brault. “There are so many things in the world that could be invisible to the material eye, and when you take a moment to stop, to pause, to be present and notice them—that’s gratitude.” -Jay Shetty. “By writing what I was grateful for, I learned to look for things that made me smile,” -Dr. Ranjani Rao

IDEAS: I always stop and smell the wild roses. It is a tiny thing that reminds me of the small blessings we easily walk by and rarely take in. Plus, the fragrance is incredible. When we begin to notice the little things that is when the magic happens. When you get up early before the world wakes you find yourself in wondrous places. —-My husband and I got up early and went to a neighborhood garden before the world got busy & while we were walking a mama deer and two little fawns walked casually in front of us through the garden. It was like a dream.—–

Let go of ‘Lack’ and embrace the blessings you have—“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” -Epictetus. “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” -Germany Kent. “The moment I stopped spending so much time chasing the big pleasure of life, I began to enjoy the little ones, like watching the stars dancing in a moonlit sky or soaking in the sunbeams of a glorious summer morning,” -Robin Sharma

IDEAS: We are human–there will always be a sense of lack and of gratitude….which one do you want to focus on? Where is the energy going to take you? I think this can be such an easy trap to fall into. We can look at our neighbors, see people with better bodies, wish we could vacation more, etc. But when we focus on things that are trivial—we lose sight of the daily gifts that happen every day. We get stuck wishing things were different, instead of enjoying the life you have today. There are no guarantees for tomorrow.

Find a reverence—“Gratitude bestows reverence…changing forever how we experience life and the world.” -John Milton. “Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace,” Arianna Huffington

IDEAS: Savor the solitude, stop and watch the pelicans, feed the seagulls, take the time to see the sunset, walk through nature, stare lovingly at your favorite people you love, make food with love, …life is a gift to enJOY. Take it all in and be grateful in the moments.

Live it—“So it is not happiness that makes us grateful. It’s gratefulness that makes us happy,” -monk David Steindl-Rast

IDEAS: You must live it now! I have the sweetest neighbor who takes care of her 93 year old mom, but my neighbor has stopped living because she gets stuck in the ideas of…when my mom is gone, when I don’t have to take care of her…I will see more of my daughter when…she rarely leaves the house because she has convinced herself that when…things change… then I will live. You only have right now to truly live. Life is in session.

I hope this post helps you find the gratitude you need right now for your life. Begin. Begin again if you need to. It is a practice worth creating.

Peace, Love and Light. xoxo H

Change. Little things. Grateful.

Published on September 23, 2021 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Well, I have not written for a couple of months because we picked up and moved out of state!! It has been a lot of change, but for the most part, so many little things that make me so grateful.

Change vs Challenge: It is what you make it! Just before we were physically moving, my husband seemed to get into a bit of a funk and was not happy or excited about moving. I knew he was sad and concerned to leave so many things he was use to. He LOVED our walmart two minutes away, his family, beautiful properties that we LOVE to visit, his work was within 15 minutes and the airport 45 minutes away. He was struggling with the thought of so much change and being far away from things that were comfortable. I was actually a little shocked, because every other move we have made throughout our marriage, he was ready for. We had moved over 15 other times within probably a 15 year time period–mostly for different job opportunities. He was struggling this time & that did not make things easier. I had to remind him that we were moving for our daughter & that no matter what happens, she is the reason we are making the move, to be there as a support system while she begins college.

We moved. We have landed. We have taken the jump. The nearest Walmart is 30 minutes away, the closest airport is 2 hours away, according to the USPS we have an “undeliverable address” for the mail system (but don’t worry we get Amazon 🙂 the closest and only fast food that we recognize is Subway, taco Bell and McDonalds, which are all about 20 minutes away. There have been many changes, but with every chance we strive to find the good, the beautiful, to enjoy the new environment, the new experiences and all the new people. It has been so fun to go out of our way to meet our new neighbors. Where we live there are literally only 25% of the people in this gated community. Most of the homes are vacant & are used as vacation or second homes. We have stretched to find all the regulars. We have delivered cookies, had ice cream nights, long conversations and have been going out-of-our-way to connect with those around us. There is a variety of people: artists who do art fairs, a retired camera man from The Price is Right, Farmers from Southern Oregon, Texans, widows…variety is the spice of life!

In all the change, it has been the most rewarding to see my husband completely change his perspective and embrace the whole experience. He walks around our community lit up by the beauty & just talks over and over again about how wonderful everything is and that it never gets old. He takes us to the beach every chance we get together. He gets up at the crack of dawn on a low-tide & takes us agate hunting. He seems to have taken the changes and turned the challenges into positive moments and memories that will last forever.

It is what you do with your experiences that will matter most!

Here comes the Sun: Little did we know that we would be genuinely in awe of the tremendous beauty that is here along the coast. We have been blessed with amazing weather for the two months we have been here. Months leading up to our move we had soo many people share their own opinions—political views, weather related issues,such change, etc . Most people were not supportive and a bit sarcastic to say the least. We have had our own hesitations and concerns, but we take it day by day and enjoy every sunny day we can. There is this incredible mist that comes and goes along the coast. It seems to have its own weather system that brings in a thick, misty fog that mists the trees and green foliage, to then burn off to bring a sunny, blue sky moment or day. With the sun coming and going you definitely find moments where you know you have taken it for granted and just need a little sunshine. I smile when I see my dogs move around the house lying in various sun spots they can find. We all need a little sun…light.

Don’t judge: It has sincerely been a lesson over and over again in don’t judge! If you were to drive around the small town we live in you would see a very distinct contrast from where we came.

I had a tattoo-faced, window washer, musician and father of five come into my home. At first glance many would wonder about him, probably steer clear of him, but I embraced the moment and wanted to know everything about him. We had an instant connection and a very stimulating conversation about his life story, connecting with people, the purpose of life…deep stuff. He became an instant, great friend. It was sincerely one of the funnest conversations I have had in a long time.

Another experience–I had an older, Hippy looking man come over to give us a floor estimate. My first impression wondered what his story was and considered that he could be one of the many people in this town that look like they are coming and going…most likely passing through with this job. He came in and began measuring and letting us know what we would need to do. We got into a conversation and he began to share a personal experience of losing his daughter to drinking & how she was unexpectedly killed in a car accident. It was one of those moments that just connects you to another human being. Here was this humble man sharing part of his heartache while measuring our floors. When he left we felt so connected to this kind man. We later found out he was actually the business owner. One of those aha moments.

Don’t judge—then you miss out on the treasures inside.

Grateful: I know gratitude is talked about constantly, but there truly is a loving power in the grace of getting grateful. Say thank you for your day. Find little details to be in awe of. Experience something new and be thankful for a beautiful view, a new perspective. Gratitude has power—utilize it in your life. It is constantly talked about for a reason.

With my new environment, I seek images to capture, moments and memories to make, admire sticks or rocks in the sand, love watching and connecting to a bobbing seal in the water, to be in awe of the thunder of the rolling ocean and to be humbled by it all. Change can shake you, bring you to your knees and help you see a different perspective. Be grateful for that. What a gift.

With the topic of CHANGE I am beautifully reminded of one of my favorite speakers, authors, spiritual advocate…Elizabeth Lesser. Here is a great quote by her about embracing change.

Have a blessed day. Peace, love and light to you in all you do. -H

Oh, the difference of gratitude

Published on August 18, 2017 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

My husband just left to head back to his RV home in Reno, NV. We are big fans of Survivor, so we are now affectionately calling his other home—RENO ISLAND (like Redemption Island). We figure the two are similar–a place where he finds his own food, works to help us survive and is away from everything he loves and appreciates. He is on his own.

I have to constantly say to myself that there is a point to our separation—A JOB=MONEY=SURIVAL! So, I am beginning to think it does have something to do with ‘the root of all evil!’ haha. Smile.

I woke up this morning thinking–Why coudn’t everyone just live in a tropical paradise, live off the land, have no money worries… & I was quickly brought back to reality…probably because most of us have seen Survivor & know you just get eaten alive in one way or another!! haha. bugs…people…weather…

So, as my sweet husband drove away yesterday & the tears rolled down my face & my daughters, I have to remember to have a grateful heart. Gratitude is everything in any situation. You can either decide to be consumed by frustration and anger, or find a place within your heart to be grateful.

So, this morning I am adding some quotes to help me feel more gratitude & to focus on the gift of it in all we do.

56581409b97b15b6c7d5736c7d81960e--gratitude-jar-gratitude-journals

I am banking on the above quote—We will NOT be the same people after two months. I do not believe we are the same people after two weeks of being apart. My gratitude for my husband made me appreciate a deeper level of appreciation for him, this sacrifice, his everything. I appreciated hearing his whistle even more. I hugged him even tighter. I cried even harder this second time he left. I believe through the struggle we become stronger in some way.

beattie I have always loved this quote because it is so true. I am still waiting for the feeling of confusion to turn to clarity, but every experience is what you turn it into. I pray we can turn this into an even better vision for tomorrow.

f133e80473302b7638795925c1450a3c--gratitude-ideas-gratitude-jar You can always find so many things you are grateful for right now!! Since my husband has been gone he has mentioned a few of the ‘comforts of home’ he misses. It may sound funny, but he missed the cheese & bread we usually buy. He misses going to our local gas station & buying his favorite soda. He misses our shower, because now he showers in either a KOA shower (used by numerous people) or his tiny RV stall (which is 3 x 3). I am not complaining. We are extremely grateful for the RV. We are by no means destitute or living on the street, but I know this experience will help us learn a few things about ourselves, our relationship and all that we take for granted. Think of some things you take for granted & are grateful for. LIST THEM.

e9424d4583308720a3c9c96973a07495 I am grateful to have my little family, even though we are apart. Separation truly does make the heart grow fonder. (I have learned that!). I am grateful to breathe, to smile, to walk, to smell fresh air, to take warm showers, to see the beautiful, blue sky, to hug my daughter, to talk on a phone, to have my parents still close, to have a home, to have a job, to have clean water, to live in freedom, to have a healthy body that can move, to walk through forests, to feel the sunlight upon my face, to play with my dog, to dream, to create, to write, to have an abundance of food, to hear my dog bark (haha–he is crazy), to see butterflies, to see the change in light outside, to…there are so many things if we take a moment to notice. What are you grateful for? Think about it.

THANK YOU. I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU! Have a BEAUTIFUL DAY! Make it AMAZING. It is what you make it! -H

A lesson from being totally numb!

Published on March 27, 2017 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I recently have been going to the dentist to take care of some periodontal issues. The serious nature has had me getting intensely drugged and numbed. I left the dentist office two different times looking like I had a stroke (mouth droopy) and my entire mouth numb and left without feeling. Talk about humbling. I could not feel my lips or tell if I was sucking a straw. It was terrible. I felt like Tim Allen…see below..hahaha

Now, seriously. It was humbling and my heart ached for people who suffer from health issues. It made me think of my friend who was pregnant and had a stroke during her pregnancy. She lost mobility and memory. She struggled to find a reason for what had happened to her. She came to the realization that if it was for her child, she could struggle through & then she was thrown into the fire of losing that child. She wondered why. She began to question everything. She fell into a depression. She had not only lost physical mobility, she was now struggling with emotional mobility. She had other children she needed to take care of, so she had to go deep into her emotional reserve and find a place where she could begin to build again.

Today. I hope that many of you out there who do not struggle physically or emotionally will count the many gifts that you take for granted. I know walking out of that dentist office numb made me aware of the many gifts I take for granted. Think about it…A FEW things to get you thinking about the many gifts you are given…

Do you have healthy children? If you need a little more realization on this go watchthe movie, “Miracles from Heaven.” My husband and I balled watching what that family had to go through and endure. It is based on a true story. Just imagine having a sick child & how difficult that would be. Go hug your children and thank the heavens that they are healthy and happy.

Two gifts you opened this morning–your eyes: You have the gift to see. There are many people who don’t take the time to look at the details, to notice the small gifts all around them. Read something. Go outside and look at the symmetry of leaves. Watch the clouds. Enjoy a sunrise or sunset. Notice color.

Do you have abundance? Whether it is fruit available for picking, a grocery store full of a variety of goods, running water, energy, family near, somewhere to live…My sister-in-law just moved to California. They had a house lined up to move into when they arrived, but the day they were to move in, the funding fell through. Luckily they had a trailer to live in while they are trying to work things out. My sister-in-law laughed as she explained their situation, “and I wanted to sell the trailer!” My response, “I bet you are glad you have it right now.” They are living in a trailer, but are abundant with love. They took a day as a family and made it a memory in Disneyland. She joked that they are homeless, but they are in Disneyland and enjoying it. Every situation is different, but if you can find the abundance wherever you are, you will find the gift within the situation.

Do you have love? We all come from love, but sometimes that gets lost in the confusion of life. You may be surrounded by friends and family who love you or you may have a best pet friend or maybe you are constantly searching for love. Do you love yourself? Love can be found in service, caring for another, holding the hand of someone afflicted, listening to someone in need…LOVE is everywhere, it is a gift that may be freely given or you may need to seek and find it. Love is in our nature.

Do you have a healthy body? Many of us take for granted and sometimes abuse the incredible gift we have been given–our body. It is an amazing piece of systematic genius. How are bodies function is a miracle & we do not have to do anything. It runs beautifully. Sometimes it is put on us to take better care of this amazing gift and we need to take it seriously. When we begin to break down, life becomes more difficult. We need to seek out good healthy habits. We need to find exercises we love. We need to sleep, drink water and do good things. Do you appreciate the ability to touch, to hear, to breathe, to taste yummy foods, etc. We need to be grateful for the health and happiness we have.

Do you appreciate being able to learn and grow? We have a great ability to learn anything with the help of the internet, youtube, connecting with others, etc. It is amazing!! We are only limited by what we do NOT do. Learn something new & guaranteed you will find a new zest for your life. You will begin to strive to seek out new things more often to enhance your life. You will learn and want to share with others around you. It is contagious! When we don’t seek out new things, we become stagnate and don’t grow. Take the time. It is worth it. Seek to learn something new each day, even if it is something small. You will fill it boost your day. I promise!

Do you have balance? Mind. Body. Spirit. All come together as a whole.

Well, this is a small list, but a good start. Create your own list of things you are grateful for and begin to to truly live, love and see the things that make your life incredible.

Peace and love to you. -H

Thanks. Gratitude & YOU

Published on March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I just finished reading Pam Grout’s book, Thank & Grow Rich. It was a great read and I would highly recommend it. It is full of wonderful stories, ideas, activities and overall good!! I think if you can finish a book and it leaves you feeling better, learning something, and taking good things away from it…AWESOME!! So, with that, I wanted to share some of my favorite highlights (my literal highlighted points). Enjoy!! I am only going to put some because I do not want to spoil the book for you in any way. Read it and take the good from it!

THANKS PAM for your inspired book!!

“When you get on the joy and gratitude frequency that I write about in this book, you radiate an energy that draws things into your life. The right people serendipitously walk across your path. The answer to a troubling question miraculously appears.

In Spain, they call this energy duende. If you tender (have) duende, it means there is something invisible that draws magic your way.”

“It wasn’t until I began counting my blessings that the other frequency was able to make contact, the still, small one that whispered kind truths…

The still, small voice reminded me that everything I see, everything I believe, is just a story I made up. It told me that, in Truth, I am spirit. I am light. All those voices, those wars going on in my head, are nothing but chunks of the collective consciousness that I can either believe an defend against or I can transmute with gratitude. The real me, it told me, is kind, giving, in deep communication with all of creation. The real me is a true force for love.”

“What could elicit more joy than realizing your assignment here on this big ball hurtling through space is to have fun, follow the GPS of your joy, and create the good, the holy, and the beautiful.”

988037-bigthumbnail “Rather than take steps to flee or change it, you have to first allow it. You have to bless it. You have to go so far as to call it good. Freedom and power come in choosing to bless with gratitude every single thing that shows up.”

“Once you come into coherence with your real self, a sacred being with no beginning and no end, you can get on with creating beauty and expanding love. You can give up the grasping and the clawing, the pointless plans to protect your linear self.

You are not linear. You are light temporarily doing Sue or Bob or Priscilla. We have become so focused on this transitory, temporal self that we forgot who we really are. We forgot how powerful we are. We forgot our true mission–to expand the Kingdom of Light and Love.”

being-grateful-for-what-you-have-now-could-make-you-richer-in-the-future “Sh*t happens. And I would be the first to agree. However, 99.9 percent of life, even during the sh*t storm, still operates in perfect working order, continues to run as efficiently as that annoying Energizer Bunny.

Right now, for example, my body is emitting two and a half tons of atmospheric pressure that keeps me from flying off into space. That is a friction’ miracle–99.9 percent of my life is a friction’ miracle.

Anyone who thinks life is nothing but an ordeal is clearly deluded. For the sake of argument, let’s take a count:

The skirt you wanted to wear to work is wrinkled in the laundry basket.
The freeway is crowded with bozos on their cell phones.
Your boss doesn’t get you.

AND…

You were created from stars.
Free liquid falls from the sky–do you know how remarkable that is?
You live on a planet with just the right amount of oxygen and…
…just the right ratio of…
…just the right gases.
Each of your cells has thousands of mitochondria that create energy so you can give the finger to me and all the other optimists.

And I’m just getting started.

I’m not suggesting we play ostrich and stick our head in the sands of la-la land. But why devote so much of our lives to the one-tenth of one-percent that isn’t working? Deal with the wrinkled shirt and the boss… and… never forget that your body’s 100 trillion cells came from the division of one single cell.

And…that millions of new cells are being born every hour to replace the old ones. Without, I might add, any input on your part. Thousands of things have already gone right for you today….”

239933edc3385edfb8e5891059fbf2f0 That is all I am going to share. There are some great quotes, statistics, stories. There is SO much more, but I did not want to “spoil” it. This gives you a tiny glimpse of her message. Take the time and take the good.

-Peace out and love to you my friend. -H

Oh how blessed we are

Published on June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

6b428dfcb7ec9a69577941481908fc2d With the US Independence day this weekend it makes me reflect how blessed I feel to be free. I think many Americans have no idea how free we are.

This past week I was drawn to a small red box film called, Desert Dancer, that was the true story about an Iranian dancer named Afshin Ghaffarian. This movie gave me a whole new perspective on how naive I am to the freedom I enjoy each and every day.

Afshin grew up unable to dance & was actually punished as a young child for dancing in his childhood school. His story was one of needing self-expression, desire, passion, and seeking to live from his heart. This movie opened my eyes further to understand those countries that live in such suppression. It made me try to imagine how it would be to have to hide a passion; to have to break rules to live a dream; to seek a better understanding of a world so torn and broken and to finally have a taste of freedom.

As we celebrate our freedom, I challenge all of you to share a prayer of thanks for the wondrous freedoms we live each day. Peace. Love and Freedom to all.

To all of you who are feeling less than free. May you find it in your heart today.

Peace and Love to all.

today_i_am_free_and_thankful_by_myhwdesign-d700d4l

Life Lessons

Published on April 5, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I have been driving my daughter and her two friends to school each morning and found it to be a great time to share some daily life lessons. These girls are thirteen, at a pivotal age where everything and everyone around them is defining who they are becoming, who they are listening to and who they will follow. I figured this was a perfect opportunity to share with them good things every morning to start their day.

I figured maybe some of you may enjoy a few daily life lessons you could share with those you love–enjoy! I am going to put a few at a time and then post them, so take what you like and share them while you are driving your kids to games or dance lessons or share them around the dinner table or bed time. Good things are always good for the whole family. The whole world! Enjoy and share the inspiration.

GET GRATEFUL: This morning I shared with them a video clip of a girl who got cancer when she was nine & had to have her leg amputated, but what they did with part of her leg was inspired. Check it out.

I also shared with them the story line of the movie, “Miracles from Heaven” which shared the story of a ten year old who got really sick from her lower intestines becoming paralyzed and how hard it must have been for her to not be able to eat real food. She had to be tube fed (through a tube down her nose) or supplemental pills.

I then shared with them how my niece (age 12) had just been to the dentist and was told she had 4 teeth that were like that of an 80 year old person and she would need to anticipate them falling out.

The Life Lesson: get grateful that you have a healthy body that can eat, that can run, walk, dance, rock climb, jump, and is capable of anything. We often take that for granted and waste our time, sit on our butts and don’t get outside and walk or take a bike ride or try something new. We take for granted our healthy bodies. I challenged them to remember that next time they were complaining of going on a walk or not wanting to do something active. They need to get grateful and get going!

EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE: Life Lesson–You don’t have to do anything…you don’t have to be happy, you don’t have to be sad. It is a beautiful freedom to feel, be, do, say and become anything we want. We have a choice every day to decide the direction we want to go in–positive or negative. We decide how we react to any situation and we decide what we learn from every situation. We have a choice every single moment of our lives.

Velcro Story Swiss amateur mountaineer George de Mestral loved the outdoors and his daily walks with his dog. What he didn’t love was the burdock seeds that clung to his wool pants and his dog’s fur. He found the burs incredibly annoying until the day he wondered why they stuck. By profession, George de Mestral was an engineer and inventor. He examined one of the burdock seeds under a microscope and was astonished by what he saw. The bur consisted of hundreds of tiny hooks that grabbed into the loops of thread in the material of his pants. This fool-proof, nature-made fastener became the inspiration for Mestral’s 1948 invention Velcro®.

Velcro® sales were somewhat slow the first couple of years, but Mestral never gave up and concentrated on tweaking his product to perfection. By 1955, over sixty million yards of Velcro® sold in that year alone making the inventor a very wealthy man.

So besides sharing with you this fascinating little piece of history, what’s the point? Attitude is the point, and the importance of having a good one. A person’s attitude toward their circumstances, toward their relationships, toward themselves, toward the planet, toward everything and everyone they come into contact with shapes their world and in turn, hands them their next set of circumstances and relationships. If a person’s attitude is negative, they will experience the circumstance or relationship as negative. In short, they will see nothing but “weeds.”

If a person’s attitude is positive and they are willing to look for the positive within every circumstance and relationship no matter what, then they will make Velcro® out of the weeds.

Adopt a Velcro® attitude about life and “stick” to it! Copyright Mary M. Bauer.

A MATTER OF ATTITUDE:

Thomas Edison’s laboratory was virtually destroyed by a fire in December, 1914. Although the damage exceeded $2 million, the buildings were insured for only $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof. Much of Edison’s life’s work went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison’s 24-year-old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris. He finally found him, calmly watching the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind.

“My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67–no longer a young man–and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother? When I tolld him I didn’t know, he said ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this again as long as she lives.”

The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”

*taken from Chicken Soup for the Soul 3

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same. -francesca reigler

Life Lesson: No matter how bad things may seem or how hard life may get, your attitude makes all the difference. Thomas did not focus on all he had lost, he found great value in beginning again. It was how he chose to look at the disaster.

Well, continue to look for my posts called, ‘life lessons’ and enjoy the tidbits, the stories, the life lessons that inspire us daily.

Enjoy your day!! -H

Oh, precious gifts.

Published on July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Oh, how precious life is. Oh, how precious are the gifts we are given each day…health, comfort, freedom, family, joy, suffering…I awoke this morning to my sweet daughter crying in pain from an earache. My heart struggled seeing her in such pain. I took little soothing remedies and got her calmed down. I looked at her and prayed that she would sleep in comfort and feel better. I also looked at her and had a tinge of sadness for parents who watch their children struggle with harsher illness and feel like they are helpless. I instantly had a feeling of relief and gratitude that she does not suffer daily.

These are the moments where I find myself even more grateful to have those I love close to me. We often take those closest to us for granted, so here is an opportunity for all of us to gain a greater understanding of our feelings, of our gifts of the wonderful people around us. *Think about the following questions regarding any important person in your life: What would I be missing if that person were no longer in my life? In what specific way would I miss that person? And, What would I like to say to this person if I only had one more chance?

Pensively, James A Farley adds other questions he asks of himself and others: “How much do most of us appreciate the countless little daily acts of…kindness by others that make our lives more comfortable? How grateful are we, really, for the privilege of living in a country where most of us can take freedom, justice and security for granted? How much thankfulness do most of us feel for the marvelous gift of life itself, and how adequately do we express this to the Giver?” In hostly assessing his own answers, Farley faced the painful truth: He was not nearly as appreciative as he should, or would, like to be. So he committed to the following resolutions:

“To thank the people who make my world run smoothly…not just with a casual word or an impersonal tip, but with some expression of genuine interest in them as fellow human beings.”

“To make myself more aware of the miraculous privileges involved in simply being an American, and to show my thankfulness by working without thought or reward to make my country better.”

“To remind myself every day of the infinitely precious value of every minute of existence, and to show my gratitude to God not only with prayers of thanksgiving but by living as close as possible to the way He wants me to live.”

And Farley finishes: “A basic rule in showing appreciation, I have found, is this: do it now. Do it while your sense of gratitude is fresh and strong. If you feel a flash of thankfulness, act on it before the impulse dies away.” [taken from The Heart of Goodness]

So, here and now I am giving thanks and gratitude for those closest to me, for their health, our happiness and the gift we find in one another. Love and peace to you. May you find the precious gifts within your life and give thanks. -H

What do we take for granted…

Published on May 18, 2015 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

This is a big question & one that only YOU can answer. I know for me, I definitely take for granted that I was blessed to be given a daughter to hold, raise and love. I take for granted the little things that I daily am able to do like walk, see, hear, taste yummy foods, hold my husband’s hand. I take for granted that my parents are still alive and that they are still together after 40+ years of marriage. I take for granted the freedoms of where I live. I take for granted that I can read. I take for granted that I can freely learn anything I want. I take for granted that I can speak clearly & share my thoughts and ideas. I take for granted creativity, time, talents…There are many things that I take for granted at different times. I think we all do, but I have had a couple of experiences recently that have made me see a little more clearly.

This past school year I have been volunteering & helping with the schools “service club.” We offer this little club to kids who need a place to go, who want to do little projects for needy children in other countries. It’s been a wonderful experience. The woman who heads up the club was a great example to me of selflessness. At the beginning of the year she was going through her own personal crisis–her husband was in need of a kidney transplant. It was an emotional roller coaster each week watching her deal with her husband put on dialysis, trouble with doctors, having moments of hope that a sister was a good match & then learning she wasn’t emotionally the right match…on and on. She continued to come to our little service club despite everything going on at home. What I have not mentioned is that she also has physical challenges. She walks with a cane and hobbles in pain everywhere she goes. Her hip is displaced leaving one foot higher than the other, so she has to buy $50 shoes that help her walk.

I have watched this woman all year handle all these personal struggles with a positive attitude, a can do personality, a sheer determination to make it all work. Luckily, her husband in the last couple months did have a family member who was a good match & the transplant was successful. yay!

For me, a big life lesson. We had been planning an end of the year service club party that we planned to do at a nearby pavilion at the school. The pavilion was probably 50 feet from the parking lot. The week before the party she hobbled in to service club & looked at me. “I think we are going to have to do a different location for the party. It is just too far for me to walk.”

Later that same day I walked the path from my home, passed the pavilion [the one we had talked about] and kept walking. I thought long and hard & looked to the heavens and said, “thank you for the gift of being able to walk.” I can’t even imagine being bed-ridden, being imprisoned in a body that can’t function how it is meant to. It was a huge lesson in taking something for granted.

This made me think of the following video. This past weekend my daughter had a friend over & this song was one of her favorites. She shared it with us & then we almost all cried when we read one of the comments below the video…When i hear this song.. i remember my whole family who died in a road accident 4 months ago ! RIP Mom,Dad & my bro ! I’m left alone here and i can’t find the way to live ::::””((((

We all sat silent thinking about how hard that would be. Needless to say, it gave us a greater appreciation that we have our families still with us. I think there are moments where we all take that for granted.

Watch this beautiful video. This guy’s fiancé was in a terrible accident that left her with brain damage & he has stayed with her trying to get her to a better place. What a journey of selfless love. Beautiful.

I hope and pray that you will think about the little and big things you may take for granted in your life & hold a space of appreciation and love. Peace to you. -H