Day 21.

I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since I started this challenge.  Life goes by way too fast, which is why there’s no point in stressing, worrying, doubting, complaining, etc.  It’s all a complete waste of time.  Just think how different your life would be without doing all those things.  How different would your life be if you enjoyed every moment…if you took in all the little things that life offers you at that moment (good and “bad”) and were just totally grateful for it?  That’s what this challenge has helped me realize.

I’m understanding that what I consider problems or issues or stress or crazy situations is just my perspective of it.  When I shift my perspective to a more positive one, I get different results.  If I just shift my perspective to a grateful one, it changes the entire circumstance.

This challenge has made me feel better, and I’m so grateful for that because I know that feeling good is what it’s all about.  Don’t we all just want to feel good?  Doesn’t our life basically boil down to that one statement…I want to feel good!

When I would get irritated with toys strung all over the house, I would think how grateful we are to have all these toys.  When I want to honk & cuss at the car in front of me for not going fast enough, I would think how grateful I am for being safe and how grateful I am that I get to go wherever it is that I was headed.  When I had to make a choice, I was grateful that I get to make a choice and that I have options.  When I didn’t feel like making dinner, I was grateful that I had food to make, that I had a house to cook it in and clean dishes and gas to heat it.

This feels good!

This gratitude challenge has made me stop, take the time, and write about my gratitude.  I’m so thankful I did.  It puts things in perspective.  I realize more and more everyday just how great I have it, just how great my life is.  It has given me peace, and allows me to just relax and take it all in…to enjoy the now moment.

This feels good!

As you know (or maybe you don’t), I’m a HUGE believer in the Law of Attraction, where like attracts like.  When I have a feeling of appreciation it’s an energy that I radiate.  That energy is drawing to itself more energy of the same quality, so more things are coming into my experience for me to be appreciative of.

This feels good!

The challenge ends today, but I will never stop being grateful.  I will continue to write in my gratitude journal, and I will continue to be open to receive more good things in my life.

WOW – THIS FEELS GOOD!

(And thank you so, so much to everyone that reads my blog!)

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Today I’m grateful that my youngest son turned 2 years old.  I’m grateful that we had an “intimate” party for him that was SO much fun.  I’m grateful that we were able to buy him lots of gifts, had a fabulous dinner (I made chicken with spinach, pears & feta – yum!), that my mom-in-law joined us, and that we were all together.  I’m grateful that we’re all healthy, happy & enjoying each other.

I’m so grateful to have my children in my life.  They have brought me so much joy.  They mean the world to me, and I’m so grateful that I’m responsible for them.  They have taught me patience, compassion, how to let go and how to be more present.  They show me what’s truly important.  And, they have taught me that love is infinite!!

I can’t thank you enough!  I love you, Max & Miles

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So I didn’t skip out on day 6 of this 21 day gratitude challenge.  The assignment was to call someone and tell them how much you appreciate them.  I did.  I called my mom.  Made me feel good and I know I made her day!  Thanks again, Mom.  I truly appreciate you.

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Today has got to be one of my most favorite days of the year.  Wanna know why?  It’s my birthday!  Today, I turned 37 years old.  I can’t believe I’m 37.  I feel like I’m 27.  I really love getting older.  I’m definitely wiser than I was at 27, and that’s what I love about getting older.  It seems like every year I grow more and more, and with the growth I feel younger, fresher, more alive.

I’m so thankful for the amazing day I had.  I woke up this morning with really no birthday plans, but my day has ended and I got a massage, went shopping for myself (which I never do), brought home sushi to enjoy with my family (okay, so my little guys didn’t indulge in the sushi, but a Sonic grilled cheese and chocolate milk to them is like a fresh, melt in your mouth volcano roll to me!).  And, I topped all that with a fabulous cupcake (white cake with buttercream icing, my fav!).

I was just about to go to bed when I learned about a gratitude challenge.  It’s 21 days and the idea is to help people see the brighter side of life.  This is right up my alley so I had to share.  I would love for you to join me!  Click here to get the deets.

Gratitude Challenge on YouTube

I’m accepting this challenge because I want to blog about my gratitude and share it with you for 21 days.  I have a gratitude journal that I try to write in most days, but I want to see if anything differently happens when I express my gratitude for all to read!  So today, October 1st, the first day of my challenge, I’m so extremely grateful for being born!  I have so much gratitude for my awesome mom who brought me into this amazing world and who taught me so much about life.  Thank you, Mom!  And, thank you to my awesome husband and cutey kids for allowing me to have such a great day today.  I love you!!

Wanna join me?  There’s all kinds of great guidelines and calendars to use on that site.  So please join me…what do you have to lose?

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I was going to name this post “A Little House Cleaning” because really that’s what I should be doing BUT I would first like to tell you a bit about what else I’ve been doing.

At the beginning of this year I got involved with an organization called Spirit Jump.  I’ve blogged about it before so maybe you’re familiar.  If not, you need to read my blog more!  (HA Just kidding, or am I?)  No really, if you’re not familiar with Spirit Jump it’s an organization designed to “jump” or lift the spirits of cancer patients by sending them cards, gifts, and positive energy.  I have teamed up with a new found friend, Cherise, and together we have been able to send 10 or more pieces of jewelry per month to people that need “jumps”.  It’s been so much fun doing this and I can’t thank Cherise enough for all the financial help she has been able to provide.  It’s been really amazing and I just hope that the people on the receiving end are getting as much out of it as we are!

Besides the overall greatness of feeling good for giving, I’ve also recently been featured on a couple different blogs.  One of them is Foxy G Knits.  Lois, of Foxy G Knits, does a weekly tribute to different artists that pay it forward.  She calls it “Art from the ♥”.  I am honored to be one of Foxy G Knits featured artist!  You can see my feature here.  Thank you so much, Lois, for the write up!

Lois is an artist herself.  She hand-knits, one-of-a-kind shawls, wraps and scarves.  And she pays it forward to.  She sends hats and scarves to homeless shelters.  What a great idea!  Check out her beautiful creations!

Another blog that I have had the pleasure of being featured on is “Our Daily Blessing…Life“.  I met Amy through Spirit Jump.  She is battling cancer right now, and one of her sons has had 15 brain operations.  She blogs about her life, and all she’s got on her plate (4 kids and a 21 year marriage).  I have so much respect for her.  I can’t even imagine doing all she does!  She is as positive as she can be, and I truly have a lot of compassion for her and her family.  She is actually doing a giveaway…that giveaway being a $45 Self Symmetry gift certificate!  Get the details here.  I’d love to have you win.  Plus, it’s a great blog to follow!

That’s a little of what I’ve been doing lately, and why it’s been a while since I last posted.  That, and I’ve been cleaning…yeah right!

So my point here is that when you give what you can, you get a lot out of it.  I’ve not only been featured on these fabulous blogs, but I’ve been selling a lot of jewelry, getting custom orders, feeling good, and just enjoying my life!

If you’d like to be a Spirit Jumper too.  It’s so incredibly easy.  Visit their website, get on their email list, and start sending jumps!  You’ll be glad you did

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I get a daily email from Ester & Jerry Hicks.  They send out excerpts from workshops they’ve done in the past.  Here’s one that I received last week.  I wanted to post it because I think it’s really important, and it’s something that I haven’t really thought about in this way.  Check it out:

What true patience is, is knowing that you want it and knowing that it’s coming and actually enjoying the unfolding along the way. Understand that you never get it done. So you might as well be patient. You never get it done, because every time you want and receive, you also receive a new perspective from which to want. Life is a constant unfolding of new desires and then a constant alignment to those desires.

Excerpted from a workshop in Larkspur, CA on Saturday, August 30th, 1997

So to be truly patient is to enjoy what you’re experiencing in the moment.  I’m sure you’ve experienced this…you really want something and then you get it.  You love it, enjoy it, and then a little while later you decide you want something else, probably something that you consider to be better.  But as you’re focused on your new desire, you forget about how great you have it now.  This applies to relationships, money, success, everything!  I believe there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more or wanting something else  AS LONG AS you truly appreciate what you do have now, and  AS LONG AS you truly enjoy it in the moment.

Having true patience is really to have faith, because when we have faith we aren’t worried about how we’re going to get what we want.  When we have faith, we can sit back and enjoy the moment and all the things we have in the moment.  When we live in this state of joy, that’s how energetically we align with our new desires; which is how we’re able to have faith and patience.   We know that the things we desire are on their way.

To be patient is to appreciate and enjoy what you currently have, and to keep enjoying while you are waiting for your new desire.  The more faith you have that your new desire will arrive, the easier it is to be patient!

Keep wanting, keep learning, keep enjoying, keep in the present moment, keep the faith –

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