Gratitude

He who is not contented with what he has, 

would not be contented with what he would like to have.

-Socrates

Do I need to define gratitude?  I think we all know what it is.  There are many names for it.  Being grateful, thankful and having an attitude of gratitude is beneficial to living a happy life.  Research shows it can transform your life.  Even when you are struggling it will help you focus on all of the positive things in life.  

Gratitude is not an emotion, it is a discipline of the heart.

Counting your blessings is expressing appreciation for what one has-as opposed to what one wants or needs.  It is the opposite of complaining and leads to contentment.  It lightens your heart, life and expands the world.  

Studies show that gratitude not only can be deliberately cultivated but can increase levels of well being and happiness for those who practice this habit.  In addition, grateful thinking and expressing it to others, is associated with increased levels of energy, optimism and empathy.  We could all use a little more of those traits to live our best lives.  

When you decide you want to create more happiness in your life you will need to set aside daily time to count your blessings.  This is only one way to build this happiness habit.  Make a conscious effort to take in and appreciate the good, those positive moments that occur each day.

Trade your expectations for appreciation and the world changes instantly.

-Tony Robbins

Be thankful you don't already have everything you want or what would you have to look forward to?

Be thankful you don't know something, it gives you the opportunity to learn.

It is hard to be thankful during the difficult times, but that is when you grow, be thankful.

When you face limitations, they are opportunities to improve the world, be thankful.

As challenges come you build strength and character, be thankful.

Be thankful for mistakes because isn't that when we learn the most valuable and memorable lessons?

Being thankful shifts the focus of attention from ourselves to others and changes the world.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.  

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.

Some suggestions for living a life of gratitude:

• Say thank you when someone does something nice for you.
• Morning or evening gratitude session-close your eyes and silently give thanks.
• Learn a gratitude prayer.
• Write in a gratitude journal, note cards or even post its.
• Apps for smart phones are easy to find.
• Computer programs to make a ongoing record.
• Art journals and vision boards are visual reminders.

We think we have to do something to be grateful or something has to be done in order for us to be grateful, 

when gratitude is a state of being.

-Iyanla Vanzant

Gratitude requires attention

 and 

consistent practice.

Make gratitude a habit today, tomorrow and every day.  

Change your life.

Transform the world.

Thank you!

Vacation from Retirement!

I am retired but...I work.
I work part time at the library as a page, shelving books.
I write a blog every week, even when I don't have ideas on what to write about.
I am also a happiness teacher and I teach the science of happiness classes. 
I maintain Facebook and Twitter sites. 
I am slowing building a web site, reading library books to do it.
I have many meetings and think of creative ways to spread happiness.  
Oh, and I go to the gym 4-5 times a week.  

Retirement is the action or fact of leaving one's job and ceasing to work.  
I did leave my very high stress career in Recruiting and Hiring with many deadlines and lots of pounding my head against the wall in frustration. 
But I have not ceased to work so am I retired?  

I love going to the library to "work."  I see and touch thousands of books, have immediate access to the new books and very nice co-workers and supervisors who appreciate me.  When I go home I do not worry about the books or if the work is getting done. 

But I also love those days spent at my computer writing and creating.  And the days when I am spreading happiness, teaching others the scientific concepts of well being and flourishing, those are exciting and fulfilling too.  Sometimes I enroll in classes and learn or visit friends or hang out with my girls. Some of my best times are at the Apple Store learning, learning and learning more while in the flow of the moment, not believing an hour has gone by! 

Every day after the gym, I am lucky to come home to a healthy protein smoothie, with mystery ingredients, concocted by my husband, Dennis. 

                             It is a nice time of the day to catch my breath 

                                                              and 

                                    contemplate my life, with gratitude.

Before I retired I made a long list of projects and things to do so I could stay busy and not get bored or become lazy.  I never work on that list.  I want to make a family cookbook, create photo albums, organize our finances so I am not the only one that knows what is going on, write an e-book on my Hold Accounts method, make a quilt, paint a room, clean the garage and the list goes on and on. I might need to take a vacation from retirement to accomplish those tasks.

I have friends and family that think I am too busy and some days I feel like slowing down the pace.  But since I "retired" I no longer need blood pressure medicine, I make it a priority to get 7 hours of sleep, my eating habits are much healthier and I am now learning or trying to learn meditation.  Yes, I am busy...but I am busy doing what makes me happy, gives me a purpose and having a whole lot of fun.

Life isn't always without stress and problems, though I deal with those times and hope they pass quickly.  I try to lean towards optimism in my life of retirement, and when I don't, thank goodness I have friends who remind me.

This week we are celebrating our 31st anniversary.  

I am taking a vacation from retirement.  

I will not go to work.  

I will be away from home, traveling.  

I will take some books to read and watch beautiful scenery.

I will eat meals out, indulge in desserts more than once and laugh. 

But mostly I will contemplate my life, with gratitude.  

A vacation from retirement 

to slow down 

and 

savor these moments.

Life is good.

Inspiration

 Inspiration    the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative• a person or thing that inspires• a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea
I am so inspired.  I attended a live stream event for Hay House-I Can Do It Pasadena.  It was amazing.  So much positivity.  I am glad I splurged and did this.  It was good for my soul.  At different times this weekend I was laughing, crying, taking notes, dancing, meditating and just absorbing all the fabulous information.  
Dr. Wayne Dyer said your friends are God's way of apologizing for your relatives!  Oh my did that strike a cord with me.  He read poems, talked of divine love and his daughter sang a song that had me holding in my tears.  His shirt said love.  Love period.   
Louise Hay and Mona Lisa Schulz talked about an inner ding!  Scientific proof about listening to your intuition and so many great affirmations.  I know that life always supports me.
Anita Moorjani talked about being in a coma from cancer and dying.  Her experience left me in awe and curious with unanswered questions.  There is a lot to learn about death.  Life is a gift.
Nick Ortner taught us how to tap.  Not as in tap dance but a method called Emotional Freedom Technique.  It is acupressure with modern psychology.  It is about retraining the brain-to react differently.  Tapping might be magical.
Alex Woodard broke my heart with his songs and stories from For the Sender.  His voice traps you in his world of...what if what you are supposed to be doing is better than what you have dreamed?
Brian Weiss took us on a past life regression meditation but I think I was so relaxed I fell asleep.  Oops.
Doreen Virtue and her angels are fascinating.  She says life should be filled with passion, excitement and making a difference.  Have you ever felt the presence of an angel?
Sonia Choquette had me dancing and laughing and changing my energy.  Her playful spirit will stay in my mind for a long time and reminded me how much I love music and how it affects our moods.  
Louise Hay, Ahlea Khadro and Heather Dane were giving nutritional and other health tips.  Louise Hay is 87.  She is unlike anyone I have ever met.  Her energy and love can be felt through the computer.  She is feisty and laughs a lot.  Her mirror work was divine.  The idea that overeating can be a form of starvation was mind-blowing.  Affirmation from Louise Hay-I listen with love to my body's messages.
Kris Carr told us that prevention is the best cure for cancer.  Self care is not selfish, it gives others permission to do the same.  It can change the world.  Not sure about the green juice but keeping an open mind.  She explained her journey with cancer, and I loved it when she said the only letters behind her name are LIFE.
Bruce Lipton was explaining the science of belief.  It was amazing to hear the facts and theories from atoms and energy to epigenetic and the difference between the conscious and subconscious mind.  He talked so fast I was waiting for him to breathe.  I could not write fast enough.
I wish you all could have had the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful event.  It is great to learn, question, be amazed and curious about life and the journey we are all on.  The common themes throughout this weekend were to have fun, find joy, make a difference and LOVE.  My mind, heart and soul have expanded.  I am excited!  
What excites you?What are you willing to change?What are you going to do?
All is well.     
 

Sleep

    I love the fall.      It is my favorite time of year.      It is when we turn the clocks back and have an extra hour to sleep!
      Are you a night owl or a lark?        Do you burn the candle at both ends?        Do you go to bed late and get up early?       Do you nap or fall asleep when you sit down?  

sleep |slēp|noun1 a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended
    Sleep is the most cost effective health program.  If you are not getting enough sleep it can lead to sleep deprivation and many serious health issues including increased stroke risk, obesity and memory loss.  There are many studies that prove the danger in not enough sleep, from car accidents to weight gain.  
We need to prioritize sleep the same way as diet and exercise.
Discipline.
    Our bodies like routine when it comes to sleep.  It allows natural circadian rhythms to kick in.  Altering our sleep and wake times can throw our body clock out of whack.  Research shows that a regular wake time and sleep time are important to health.  Don't sleep in on the weekends.  Have a regular wake time and stick with it.  If you get the right amount of sleep all week you won't need to play catch up on the weekend.
    Sleep provides brainpower.  Sleep helps us learn.  Your brain processes what you learn while you are asleep.  This is more than theory.  There are research studies that have proven this in many settings. Tom Rath, in his book, Eat Move Sleep, says "chronic sleep impairment is bad for your overall mental ability and akin to aging four to seven years."  I want to keep those four to seven years cognitively for as long as I can and if sleep is part of the answer then I will make sleep a priority, a habit to incorporate into my life. 
Stop reading your email and Facebook at night  right before you sleep.About an hour before you turn in, turn off all electronics.   Maybe this would be a good time to learn to meditate.Snuggle with a pet or child.Read a book.Visualize your day and how you want it to be tomorrow.  Pray.Write down what you are grateful for.Do some deep breathing exercises.
Relax and let the day go.
Our lives are the sum of those little decisions we make every day.  Make them count.-Tom Rath
p.s. Short blog this week...going to sleep!