There are countless things to be thankful for and so much that blesses each of us in our lives. Although we deeply know this, we can pass it by pretty easily. I got thinking about gratitude and the power of it and how it always makes me and others feel so good.
So why is being grateful so powerful? Why does it change people’s health when they practice it? What’s the magic in gratitude? The magic in it is that it helps us remember a certain truth about life. That no matter how we live our life or who we think we are that life is always supporting us and working towards our greatest good. Gratitude takes you up above the clouds of everyday life and shows you the sun that’s always shining. Gratitude burns away worry, lifts depression and makes a good day better. Gratitude says I’m perfect as I am right now. It is my belief that the reason it improves health is that every cells sings to the song of gratitude. A lot like laughter, it’s healing. But it can be a difficult journey to develop true gratitude.
For a good amount of time during my childhood I was away from both my mom and dad. I lived with my grandmother in Barbados with my brothers and sisters. My grandparents didn’t have much money. We had farm animals in the backyard of which we tended to, and eventually ate, and we washed our clothes by lighting a fire and scrubbing them on a washboard. I missed my mom immensely and my grandmother was strict and very physical with me. I was very unhappy. But you know what? Those times have shaped me into who I am today and I have perspective because of those times. I take little for granted. When I hear others complain of having so much laundry to do, I kind of just laugh to myself. You put it in the machine and walk away. The hardest part is remembering to fold it and that they’re doing in their warm home.
We can lose perspective so easily and the things we have we can take for granted. This is where gratitude is so powerful. It’s a habit we cultivate to remember that in each moment we are given something and we’re acknowledging that. Most of the pain I see in other people is because they’ve lost their perspective. No matter how hard you think your life is, there’s always something to be grateful for. Even a little boy from Barbados who missed his Mom could have been taught to count his blessing. Every experience serves us, so get busy exploring this cool place you’re in. It’s taken me a lot of time studying to realize how powerful gratitude is. I love to make it a part of my life but sometimes I just forget. It’s like everything else, a habit that we acquire and I get the honor of helping others find it in their lives today.
Imagine having a world of grateful people, there is nothing that could not be done. Happy Thanksgiving…..in each moment.
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What does a kid and a misplaced sausage have to do with having a healthy family and raising healthy kids? Find our below!
It’s Sunday morning and I’m looking forward to breakfast with my family. My son sits down next to me and drops one of his sausage links on the floor of which he says “shit”. I reprimand my son and ask him where he ever got that from, glaring up at my wife who is know every so often for her colorful vocabulary. He had no answer, so I followed up by telling him he should not be saying that word because it’s going to get him in trouble at school.
Fast forward to the next morning where I have already cleaned up 2 spills, am running behind, and just dropped some oatmeal on the floor (the 3rd spill in 5 minutes). I very softly, and unawarely said “shit!” My 3 year old, sage of a son turns around with a pointed finger and says “That’s where I got it from”. And there you have it, caught in the act! I really wasn’t aware of what I said and that I was even saying it.
I had an effect on my son. I am shaping his early years which will set in motion how he sees the world, his habits, etc. And although that wasn’t an effect I wanted to bestow upon him, I’d rather leave that to my wife :-). I realize it’s happening to all of us. Well now imagine using this in a different way; for instance laying a healthy foundation for our kids and their health. Kids don’t come into this world unhealthy, we influence them, and we can influence them positively by helping them get their rest, minimizing distractions like too much electronics, helping them be healthy eaters and aligning with food and water that’s going to serve them. This is all possible in a world that seems to be too busy to take care of the things that matter most.
But how do we do this? By taking care of ourselves! Become what you want your kids to become. Take on the traits and the eating that you want your kids to do because we can’t fool them. No matter what it looks like on the outside, they will do what we do. Creating this path for yourself will keep you honest, will allow you to keep a beginner’s mind and will keep you green and growing instead of ripe and rotten. All of us have things to learn, ways to stretch ourselves, and this continues until we take our last breath. By being a good example for them, one day they may point to you and said that’s why I do it and you’ll be proud (unlike me) of what you’ve done.
The story below will help you understand what we will be doing together and how a certain way of thinking is necessary to not only get the results you want but to keep them. I look forward to being on this journey with you.
Our last dog was a rescue so we decided to get another one. From the moment we met Mandy she was friendly loving and energetic but she was also a handful. We reacted to all of this by yelling, screaming and even getting to the point of regretting we ever got her. The dog instructor we hired showed me how to be consistent with her, cue her correctly and schedule her. Truthfully the biggest difference that came about through the training was in me. You see, Mandy was always trainable. The errors that is made in dog training is usually by the owners.
Most dog training is done with distracting or ignoring negative behavior and rewarding positive behavior. The instructor says the dog is looking to please you and wants your attention. To overreact to a negative behavior just feeds it or leads them to hide it the next time. The dog’s attention span is so little they usually don’t know what you are even mad at them about. The bulk of your time needs to be focused on what you WANT them to do. Redirect them and lead them to the behavior you want. This takes an investment of time, training and PATIENCE but surprisingly it happens relatively quickly.
When we find ourselves with bodies that are overweight and unhealthy we usually become frustrated, a lot like I did with Mandy. We usually get mad at our bodies and feel like they are deceiving us, but I am here to tell you that the only one that needs the training is you. Why? Because you are calling the shots. We need to keep you clear and focused on what you are asking for and stop you from doing things to hurt the body that you are asking results from. A lot like Mandy, your body is looking to please you. Treat it well, give it what it needs and you will love how it looks and feels. It is us that need to get the proper training on consistency of habits, patience, and an investment of time into ourselves. We also need to be mindful of the what we give attention to. Are we going to waste energy beating ourselves and hating our bodies or changing the behavior. So follow the tips in this book and again like dog training the results come quickly if you will allow yourself to change.
(From the Mind-Body Journal Series 1.)
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