Day 5 - Today I am Grateful For.....

So I think fall is arriving and I spent most of the day nesting - cleaning and getting it all together - everything is fresh and washed, dusted, cleaned and shined - it sure smells good in here.

So, today I am grateful for....

1. My husband who is so good at doing the BIG yard work - especially mowing the really big and unfriendly back yard.


2. Fall, it means I am able to catch up on neglected chores.


3. Sisters - in - law : none of us had any idea what the future of extended family woulde be - I am grateful for the "line" I got in.


4. The happiness in my dad's voice when he leaves me a message.


5. The chance to sleep in ....just a bit this morning.

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

Day 4 - I am Grateful For.....

So in an effort for this to be real...I'll just let you know out of the gate tonight - today was a STINKER!

However that still doesn't mean I don't have much to be grateful for - and after all - that's part of what this entire exercise is all about.

So today I am grateful for:

1. Mom and dad who raised me with an amazing moral compass.


2. My sense of intuition - though I wish there was a translation service that came with it.


3. In all situations I stay the course of what I know is right - even when it's not easy.


4. My ability to be disappointed with people who I have long thought were friends and others who are willing to sacrifice everyone else in order to protect themselves and to understand that it's not about me - it is from their own place of fear and scarcity that they are acting.


5. My husband who gently reminds me that I am going to be ok

Hours of journaling ahead - just on this day alone!

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

Day 3 - I Am Grateful For.......

So have you ever looked at your journal....I mean really looked at it?


When do you write? Is it a daily part of your routine or do you only turn to your old friend when you are excited and want to celebrate - or sad and frustrated?


I think what I have come to appreciate is that the journal is the place for it all - it's the friend you can share the darkest thoughts you could never imagine verbalizing - and the one place you want to make sure chronicles your best successes.


In all my journals I've started I notice that it has always been at a time of 'crossroads' - personally or professionally - and yet once I cross the intersection I put it on the shelf and move on down the road. I now realize I have an entire Encyclopedia set of crossroads - there in and of itself is a story...I need to process and come back to this later.


So today I am grateful for:

1. People who have a passion for what they do and the ability they have to share their work and help others find their joy - thank you Lesley Hobbs - you are a delight.


2. Appreciating my life is a glorious buffet of choices


3. My 6 year old nephew Trever who can't wait to teach me to hula hoop.....I know shocking I can't do it at 39 - when I told him the only time I have been able to hoola hoop has been with the Wii...he says with all the authority of a 1st grader. "aunt Debbie that's because it's a video game!"


4. Safeway crediting 10% of all purchases to the school of your choices - until 10/15/09 - nice to see companies giving back.


5. The late sunshine of fall.

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

Day 2 - I am Grateful For....

So I wonder sometimes if 'red car syndrome' happens when you set intentions? I notice more of what I have and more of what I desire....today - still pretty comfortable with identifying what I am grateful for today.

1. My network of friends who have taught me that showing my vulnerability is a way to become stronger.
2. Technology that allowed me to watch Tony Robbins give an amazing keynote address at a Twitter conference in LA - such gems I took away.
3. My friend Betsy Talbot who is teaching me how being 'authentic' (the only person I know who really IS authentic) - is something you can be not just say...Betsy knows her voice.
4. To be the kind of business owner who can address a potential customer's frustration in their dealing with 'the competition' - and have them laughing and earn the opportunity for an initial meeting.
5. That our friend - not yet 40 is home recovering from a double masectomy and recontstructive surgery in the same procedure.....when I need strength I have always thought of you.

Tomorrow I want to spend some time talking about how we all use our journals.

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

Day 1 - Today I am Grateful For.....

So again a good emberassment of riches - my niece said as a little girl "mom, there are too many fun things to do....." tonight I feel like there is SO much to be grateful for...how do I choose? (Remind me of this in two nights when I'll be grateful I don't have a cold!)

1. Hummingbirds who remind me to pause and hover over the beautiful moments in my life.


2. The longest friendship of my life which began over cinnamon toast in 1974.


3. The gentle purring of my 15 year old cat.


4. Egg frittata at world wide headquarters during the week.


5. Dinner plate wrapped and warming for me when I get home from a workshop at 10 o'clock tonight.

Now, what have I been so worried about... this is going to work out just great!

What are you grateful for today?

100 Days of Gratitude

So here I sit on the first day of Fall - thinking of all the great things that have been happening this year.


I have had a loooooooong hate/hate relationship with my nemesis Journaling and am finding it simply wonderful that we are becoming allies....who'd of thought.....right Bill? While I still have much work to do - I am finding it less of a struggle in the morning and more of a treasured time for myself.

Maybe it has been with the help of my hummingbird friends this summer....but it seems to be coming more effortlessly.

I have been giving some thought to journaling in the evening as well for some time- but honestly I am lucky to get my contacts out of my head before my eyes close. Yet, this last week I heard Sunny Kobe Cook speak about 5 things we can all do every day, whether we are successful or struggling - and one of those things was to be grateful.

This stuck with me this past week and I began wondering how grateful I really am. I mean, I say I'm grateful for many things - but do I really spend time BEING grateful.

So this morning I decided with the last 100 days 0f the year ahead I am going implement some exercises, actions and practices of gratitude - I will wrap up my day with my new "Gratitude Journal" (which is really an old casualty of a long ago attempt at journaling - it's the dark one on the right) and write the 5 things I am grateful for that day -what I have realized through my journaling struggle all these years, is that it really doesn't have to be profound.

So, to go one step further; each night I will share my 5 Things and any insight I have, here on the blog - I know it's been neglected too......once my compliance department realized I was not going to be dispensing financial advice here - they said okie dokie! Hurray! And this just seemed the perfect time to re-enter the blogging world.

I haven't worked out all the details on the being part of Grateful...but I have a pretty good feeling it will become clear in the next 100 days.

So, glad to have you along, perhaps you'll be inclined to embark on this adventure with me - looking forward to your thoughts and can't wait to see where we go together.


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