Blessings

Countin’ Blessings

Sheri Here,
This will be short. This week was filled with emotion, the result of doing life kinds of things.

A good friend of mine passed away at the end of January. This week was her memorial service. It was a well-attended by people from all aspects of her life: her church, work, and service communities. While I was very sad, the service was a gift, a way of coming to closure, a lot of tears and a few out right laughs.

She was a blessing in my life and will be missed. I’m grateful to have known her.

We can find gratitude in everyday things. It’s the best way, countin’ those blessings every day.

Hug tight those special ones in your life when ever you can. Tell your loved ones they are loved. Don’t pass up a single opportunity to show a random act of kindness. Smile at people – you don’t know what’s going on in their life. Be that great person you admire. Laugh out loud with friends and family. Then be amazed at what love, joy and happiness you have to count as blessings.

Until the next time …

Ciao,

Sheri
P.S. You can get my book Everything I Learned About Life I Learned on Vacation here.

Gratitude Changes Everything

Gratitude Changes Everything

Here it is November, the month dedicated to Gratitude.  Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Gratitude changes everything.

What a lovely quality to possess or to have as a recognition practice in your life.

Gratitude Practice Growing Up

Growing up I don’t remember this practice being taught at home or in the spiritual institutions I attended. Maybe I just missed it.

Yes, occasionally we’d get the “eat up and be grateful you have food on the table” speech from our parents, but not a consistent ritual of gratitude recognition.

I didn’t encounter that practice until my 40’s, when I was complaining to a friend, and she started saying I should write a gratitude list of all the things I was grateful for during a day. But at a minimum, write at least three things down.

Gratitude Changes Everything

That was hard for me at first because I couldn’t think of the blessings in my life, although they were abundant. The more I worked on this writing as a daily practice, the more I discovered the abundance that surrounded me. I softened and so did my attitude. Gratitude changes everything.

A few years later, I was given a copy of Simple Abundance – A Day Book of Comfort and Joywritten by Sarah Ban Breathnach. In this lovely daily reader book, she talks extensively about gratitude and how a daily written list will change your life. It changed mine. This book is a gem of simple practices that help us realign our thinking and with that our lives.

At the time I started my written gratitude list, I needed some changes in thinking and the book was also extremely helpful in that regard, but especially around gratitude.

This simple practice has changed my perspective and my thinking over the years and with it, my life. It has been a contributor to the more positive outlook I now have in general toward life.

A Brief History of Gratitude

Gratitude is a concept or principle that every major religion embraces – one of the few things that they agree upon.

Even the Romans in the B.C. years recognized it. Cicero, a lawyer, writer and orator of those times said, “Gratitude is not the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

Gratitude has a rich history. As it is one of my favorite topics, I’ve written a couple of other blogs on the topic if you are interested: Gratitude – A Solution for Chaos and Celebrating Gratitude and a Challenge.

Do you have a gratitude practice, where you write daily, in the morning or in the evening, 3 to 5 things that you are grateful for? Leave a comment and let me know, let me know how it has affected your life.

Around Town

If you missed the last 3 Keys to Radically Transform Your Life and Finances, I’ve scheduled another on November 29, 2022, at 2pm PT. You can register here.

You can buy my book Everything I Learned About Life I Learned on Vacation here.

Ciao,

Sheri

The Blessings in Our Life

Sheri here –

Here we are at Thanksgiving – the day dedicated to food, family, friends, football and a big dose of gratitude.

Even in these changed times, those traditions will continue. While some of the regular guests around the table may be missing, a few due to social distancing or worse – there is still much to be grateful for. When we practice gratitude, so many more blessings come our way.

Gratitude is the emotion we feel as we express appreciation and thanks. What are you grateful for?

I’ve heard an abundance of conversations about virtual gatherings whether Zoom, FaceTime or your favorite video chat app. There are lots of creative ways of sharing time with others.

Plans for festivities abound. Within your immediate household, you can express thanks at the dinner table, play games, watch movies, bake sweets and even start decorating your home for the holidays. Include your extended family and friends via Zoom or FaceTime in some of those activities. Try something different like hosting a holiday movie marathon.

Choose to make this Thanksgiving special, filled with love, joy and kindness. Find ways to savor the day and celebrate gratitude and life.

Give thanks for the many blessings in your life. Have an attitude of gratitude!
“May your days be many, and your troubles be few.
May all God’s blessings descend upon you.
May your heart be strong.
May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.”
Irish Blessing

Ciao and Happy Thanksgiving,

Sheri

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