Grateful For Life Becoming Simpler

I am learning to be grateful for what I have, and to actually see it. As we have decluttered and gone through so much of the stuff around our house, we have been seeing how much we don't really want to have. Getting tired of taking care of the 'I have this because I should have it,' and rediscovering the 'I have this because I want to have it.'

1. I am grateful for having 'The Four Agreements' in wonderful audio book format to listen to while making my juice!
2. I am grateful for having fresh greens in the fridge to make my green juice.
3. I am grateful for my bamboo cutting board that I use almost every day.
4. I am grateful for my small paring knife that fits my hand so well.
5. I am grateful for my little 4" silver fan that keeps me and my laptop cool.

Gratitude Simplified

Keeping up with new gratitude posts every day was becoming an overwhelming chore with everything else that needs to be done in the day. After this wonderfully long break, I have decided to simplify things a bit. I want to keep my gratitude journal going, but some days will simply be lists. Other days I will take the time to meander through memories and thoughts and share longer posts.
I hope you enjoy the fresh approach!

1. I am grateful for the post lady bringing the packages to the door, instead of leaving them at the mailbox at the end of the street.
2. I am grateful to receive my incense order, and can't wait to try the new fragrance! Of course it is hand rolled incense made in the masala method.. all natural here!
3. I am grateful for a fabulous night of sleep after getting to bed quite early. I am feeling fantastic today!
4. I am grateful for wonderful food to eat. Loads of fresh fruit and green juice!
5. I am grateful for my new Samsung Gravity T. I am having loads of fun finding out all the things it can do! I finally figured out how to get my mp3s on it without having to buy a data cord to do it! Yay me!

Memories

As we go through life, we realize at some point that it is the small things that mean the most to us. It is the time spent with other people that is special. It is the time we spent doing things that stays in our memories.

The things or stuff that we hold onto is all attached to some memory of a person, a place, or an event. These are usually strong memories that imprint themselves onto the object. The souvenir from the circus you had so much fun at, the seashells from your trip to the beach with friends, the stuffed animal you grandmother gave you.. these are all examples of how we connect memories to items.

As I sorted out some clean laundry this evening, I ran across the shawl my mother knitted for me. She gave it to me as a Christmas present this past year. It was a wonderful color of deep, gentle purple, and so soft. Every time I see it I want to just sit down and cuddle with it. I spend a few minutes lost in thought as I hold it to my cheek and gently rock with it, almost as if I am holding a baby. This is such an automatic response, that I hardly notice I am doing it until my attention is pulled back to something in my current surroundings. My thoughts get lost between my favorite maroon sweater that my mother knitted for me when I was a small child that had that same softness, and the trip over the holidays that we made to see family this past Christmas. Memories of my mother's hugs and smiles, the feeling of her love wrapped around me. This is what this simple shawl means to me. It is much like the baby blanket that my mother made for each of my children. They are often seen with that same wistful look on their faces when holding their baby blankets.

I am so grateful that we had the chance to go see family last Christmas. I am grateful for my grandmother and my mother. They are both such special people. I am grateful to have grown up being loved by them. I am grateful that I have such wonderful memories as these.

Produce and People

After a much needed shopping trip yesterday, I enjoyed a wonderful glass of fresh carrot, grape, and celery juice today. I am very grateful to have my juicer. Tomorrow's menu will include sweet green juice for breakfast. I am grateful for the fresh ingredients in my fridge to juice in the morning. I am grateful to have something wonderful to look forward to tomorrow.

I am grateful for my internet. Every time it goes down, it reminds just how much I use it. It is a huge part of my day, and of my children's day. There is so much to learn out there!

I am grateful for my children. I love being a mom, and I wouldn't be one without them. Even on the days that I am frustrated that they don't get things done, I can still be grateful for having them. They always bring a smile to my face.

I am grateful for my social skills. With so many internet problems, we are becoming quite friendly with the local technicians. Today, the local boss came out because they were short staffed. We had a lovely conversation, and although they still don't know what is causing the random problems, he assured me that they would keep trying to track it down and welcomed my record keeping in the effort to do so. I am grateful to find good customer support with the local part of my ISP.

I am grateful to have fresh produce in the house. There is just nothing better than fresh vegetables steamed up for dinner, or fresh juice made in my own kitchen.

A Cold Reminder to be Grateful

The weather today has taken a really strange turn. It is almost June, and we are thinking of digging out the heaters while donning our sweaters. Last year at this time, it was shorts and sleeveless tops, and as many popsicles as we could manage to stay cool.

The chill of the day, and forecast for the week, makes me grateful for the sun. I think it is on the cold days that we remember to be grateful for the sun. Personally, I am a bit jealous of the cats who curl up for a nap in the warm sunlight. The warmth of the sunlight is beautiful as it streams in through the windows.

I am grateful for ingenuity. It is when problems arise, that we rise to the occasion to find answers. Some times the solution is quite a creative endeavor. Today our challenge was covering the access panel behind the dryer that is open to the underside of the trailer. The drywall wouldn't hold the screws anymore, and the cover had slipped off exposing a gaping hole through which the cold air rushed in. It took a bit before we got it covered and stable, but it was fun seeing what the kids came up with for suggestions to try.

I am grateful for my kids. They are full of love and laughter, and I am grateful that I get to spend each day with them.

Many Ways to Show Gratitude

Gratitude can be shown in so many different ways! I love all the creative ways that people around me have come up with to show their gratitude for things in their lives. I love the variety of ways that people around me have come up with to remind themselves to be grateful!

The most common way is to set a timer. When the timer dings, it is a reminder to stop and be grateful for something. Other people like to take walks and "walk out their gratitude list". Then of course, their is keeping a journal to write down things you are grateful for.

One of my favorite things to do is to talk about what I am grateful for with my children, and hear what they are grateful for. I think that remembering to be grateful is a fantastic lesson to be learned at a young age! Of course, this all started as a way to help get my kids out of a bad mood. We have all been through a lot, and most would say that we have a right to feel sad, a good reason to complain. I say that in ANY situation you can find things to be grateful for. Even if the only thing you can think of is that the sun rose this morning, it is still something. And the more you can feel grateful for what you have, the more you find in your life to be grateful for, and the better things get.

I am grateful for knowing how to learn. I have been having a challenging time learning how to use new software programs to set up some websites, and learning to set up the websites.. but through it all I have found a level of excitement about it that has kept the whole thing fun.. and I am very grateful for that!

Some of our favorite ways to show our gratitude?.. Smiling, bouncing, and laughing.. and that is enough to turn a whole day around into something fantastic!

Grateful For Happiness

I am grateful for having the ability to choose happiness, and make it an everyday part of my life. It really isn't all that hard. I think the hardest part is forgiving myself when I slide.

I grew up learning to be a victim with all the negativity that entails, and have excelled in the situations I created for myself. After a few decades of practice, it is not an easy thing to suddenly choose to be happy. It does take practice, as did the negativity. And every second of every day we have the opportunity to choose again.

If you are dealing with depression or have the blues, it can be even harder. I know, I went through a couple of decades of clinical depression. I am grateful to say that is in the past. By making a few small changes to my life, and learning to forgive myself and choose happiness again, I find my life getting better and more laughter in my house. And that is something else to be grateful for! I am grateful for my children's laughter, and seeing their smiling faces every day.

Choosing To Be Grateful

Although there are some days I feel like I am moving backwards, I choose to let each day be a new start to achieve my goals. I am grateful for the ability to do this.

I have mentioned several times in every conversation I have online or offline that life has been hard lately, and I am starting to wonder how much of it I am creating with my own words and thoughts. I choose to be grateful and to remember all the wondrous things that happen in my life each and every day.

Although there is plenty in my life that I do not know how I will get through, I choose to believe in the goodness of the Universe. I know that I always receive what I need, and create what I ask for.

As I create things in my life without intention and without realizing it, I see that my thoughts have brought about all that is in my life. I choose to be conscious of my thoughts, and choose them to reflect what I want. I choose to focus on the good!

I am grateful that I have the knowledge, and ability to learn and make my own choices.

I am grateful that I can choose to be courageous, and overcome the obstacles in my life. I am grateful that I can choose freedom from worry and fear, and create a life from my dreams instead.

Reviewing and Being Grateful

The energy in the house has started to change lately, and I am seeing the kids choosing to take part in the decluttering that has been an ongoing process in our lives and house. That is something to really be grateful for!

My days have been filled with what feels like a million little things, and the dreadful feeling that I haven't finished anything. As I look back I see that all these little things are adding up to accomplish big things, and I am grateful to see the progress that I have made in the last several days.

I am grateful that I have found joy and happiness in every day, no matter how busy it gets.

Striving to be Grateful

Today has been another of those days of ups and downs.

I am grateful for my phone that allowed me to reach out and be lifted up when I was down.

I am grateful for the FedEx truck that delivered the package I was expecting.

I am grateful for my children. Even when they are the reason I am down, they give me reason to smile.

I am grateful for having coffee. On a day full of pollen, it is a saving grace for me.

I am grateful that I have a comfortable bed to go to tonight.

Miracles in the Wash

Do you believe in miracles? Today I think they must exist. Either that, or the Universe is playing a horribly cruel joke on me. I choose to believe in miracles.

What happened you ask? Well, my washing machine has been slowly seeming to be on its' last legs. The timer for the wash cycle has been broken for over a year, but we have been able to move the setting manually and keep going. Several weeks ago, the washing machine started making a weird ticking noise during the wash cycle.  Last week, it started making that weird ticking noise every time the tub would be moving.. in other words, it did not make it during the rinse cycle.

We have been leery to use it, and have been putting off laundry for several days since. But, as everything around the house always does, the laundry pile built up. As the washing machine is in the kitchen pantry, and the hamper at the entrance to the pantry, the pile quickly became problematic as it spilled into the door way and started invading the kitchen itself. When I had to move dirty laundry out from in front of the refrigerator this morning, I finally reached my limit. I decided that I would just do what laundry I could and pray the washing machine would just hold out for a few months until I could do something about it.

I started with the bigger things spreading across the floor, and grabbed blankets to start first. And as the load finished, we realized that we had not heard the ticking sound. I started a second load of blankets, and amazingly enough we still did not hear the ticking sound. I have now gotten a chance to run the fourth load through the wash without any strange noises.

The question I posed to my kids was, "Do you think it is possible the washing machine miraculously fixed itself?!" And the answer I got was, "Maybe the timer will fix itself now!"

For now, I am just immensely grateful that the washer seems to have worked its' kinks out, and seems to be working again. Thank you, thank you, thank you Universe!

Happy Mother's Day

On this Mother's Day, I am grateful for my mother, my grandmother, and my children.

I am grateful for everything my mother has done for me. I am grateful for the stories she read me when I was little, and for the recordings she would make of us reading them together. I am grateful for the time she always found to spend with me, regardless of being a working single mother. I am grateful that she stepped in to be the Girl Scout leader so my school could have a troop. I am grateful that she brought so much learning and exploring and creativity into my life. I am grateful for the unconditional love she has always had for me.

I am grateful that my grandmother is my grandmother. I am grateful for all the things she did with me when I was younger.. I loved going to see plays and operas with her! I am grateful for all the holidays we spent at her house, and all the memories of happiness and laughter. I am grateful for all the wonderful conversations I have been blessed to have with her over my lifetime. I am grateful for the unconditional love she has always had for me.

I am grateful for each one of my kids. They are each a special blessing that brings joy into my life. I am grateful that I have always known what unconditional love is, and am able to love my children that way.

To all the other mothers out there.. I hope you have had a wonderful Mother's Day.

Lost in life..

Believe it or not, that is a good thing. I am lost in life, and loving it.
I am enjoying all the conversations I have, even with customer service people, and loving that I am able to make other people's days better. I am loving spending time with my family, with my kids. Sometimes they are loud and rambunctious, but I choose to see that as a reminder of how healthy they are. I am loving spending time with the love of my life.. he is what makes my heart smile, and why I see hope through all the rain and clouds in my life. I am enjoying my fish.. watching them swim slowly along the front of the tank is a vision of peace to calm my nerves. I am grateful for my cats.. the way they climb into my lap asking to be pet, the way they purr when I pet them..
I am grateful for all those little things in life that we so often take for granted.. all those little things that put a smile on my face each and every day.

Through The Pain

There are days that I wish I was normal. I think everyone has those days. And there are those who would remind me that there is no normal, because we are all unique. But today I wish that I did not have a birth defect that leaves me with chronic pain. On days like today, the pain is so great that it is disruptive of coherent thought. And even through that pain, I have so many things to be grateful for.

I am grateful that I watch my children racing around the yard, and climbing on to the roof every day. I am grateful that I have learned to take advantage of all the down times in my life, and always find a way to see good things in them. I am grateful for how my mother read to me, and made books come alive when I was little. I am grateful for so many wonderful authors who can weave worlds of wonder in our brains with just letters on a page. I am grateful that I turned on the television this evening at the right time to unexpectedly catch a program of classical music played by a trio of renowned musicians. I am grateful that I have two strong boys to take the garbage out!

Day After Day, and Still Grateful

Is it silly to be grateful for the same things day after day? Personally, I don't see a problem with this. After all, if I am grateful for what I currently have, it isn't going to change that much from day to day! Sure there are things that come into our lives every day that may be different or new, but being grateful for the things that are steady and still there is conducive to the law of attraction.

So what things am I grateful for AGAIN? Easy.. I am always grateful for my children. They are wonderful, intelligent, creative individual that I learn from every day. I am grateful for my phone service. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy calling the UK several times a day?! With most phone plans, that would be an outrageous proposition.. I love my phone plan! I am grateful for having found the love of my life. I am grateful that he is always there for me, and always supportive of me. I am grateful for my washing machine. Three kids, the middle of nowhere, and laundromats do NOT go together! Trust me.. we've done it! I am grateful for having our gerbil Midnight.. she's fantastic to watch. I am grateful for having healthy, playful kitties.

Is there anything new I am grateful for? I am grateful it seems that my ISP has finally gotten my account straightened out.. it has only take 5.5 months. No really we moved in that long ago, and they just got it straightened out on the 30th of April! I am grateful that I have someone to take in our kitty, Muffin, that we have been trying to re home for a month. She should be moved in next week. I am grateful that the boys cleaned out the gerbil cage today. Midnight is so much happier!

Weather to Be Grateful

Some days we have much to be thankful for. Other days it is a challenge to remember to be thankful. Today was one of the later. The day turned so hot, and left us drooping in the heat. There is something about heat that drains the energy from you..

But that in itself reminds me to be thankful for the cold spell that came through last week. 

I am thankful for the chill of the dark night that releases the heat of the days. 

I am grateful for the subtle reminder to summer proof my house before it really gets hot. 

I am grateful for the knowledge of how the desert weather works so that I can use it in planning the insulation of my house. 

I am grateful for the sun that lights each day, and provides us with such warmth in the winter months.. 

Grateful On a Bad day

Today I can find more fault than to be grateful for. The wind was blowing so hard that the house was shaking all day, leaving me quite unsettled. The boys were running around like wild banshees, loud and free with careless abandon. The cats were jumpy.

And yet, I there are always things in my life to be grateful for. I am always grateful for my kids. Even on these wild days, they are still wonderful individuals. I am grateful for my kitty, Snowshoe. She has the softest fur, and her purr is the kind to melt the coldest heart. I am grateful for my cordless mouse. I love my little green mouse! I am grateful for my laptop, and for my true love that gave it to me. I am grateful that I am free and will wake up tomorrow to a new day.

Finding Gratitude On Bad Days

On a day when you wake up feeling just slightly off, you might start to wonder what you have to be grateful for. This morning as I posed that question to myself, my sense of sarcasm kicked in, and I found myself snapping.. I am grateful for my head hurting! I am grateful for being dizzy. I am grateful for the tickle in my throat telling me I am getting sick. Hmmph.. perhaps I should be grateful that I have an early warning system so keenly attuned. I can foretell my future, and yet am powerless to change it.

Although finding things to be grateful for on these days can be challenging, it is worth it to do so. Remember, what you feel today, is what you are creating tomorrow. Well, it might be further in the future, but you get my meaning. With practice, it does get easier. And soon you will always be able to see the brighter side of life, and find more happiness and fulfillment with it.

Today, I am grateful for my voice over phone line. Without it I would not be able to talk to the comfort of my life who lives across the ocean from me. The phone is like a lifeline of peace and security to me.
I am grateful that my children are all old enough to take basic care of themselves, and help each other. As a single mom, there is no one else around to take care of things when I am not well.
I am grateful for my laptop. Even if it is still a bit hot tempered.. Haha.. the way it likes to overheat so much.. I had forgotten my sheer joy in using it.. how my fingers seem to fly along the keys without hesitation, and the gently clicking sound of them being music to my ears.
I am grateful for the internet. Another lifeline of sorts.. it allows me to glance into the outside world and realize that there is sanity out there in places. It allows me to leave my physical surroundings and dwell in brighter, sunnier places full of intelligence and creative ideas.
I am grateful for my DVR. I love not having to watch shows when they are on, and not having to watch the commercials when I am ready to catch up on shows.
I am grateful that tomorrow is another day, and I do not have to drag any of the past with me, but can start afresh each day.

Take It As It Comes

I could write about how bad things were today.. the whole water bill issue with the landlord that has been going on the past few months. The one that everyone I talk to is appalled that the landlord is NOT taking responsibility for. But guess what, the law is ambiguous enough that if it went to court it would come down to what judge had the case, and how they were feeling that day.
I talked to a lawyer, and the honest truth is that I have some strong arguments, but because of how the lease was written, and the favoritism of the state for landlords, I might have a 65% chance of winning. Those odds are just not good enough for me. And I would rather cut my losses and move on than continue to play the I have to battle it out or I have to be right game. So why do I write this? Isn't this just me proving that I am right? Hmpphh.. Well, I am. But, no. I am sharing this to perhaps help someone else realize that the are fighting a battle that isn't worth fighting.

What am I going to do now? Simple, put the water bill into my name. Use water MY usual conservative way. And get back to building my business and creating my future away from here. That is what is important.

But I thought this was a gratitude blog! It is.. I am grateful for finding wonderful, friendly people to talk to about the laws in Arizona this morning. I am grateful for finding a lawyer who would talk to me over the phone and be honest with me about my chances and why. And I am grateful for my ever supportive boyfriend, who is my best friend and always there for me even though he lives half way around the world from me.

Giving Gratitude For Making It Through The Night

There is nothing that quite compares to living in a high valley in terms of the weather. We live in the southern part of the Mojave Desert, so you would expect it to be warm and dry. But living in between two mountain peaks brings quite a bit you would not expect.

For one thing it is totally awesome to see snow on the mountain tops to either side, and yet have none on the ground where you are. We also get a tremendous amount of rain. We live in the middle of a very dry desert, and yet we seem to get rain at least once a week and often times for more then one day at a time. A bit strange for the average number of days of sunlight for the state of Arizona being over 300.

When it kicks up, the wind seems to be funneled in along the mountain walls, and it feels like the entire valley becomes a wind tunnel. You can sit and watch the trees bending low as if to kiss the earth. You hear the wind find every crack in your house and whistle its' way in. Open the window about half an inch and you can recreate the sound of an old freight train whistle. If you ever hear that haunting whistle at night, when everything is dark, it is enough to make you think of a lonely train streaming across a deserted space, just crying its' lonliness out to the world. The sound cuts straight through you.

That is the wind we have had the last couple of days. The wind has been strong enough to just blow the cell signal away from the cell phone, strong enough to blow the phone lines right off the telephone poles.. Just last night it kicked up even stronger and created such a ruckus of vents flapping howling noises that it sounded like wild animals desparate to get in.

And now as the light of day is slowly growing stronger, the wind's howling doesn't seem quite as scary. And as I glance out my window, and see that all of our outdoor toys are still securely tucked in around the house, I give thanks for making it through the night. I am grateful to still be here with all of my belongings still intact.

I post here an shortened, edited version of this post. You can find it in all its descriptive glory, and full length at http://www.lifelearningjourney.com/2010/04/howl-of-wind.html. And I am grateful to have the option to do that!

Please Keep Cool!

I seem to be creating a bad experience of life lately. Right now I have for some reason decided to play the "all my computers should die now" game. Of course I decided to do it while I didn't have enough money to repair any of them, or buy a new one. That is because of my long term investment into the game of "I don't deserve to have things" combined with my favorite game of "I live in poverty".

I think I am almost ready to end these games and start a new adventure of "I have a fabulous life" and "I always have a plethora of money". I really am not quite sure how to play those games, but I really believe that it is time to learn a new game. I have achieved a master level at the ones I am currently playing. Perhaps that is why I am reluctant to stop them and try something new.

Today I want to express my gratitude at being able to create my life experience, and change it whenever I see fit.

Gratitude for Emptiness

It may seem strange to be grateful for emptiness, but think about it. When was the last time you were able to sit in a clear area and just take in the room to breathe? This morning we endeavored a great clean up. I decided to move the boxes and piles of "stuff" out of the way to sweep behind them.. Wow! What a large amount of dust balls to be able to gather!
In doing so, I managed to shift all the clutter from its' normal place to a different place. I did a nice thorough sweep and we washed the floor. Then we sat down to rest. As we sat there, I realized that I was admiring the clean empty space. I pointed it out to the kids and asked them to consider which they liked better.. the empty space or the pile of clutter. Which did they want to live in? Breathing great sighs of relief, they pointed to the empty space.
I reminded them that we had to get rid of toys, clothes, junk.. lots of stuff to be able to have that empty space. This afternoon, we are still working on our great project, and I am being grateful for the emptiness.