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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I rarely go on a rant.  In fact, I can’t even remember my last one.  BUT – OMG!  So my lovely husband and I went to the movies on Sunday for our 6th wedding anniversary.  We saw The Hangover, which is great.  I loved it.  However, I was disturbed the entire movie & here 2 days later, I’m still disturbed!  We saw a family walk in with 2, yes 2, small girls.  I would say they were probably 6 years old, give or take a year.  I couldn’t believe it.  How is it ever okay for an innocent child to see a rated R movie?

If you haven’t seen The Hangover, it’s a movie about a BACHELOR PARTY IN VEGAS…HELLO???

Do people really think the “f” word, nudity, sex & violence are okay for children?  I guess so because my sister witnessed the exact same thing this past weekend.  WHAT?

I know I can’t control what other people do.  I just feel so sorry for these kids.  Children are so innocent, so full of life, so confident, and so spiritually connected.  And then life happens.  For some, they learn how “bad” they are.  They learn disrespect and how to stress.  They’re taught they’re not good enough, and that they don’t matter.  They’re stripped of their innocence, and some are even taught the “f” bomb!

And now, those kids are going to be in class with my kids.   Am I going to have to have the birds & bees talk at age 5?

Since I can’t control what other people do (including other kids), the only thing I can do is be the best mom I can for my kids.  To me, that means being the best person that I can be.  I see children (including my own) watching every move their parents make, so being a role model is SO important.  I want my kids to see my confidence.  I want my kids to see how calm & happy I am.  I want them to watch me interact with other people and see how I react (or don’t react) to situations that arise.  I want them to see how grateful I am for the things we have, and I want to be connected to my true self and take action based on inspiration.  I want to be honest, to love, and to give.  I want my children to see me exercising and eating healthy.  Basically, I just want them to see me staying true to myself, and staying connected to a higher power than myself.  If I am completely aware of me (I am aware of my behavior, my thinking, and just how I’m being) then my kids will do & be the same.  They will be the best people that they are!

I just hope & pray that when my children get into school and are around these other kids that are cussing, disrespecting, and have bad behavior that they stay true to themselves.  That they treat everyone with respect and have compassion, but at the same time know right from wrong.  That they stay full of love and light!

Okay, I’m done ranting and feel much better!  Now, if you haven’t seen The Hangover, go see it immediately…just make sure you get a babysitter!

Love, Kat

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So I’ve always considered myself a very motivated person.  In fact, I’m sure somewhere on one of my old resumes “self-motivated” is on there!  Then it occurred to me just recently that being motivated isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but to be motivated means that I’m pushing myself to do something that I don’t really want to do, or that there’s some incentive to doing something that I wouldn’t typically want to do.  Hummmm… Sometimes I’m motivated to clean the house (I don’t really want to do that).  I need to get motivated to clean out my closet (I don’t really want to do that either).  When I was in sales I was motivated to make cold calls (Yuck, I hated doing that!).  I was motivated to make sales calls because if I didn’t then I wouldn’t make any money and I’d be fired.  So really motivation comes out of a feeling of fear, lack, and negative repercussions.

If you’re not motivated to do anything then eventually you have nothing, right?  But what about inspiration?  What if you were to take inspired action, rather than action out of negativity?

Inspiration comes from a place within.  It is always within you, it just has to be found.  It’s part of your inner light that wants so badly to shine, but life happens, stress happens, ego happens, and it gets lost in all the darkness.  When you find your inspiration, you know what do to and you want to do it.  You’re inspired!

Inspired action is easy, and fun.  You feel like you’re not doing anything, but rather you’re just being you.  I was inspired to write this.  I don’t feel like it’s “work” (even though that’s what I told my son I was doing…I should reword that to him next time!).  I don’t feel like I have to do this or else.  I am writing this because this is what I want to do!

What’s cool is that when you align to your inner being, you know exactly what it is you want.  When you clearly know what you want, inspiration is there.  You don’t have to motivate yourself to do anything.  You just do it.  (Side note – Nike really had something there.  I wonder if they actually knew what they were saying??… Things I ponder!)  You want to do it.  When you find that inspiration and take action out of that, everything else lines up for you.  Things, people, places, whatever, are lined up for you so that your inspired action is easy, and you get the outcome you want.

“F” this motivation stuff…I want to be inspired!

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Through the greatness of Facebook I reconnected with a friend from high school.  In 2003, Peggy Hudson, wrote this beautiful note.  She just recently shared it with her FB friends and I was fortunate enough to be one of them.

I thought it would be great to share her writing with you.  Enjoy~

It’s a beautiful day! It’s inherent for me to notice the beauty all around
me. Sometimes my mind refuses to operate with my soul. That’s when I must
re-mind myself. It’s fascinating to me the control the mind can have over
the mind. Or is that some other aspect of myself that can execute authority
over mind? What is really operating here? And if we’re all connected to
each other & everything – universal energy – what is that driving force? We
categorize into “individuals” – & say I’m like you or I’m not like you -
when in “reality” we are all connected. I think most of us usually forget
this. We see each other as separate entities. Yet we all take up space on
this planet. We are like the cells of Mother Earth – moving about – part of
the life force. How come there is hate? Why would we want to hate what is
connected to us? If we remember the connection, will we learn to love one
another? My hope is that we would.

My heart becomes heavy when I hear of sadness in our world – when I hear the
hurt in my patients’ voices – when I feel disconnected from others. The connection is vital to my survival. Sure, one could exist without it – yet
a failure to thrive would be evident. We need each other. Most of us just want to be acknowledged – appreciated for who we are – & love seems rather simple. So … why is it so hard to give? Why is it sometimes difficult to receive? What blocks people from opening their hearts & being love?

I think most of it centers around fear … fear of being vulnerable … fear of
being hurt … fear of being rejected.

So … most people want to be loved & respected. & most people fear being
hurt & rejected.

What would happen if all of us loved & respected ourselves & others?

Peace! Joy! Love!

So simple: an open heart of love!

And FEAR gets in the way – creating chaos & havoc. Is fear really necessary? I mean, seriously? If we extended more love, don’t we think we could create a more beautiful world? Fear does not seem the way – love does.

It seems imperative to me that we all need love – the song was not amiss – what the world needs now is love.

One huge beating heart! Pumping life in all of us. Just like in our individual bodies. We must keep it healthy in order to live & survive & thrive. We will become sick & infected if we do not take care of ourselves. Fear is a toxin. Our immune system is becoming more & more depleted. We need to renew ourselves – replenish ourselves. & LOVE seems like the tonic.
That magical elixir that can restore our balance. We need the equilibrium restored. How can we move forward if we have become weakened? We need our strength. We cannot function if we have no genuine power. We will be deficient & unable to give our best. We will experience the feelings of illness because we are not tending to each other. Mother Earth needs our
nurture & we need to nurture her & each other.

And it can begin. It is possible. All we need to do is re-member (we are all members) that with love anything is possible. Anything! We can create a better world. A better place for all beings – a better place for our children.

I am willing to make my contribution to the whole. I am willing to be a part of the magic. I am willing to touch the divine. I am willing to extend the mysterious energy of love.

My eyes are open. & when I look through eyes of love with a hint of compassion, I see clearly. The light helps us to see. And the light is available to all of us every single day. We must take advantage of this light. It’s as simple as flipping a switch – or igniting a flame. The fire is a part of our system. Without the light, all becomes dark – we cannot see – & this can induce fear – fear of the unknown – the unseen. We just have to remember that night can befall us yet the sun will always rise – it never permanently sets – in reality, the sun never fades. It is always burning brightly. And even when we feel it is dark, Mother Moon lights Father Sky & reminds us we are never, ever alone. We can always see if we just open our eyes – open our hearts – open our minds to this marvelous universe.

The light is here – it is there – it is everywhere. Before life – after death. And now – if we remember.

~ by peggy hudson
(written april 28, 2003 after the start of the iraq war –
thought it was just as timely for today)

Wow…how we’ve grown up!

Thank you, Peggy.  You and your words are beautiful.

Peggy and I would love to hear your comments!