Day 19 - Today I am Grateful For.....

So yesterday my friend Betsy Talbot made a post on her blog http://www.marriedwithluggage.com/2009/10/09/i-like-who-i-am about an exercise she learned from Chris Haddad called the I Like Who I Am Game.


The game has you taking a big ol' sheet of clean paper or a big ol' blank computer screen and write until it becomes uncomfortable all the things you like about yourself.....written in the third person. Betsy has all the details on her blog - you should check it out - and Chris has a video as well.


It got me to thinking about somethings people might say about me in their gratitude journal- so while I only have 5 things a day I speak of being grateful for - I thought this might be interesting - let's see how it turns out.


Today I am grateful Debbie.....

• Always greets me with a smile.
• Listens when I talk and hears what I am saying - listening and hearing are two very different actions.
• Looks to offer solutions to sticking points in my life when I ask for them.
• Will take time out of her day to help me if I ask for assistance.
• Takes anything I share in confidence and keeps it to herself.

.....my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 18 - Today I am Grateful For.....

Some of you might know that I am an incredibly private person.....I know there is so much irony in this opening statement.....for God's sake I am blogging about gratitude and essentially taking my 'diary' public. Anyhow with that being said, for most of my adult years (39+) I have chosen to take the British side of my family to heart.....stiff upper lip and all.


Maybe that came from a long ago experience where I shared some very personal information with folks I thought were friends - and it turned out they weren't and the information reared it's ugly head in a way I had not anticipated. Has that ever happened to you? How did you react?


A couple of years ago I met a woman who I have become tremendous friends with and she helped me realize the time to build my network was when I didn't need it - and to build a network that doesn't look much like me. (For example while I am not a corporate type..... if I was and my entire network was made of people from the same company who did the same or similar things what would I do if I was given the pink slip.....where would I go to look for new opportunities - a pretty easy trap to fall into right)? She helped me understand that sharing vulnerability actually helps increase other people's ability to relate. These lessons are serving me well these days.

So today I am grateful for.....

• The ability to recognize that vulnerability makes me stronger.


• People continue to surprise me....remember post 12 where I talked about pragmatism? Earlier today I had coffee with a friend and shared a bit about where we are - and appreciated the wisdom she shared in the moment. Tonight when I got back from a walk with hubby and hound she had called to say that she and her husband had been chatting a bit about us and had some ideas to share.....the fact that this incredibly busy successful woman would have us as the topic of conversation at the end of her day and then would reach out to share ideas is amazing. And it got me to wondering when was the last time I spent time thinking about someone else's situation (this is fairly frequently) and called to tell them.....when was the last time you shared that with someone?


• A good reminder that even after an initial offer is extended and initially refused.....it can still be accepted - thanks for the reminder.


• The clarity that there are four layers of depth to the Olympic Mountains at sunset in the fall.


• One of the best conversations with Pat about outlook and attitude - 15 years later I love to be awed by the thoughts you rarely share.

.....my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 17 - Today I am Grateful For.....

Today was a gentle and beautiful day with much to be thankful for. Given the length of last night's post - let's make tonight a bit shorter....

So today I am grateful for.....

• A morning to organize and prepare for my clients.
• The tremendous commitment that the people of Auburn, WA have for one another.
• Clients who became friends.
• Folks who check in every day and make sure we are doing great!
• Love.....most of us hope to find it once.....what about people who found it in their youth.....went their seperate ways and found one another as adults.

.....my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 16 - Today I am Grateful For.....

So a friend sent me one of 'those' emails that he never sends - and I never read - and yet there was a good reason he sent this one. (I think he's reading the blog).

It talked about the Charles Schulz (creator of Peanuts) Philosophy of life. It started by asking you to take a quiz of sorts....name the 5 wealthiest people in the world, the last 5 Heisman Trophy Winners, the last 5 Miss America's, 10 Winners of the Nobel Prize (that might be a bit easier as we're hearing about it every day in the news.....or maybe it's just me because I listen to NPR all day), who won the last 5 world series (I know I have a GO SOX! in there somewhere - however specifically can't tell you).

I'll admit I had a hard time with all these. Then it asked you to name 3 teachers who aided the journey through school (Mrs. Leach - Grant Elementary 1st Grade, Mr. Carr - EJH Band, Mrs. Schreck - EHS Drama). 3 friends who helped you through a hard time (Deanna, Jocelyn and Betsy). 5 people you enjoy spending time with, people who have taught you something worthwhile...you're getting the idea right?

So the lesson according to the email is what most of us already know but need to be reminded of from time to time - fame, fortune and the biggest trophy case does not make the most influential person in our life. Those spots are reserved for those who care the most.

.....so today I am grateful for five people who are no longer here but left lessons for me to take and use in my every day life.....

• Irma Greenfield - my grandma - mom's mom - she and my mom were the picture of friendship and love between mother and daughter in adulthood.....this was the first death I experienced in my life.
• Linda Nikolas - mother of my best friend Deanna - and the most curious adult I had ever met. She knew everyone, and introduced me to the idea that your home could be a home to everyone, and that a good belly laugh just can't be beat.....oh, and that you can't possibly know you don't like it if you can't try it.
• Steve Nikolas - father to my best friend Deanna - the only thing that comes to my mind when I think of Steve is the gentle giant - such an imposing man physically, so tall and with those dark eye brows - with a rare but rewarding smile - when I think of friendship between fellas it is the quality of the friendship he and my dad shared that makes me desire that once in a lifetime experience for all the men in my life.
• Bill Greenfield - my grandpa - mom's dad - he was the "putterer" he taught me about salesmanship, customer service and perpetual curiosity. (If you ever want a tremendous laugh ask me sometime about his philosophy regarding WD40 - or how he 'helped' my dad clean the lawn mower.
• My Auntie Ann - my mom's older sister - she and I always had a special bond and her laughter was so infectious - shortly before she died I was scheduled to leave the country on a business trip - and I knew in my heart she would not be here when I returned. I was reluctant to see her so sick and so near the end of her life, and was so afraid I would just cry when I saw her.....and you know what happened - when I went to visit her, neither of us shed a tear - we just talked for hours and laughed. And when I hugged her at the end of our visit I felt peace - and I will always be grateful for the lesson I learned that day about grace and dignity.

So while none of these folks had credentials behind their name, and had no national honors or recognitions under their belt they left an impression on me -and I know many others -that will never be forgotten.

So on those days, where you wonder 'who's paying attention to me' - know there are more than you know - and that in your own way you touch the lives of others every time you walk into a room, smile at another person, or just say hello. And that friendship, community, puttering and grace are the things that life is made of, and that's what I'd like to be remembered for.....how 'bout you?

.....so my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 15 - Today I am Grateful For.....

Mmmm what a good day. You never know where a day will take you. There have been many times where I wanted to try and control the direction of the day.....and yet over the last several months I have learned that the day will go where you need to be taken and it is much more pleasant to ride the wave than try to fight it.

How much of your day do you fight and how much of it do you let take where you need to go?

So today I am grateful for.....

• A peaceful morning to do what I needed to do - on my terms - not someone else's.
• Spacial reasoning.....it is always good to know your surroundings..i.e. bed posts.....sometimes my spacial reasoning not so good.....like today!
• Opportunities that present themselves.....when I don't know why.....I have learned to say thank you and work out the details later.
• For attending and event a year ago and hearing the message about my personal time and saying no which really means saying yes to me.
• Karen Rosenzweig - who knows so much of what happens in the business community here in the PNW and works every day to connect and display people as experts and people who are 'gettin' it done.' She gave me the greatest compliment today about this little 15 day blogging adventure.....and she has two blogs Life Is A Buffet, and Seattle Women Business Examiner and gets paid for it! Thanks Incrediblehttp://www.incrediblechef.com/

.....so my wish for you and those you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 14 - Today I am Grateful For.....

There are certain days you always know you will remember, dates and events that will forever be etched in your soul. Today was one of those days for me.

So today I am grateful for.....

• Full moons in the fall - this means for me the transition from one season to another and perhaps from one place in my life to another.
• New beginnings - often times we get stuck in what is familiar and forget to see the opportunities that present themselves with change.
• The ability to consciously choose how I show up every day.
• The beautiful eagle who greeted me on my walk this morning.
• The sunrise that I enjoyed this morning with my lovely hummingbird friends.

.....my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.

Day 13 - Today I am Grateful For.....

"...you'll have bad times....but they'll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren't paying attention to." Good Will Hunting (Can you tell I've been catching up on some of my favorite movies.

Today I am grateful for....

• Dog parks to take Harley to for a run and a swim and more swimming.
• My freakishly tall rose bush (it's over 5 feet tall) that isn't ready for summer to end.....still sending out buds.
• Lazy Sundays with Pat.....football and long walks.
• Friends calling and leaving messages about how much they appreciated some time with you from several months ago.....and something about today reminded them about that experience.
• 61st birthdays of really fun guys.....Happy Birthday Ken.

.....my wish for you and all you know is prosperity and the good fortune you deserve.