Okay, so I’ve totally slacked on this.  I could easily just blog about my excuses as to why, but I’ll spare you.  Plus, it doesn’t matter.  So, what I’ve done is list the assignments in the 21 day gratitude challenge for the days that I slacked, plus today’s.

Day 16 – Stand in front of the mirror for five minutes and focus on at least five things that you love about yourself. Write them down in your journal.

5 minutes, really?  This was not as easy as it sounds.  Fortunately, it didn’t say stand naked for 5 minutes!!  Looking at myself in the mirror for 5 minutes…I interpretted that to mean “what are the 5 things physically that you love about yourself”.

1.  My hair

2.  My arms

3.  My ass

4.  My complexion

5.  My stomach

I’m truly grateful for these physical attributes, but more than that I’m grateful that my body is healthy, strong, and functions properly (without me knowing how it all works!).

Day 17 – Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.

This was last Saturday and that day I had lots to be grateful for.  I taught a yoga class that morning.  I hung out with my niece & nephew, enjoyed some gorgeous weather, and had Max’s 4th birthday party.  I could go on and on, but I’d like to just focus on one thing this day.   I’m so, so thankful for the students that show up every week and allow me to guide them in their yoga practice.  They are extremely dedicated students and I’m inspired by them every week!  I’ve been teaching this group of students for many, many years now (I could figure out exactly how many, but it’s late! ) and I’m so thankful to have them in my life.  I learn so much from them.  They are great people, and I really do appreciate them.

Day 18 – For the past three days, you have focused on appreciating what makes you unique. Write about all the things that make you so lovable. Take a moment to appreciate your personal style, talents and charm.

I think what makes me “so lovable” is that I don’t take myself too seriously.  I have a great sense of humor.  I’m completely easy going and don’t get bothered by what others say or do.  I listen more than I talk, and for the most part I like everyone.  And ya know what??  I love all that stuff about myself.  I’m really thankful that I’m this way.  I haven’t always been all these things, but as I’ve grown I’ve really come to love myself more and more.  Thank you for this.  I think it’s a fantastic feeling!

Day 19 – Have confidence in the all the choices you have made today and be grateful for being able to believe in
yourself.

I’m grateful that I believe in myself.  It takes work and I’m glad that I work on it!  I, like you, have doubts.  I really try to identify those doubts, and doubt my doubts.  Sometimes it easily works and others not so much, but I do recognize that it’s all me; that I’m the one that holds myself back, that gets in my own way.  And for that I’m grateful.  I’m grateful that it’s in my hands, and I have control over it.  My confidence and belief in myself starts with me and ends with me.  I’m grateful for the awareness, the pep talks that I give myself, and for the choices I make.

Day 20 – As The Challenge winds down, write a thank you note to yourself. Thank yourself for taking the time to stop and focus on all the little things for which you feel grateful.

Dear Self,

I’m really glad I did this challenge.  Thank you so much for taking the time each day to be aware, to be grateful and to be challenged.  I have been reminded to appreciate the little things and the big things.  My eyes have been opened to just how great I have it.  I have an awesome life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I’m thankful that this challenge was brought to my attention, and that I’ve inspired others to take the challenge as well.  I’m thankful that on those days that I didn’t feel like actually blogging about my gratitude, or didn’t have time that I didn’t quit.  It never once entered my mind to quit.  Thank you!

I’m thankful that I’ve put myself out here, so to speak, and have been more exposed.  It has made me open up in ways that I would have normally kept to myself in a personal gratitude journal.

I’m thankful for the way this challenge has made me feel, and I’m so glad and grateful I did it!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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My assignment today is to “take the time to focus on yourself. Appreciate and give thanks for your unique personality, skills and talents.”

Here we go:

I’m thankful that I know who I am and am true to myself.  I’m thankful for the confidence in who I am and that I don’t feel like I need to be anyone else.

I appreciate the mom that I am, the wife that I am, the friend that I am, but above all that I appreciate who I am.  I know that being a mom, wife, and friend are just labels that we put upon ourselves, and above that, above the ego is me, and I love me.

I’m grateful that I’m laid back and easy going.  I’m thankful that I’m productive and efficient.  I can multitask like nobody’s business (you should see what all I’ve got going on right this moment ) or I can focus on one thing and be completely present for it.

I’m so thankful that I’m healthy and strong.

I’m thankful that I live life in the present moment as best I can, and that I have developed a great sense of awareness.  I appreciate that I’m aware of my thoughts and of my feelings and can change them if I’m not liking the way I feel.

I’m so, so grateful that I have a positive perspective.  I love that I see life through rose colored glasses, and that it’s always sunny and 70 in Katland.

I appreciate my sense of humor (even if I am the only one laughing…those who know me well know that I crack myself up all the time), my wit, my creativity, my passions (that I know what my passions are!), and my ability to let go.

Thank you, Me.  Love, Me

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Day 13 of the 21 day gratitude challenge – I’m loving this challenge, but wow it is a challenge!  I’m not used to blogging so much, but glad (and thankful, of course) that I am.

So the assignment is this –  Pick three friends or family members you see regularly. View their actions and gestures through a positive lens, assuming their goodness and witnessing their best intentions.  –

Nearly all my family and friends are positive people.  Of course they have negative thoughts at times (who doesn’t?), but for the most part they’re positive.  When they’re not, they become aware they’re not (which I think is what’s important!).  I’m extremely grateful to be surrounded by their light.  I think we all help each other shine brighter!

In watching and listening to some of my family and friends here’s what I’ve discovered.  It’s enlightening to witness when life gives you lemons.  At first there may be some bitterness, some stress and some anxiety but in the end it always works itself out.  I’m fortunate (and oh so grateful) that I learned this and grasped onto it a long time ago…so I rarely get stressed.  I just sit back and wait for the lemonade!  But, I see this happening with people around me (and in myself at times)…  A life situation arises (not enough money, not enough time, etc) and at the moment it seems horrible…maybe there’s some bitching, complaining, and just negativity.  We all handle stress in a different way.  At a point, though, there’s a shift.  We see just a little glimpse of light in the darkness and there’s hope.  We start to see a little more lightness and the positivity comes back…more hope, more faith, more confidence, more smiles!

I think that entire process is pretty cool.  I see it play out in different people and with different situations.  For some, the gap between the “horrible” situation and the glimpse of light is wide.  It takes a while.  And in some (depending on the person & the situation), the gap is much shorter.  I’m so thankful that my gap is typically really short, and I’m thankful that I have gotten to witness this and write it down.  I think it totally helps it stick.  It helps me remember that there will be light, there will be lemonade!

So thank you to my family and friends for letting me learn from you.  Thank you for being who you are, for having genuine goodness in your heart and for having only the best of intentions.

I’m thankful for having such positive people in my life.  I’m thankful that we all have hope and faith, and I’m really grateful that I’m aware of this!

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Today, I’m grateful for family…my family in particular.  My mom drove down yesterday evening to take me to dinner for my birthday.  It was a great surprise.  She’s such an amazing woman with a heart of gold.  She has done so much for me that I can’t even begin to thank her enough.  She is truly an inspiration and I have so much respect for her.  I’m so grateful to have her in my life.  She not only lights up my life, but my kids are wild about their “Bebe” (no, she’s not French).

She stayed the night with us and we had plans to spend the day at a pumpkin patch.  Unfortunately, she had to leave early because my Grandmother was sent to the hospital.  BUT, everything is okay.  In fact, my Grandmother (aka Nanny B) is wondering why she’s even there.  We won’t know until test results come back tomorrow, but I’m so thankful it’s nothing too serious.

Nanny B…I’m so grateful she’s my grandma.  She’s awesome.  She wears my jewelry in the nursing home, and is the self proclaimed Queen Bitch.  She’s an amazing woman and I’ve never met anyone that didn’t just love her to death!

So back to the pumpkin patch…  Ben (yes, I hit the husband lotto), Max (my oh so incredibly sweet son), Miles (my oh so incredibly cute other son), Gaga (my wonderful mother-in-law), and I had a fabulous time at a pumpkin patch today.  It was in Celina, Tx and well worth the small drive.  I’m so thankful to get to spend time with my family and that we get to go out and enjoy stuff like this.  The weather was perfect and so was the company (yes, I even enjoy my mom-in-law!).  I’m thankful we’re all healthy and happy.  I love and appreciate my family so much.

The older I’ve gotten the more I realize how important family is.  I’m so grateful to be really close to them, and that we all stick together no matter what.  Thank you!

(We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up ev’rybody and sing)

Sorry, just had to do it.  It’s taken me extra long to write this because I can’t get this song out of my head!

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So it’s day 2 of my 21 day gratitude challenge.  Here’s the ABC’s of all I’m grateful for today!

A – Apples are so juicy & delicious.

B – My husband, Ben, is an all around great guy!

C – My Car.  I love my Car.

D – I appreciate all the Dollars that flow in and flow out.

E – Everything I have in my life, the good & bad, is a blessing.

F – I Feel great.

G – We have Groceries in the house.

H – I absolutely love the House I live in.

I – I am thankful for who I am.

J – I’m so grateful that I get to make Jewelry and that people buy it!!

K – Katrina.  I like my name

L – For the Love I feel, that which I give and receive.

M – Max and Miles, my sweet sweet boys.

N – I’m really thankful for Noses.  I mean it would be really strange if we couldn’t smell, & even stranger without one on our face.

O – Oxygen.

P – I am Physically healthy.

Q – I’m thankful that I don’t Quit too easily.

R – Rain.  I love a good thunderstorm!

S – Sunshine.  It’s makes everything so pretty.

T – I appreciate the Truth.

U – I’m really thankful for Umbrellas.  What a great invention.

V – Velcro shoes for kids, when you’re in a hurry, rock!

W – The weather today is just amazing.  I’m sitting outside as I type this and absolutely enjoying the moment!

X – X-rays.  What would we do without them?

Y – Yoga.  It has totally opened my internal world!

Z – Zebras!  Because their stripes are just too cool.

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According to Webster’s, appreciation is defined as an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude.  But more than that, it’s a feeling!  It’s a feeling of being in awe, a feeling of something having great value, and a feeling of positivity.  When we have true appreciation, we are energetically vibrating at a high frequency.  When our energy is vibrating at a high frequency, we attract more of the same…which means we attract more things to be appreciative of.

I think Abraham-Hicks says it beautifully:

The key to experiencing the absolute absence of resistance; of achieving complete alignment with all that you have become and all that you desire, and of bringing to your physical experience everything that you desire – is being in the state of appreciation.

Here’s a few ways to appreciate.

1.  If you normally have a negative emotion about something, start to feel appreciation for it instead.  It may take some time, but eventually that negative feeling will fade away and your appreciation of it will become more dominant.

2.  Feel appreciation for something you want to have in your life.  While you may not currently have your desire, act as if!  Appreciate as if you’ve already achieved it.  The Law of Attraction doesn’t know time.  It only knows the present moment, so in this moment act/think as if you already have what you want, appreciate it, and you will attract it.

3.  Write in a gratitude journal.  Write down things you have that you are grateful for, as well as things that you want.  Read back what you wrote down, and when you read it really feel the appreciation.

Another thing you can do to cultivate a sense of appreciation and to keep that feeling alive throughout your day is to use one of my “Be Charmed” charms.  I have one on my purse and use it as a reminder to be present, connect to my Self, and just Be, but now I think I’ll use it as a reminder to feel appreciation!

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Just a quickie blog post this evening (actually it’s midnight and I’m wondering what I’m doing still up!)

This is from Ester & Jerry Hicks on the LOA.  I think this is important!

Appreciation and self-love are the most important tools that you could ever nurture. Appreciation of others, and the appreciation of yourself is the closest vibrational match to your Source Energy of anything that we’ve ever witnessed anywhere in the Universe.

— Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Spokane, WA on Tuesday, May 30th, 2000

Do you FEEL appreciative?  I do!

Good night~

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I’ve got this great little book called “The Secret Daily Teachings”.  Everyday I open to the daily teaching for that day and see what it has to say.  Here’s today’s:

Here is something you can do that is one of the most powerful uses of the law of attraction.  This exercise is thirty days of an avalanche of giving.

Every day for thirty consecutive days, give.  Give joy, smiles, warm words, love, appreciation, and compliments to everyone you meet, including strangers, friends, and family.  Speak from your heart, giving the very best of you in every moment of your day, and make it your mission to make every single person’s day better with kind thoughts and words.

As you give the best of you, you will be staggered by the speed that it comes back to you.

So from today, April 20th until May 20th, I will be giving – giving smiles, compliments, love, a helping hand, basically whatever I can give in any given moment.

I would love to have you join me.  If you’re up for the challenge, please post a comment &/or send me an email.  I think it’ll be fun to do this together, and help each other out.  And, I know the rewards will be awesome!

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Through the greatness that is the Internet, I recently came in contact with a woman named Meaghan.  She is a cancer survivor.  Here’s what she said on her website.  “My battle was a difficult one and with only a 20% chance of surviving my spirits were low. However, the bright moments I had during those dark times were when I returned to either my hospital room or home I was met with a little special something”.

Meaghan began a project called Spirit Jump.  What she does is connect people that would like to help lift a spirit with cancer patients that are needing a little lift!  You can send any kind of gift, whether it be a handmade card, flowers, something you hand make, or even a blanket.  I think this is such a great idea and I wanted to be a part of it.  So…I’m now a proud “Spirit Jumper”!

Here’s how it worked – Stacy Billlow (Meaghan’s partner in the project and a cancer patient herself) sent out an email to all the Spirit Jumpers listing cancer patients that need a lift.  In this particular email there were 5 people listed.  She had a little info about each person.  I picked who I wanted to “jump” and let Stacy know.  She responded with the girl’s address and I sent a gift directly to her.  It was that easy!

I didn’t get much information about the “young woman” I picked.   Her name is Sara and she’s from New York.  I don’t even know what kind of cancer she’s dealing with, but I don’t care.  I just want to brighten her day!  I sent her a special BE Charmed.  I hope she likes it, and will really use it!  She can hang the charm on her handbag and whenever she sees it I gave her this affirmation to say: “I lovingly forgive and release all of the past.  I choose to fill my life with joy.  I love and approve of myself.”  She’s welcome to not say the affirmation and just get present in the moment and find her stillnes, her peace, her spirit!  Either way, I hope her spirit is lifted.

I’m so happy to be a part of this project.  It gives me much appreciation for my health, and it feels so great to give.  In fact, I get a little spirit jump too!

If you’d like to participate and be a proud Spirit Jumper, please visit their website: http://spiritjump.blogspot.com/

Spirit Jump is currently working on getting their non-profit status.  Good luck with that, Girls!  And thank you so much for all you do!  You’re both amazing women, and my thoughts and prayer are with you!

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I have a lot of favorite yoga poses, but if I just had to pick one it would be Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II).  It appears fairly simple, but so much can be achieved in this pose (so much can be felt in this pose if you hold it long enough!!).

At first, it’s all about just trying to stay in the pose while your thigh and shoulders are screaming at you, but once you find proper alignment and connect with your breath, Warrior II is so peaceful.  It’s like a peaceful warrior; strong, focused, and courageous!

With practice, you begin to feel how strong the thigh is and come to appreciate it, and the shoulders are there, but you’re relaxed.  This feels good.  You keep holding.  Then maybe it’s not so good, but wait I’m thinking about my thigh.  Breathe!  Okay, feels better.

As thoughts like this go on in your head, you must remember to breathe.  It’s with the breath that this pose becomes meditative.  And, it’s the breath that allows you to relax when you’re in an uncomfortable position.  It’s the breath that allows you to just be in the pose, rather than doing the pose.

Here’s some alignment points (based on the picture above):

• The left leg is bent to a 90 degree angle.
• Weight is on the center of the left heel, and the toes relaxed (knee is stacked over the heel).
• Open the hip by taking the left knee towards the left “baby” toe.
• Lift the left hip crease off the left thigh (this will help get the spine vertical).
• Outside edge of the right foot is grounded down.
• The spine is extended upward in a vertical line.
• Arms are open out extending in both directions, feeling the arms strong and long (so to gain space in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints).
• Shoulders are relaxed down, away from the ears.
• Gaze is out over your left hand.
• Hold & BREATHE.
• Then hit the other side!

Physically, Warrior II will increase your stamina, and strengthen your legs, ankles, and arms.  It’s great for stretching and opening your chest, shoulders, hips, and groin.  It relieves backaches, great for flat feet, and get this…infertility!  It even helps with carpal tunnel and sciatica.

Practice Warrior II often…it’s a great spiritual teacher!

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