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Giving Yourself Permission – Try it this week!
Mind Over Thoughts A miraculous thing happened this weekend. A simple thing that really did feel like a blessing, a gift, magic. And it was all in my head. I have been more stressed than ever dealing with a terrible financial crisis, one that puts many people at risk. I have had trouble sleeping almost…
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The Lure in 5, 4, 3, 2 …
It Grabs Hold of You So seductively it draws you in. It knows that you can’t take your mind off of it. It’s the smart thing to do. It’s the right thing to do. And soon it’s all you think about. It is the future. Even in gratitude tomorrow grabs hold. That…
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The Worst Things about Yourself
Leaning In I was listening to an interview of advice columnist, Ask Polly, aka Heather Havrilesky. The interviewer asked her for advice on how to Be a Person in the World (the title of her upcoming book) and this was her answer. You’ve gotta lean way into what you already are. Lean way the…
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Can Gratitude Eliminate Depression?
Depression is Not a Lack of Gratitude Our topic this week is so important that I decided to make the article public for everyone to read. So in order to give you, the paid members, something special, I have recorded an mp3 so you can listen to the article while you drive, cook,…
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The Fantasy of Everything Settling Down
It’s an Inside Job I find myself saying that I will get to this and that when things calm down. But it never does. There’s always something new that shows up to challenge me. Lately the challenge has been emotional as you know from reading last week’s issue. What I have been struggling with…
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Fact-Based Gratitude
Gratitude Need Not Blind You from Reality Fact: This morning as I used the bathroom I stepped in something wet. Fact: It was dog pee. Fact: I was not fucking happy about this. Fact: I was grateful for having a washing machine to be able to take care of the problem. Gratitude is…
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My Video Confession
You May Not Know This about Me … but You Should Know Let me share an example with you. Yesterday I was working at my mom’s store. When I was telling my mom about the day the first thing I said was that my first customer was grumpy and impossible…
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This Story Has Taught Me for Nine Years
Thank It and Release It Nine years ago I learned something profound about acceptance, gratitude and letting go that has never ceased to teach me. A Curandera was doing a limpia, an energetic cleansing that helps facilitate release, on a woman who was determined to let go of something that was negatively affecting her life.…
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Gratitude in Times of Tragedy
How Can I Be Grateful When There Is Violence All Around? Unimaginable tragedy came into our lives last week. The loss of nine lives, nine people who graciously accepted an outsider into their circle, praying together and most-likely thanking God for their blessings together. Tragedies like these can It makes everyday gratitude seem very unimportant.…
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Disturbing but True
I just couldn’t find gratitude in that situation so I looked away. You have heard my gratitude time and time again for the toads in my backyard. From mating calls, eggs, tadpoles, back to toads their life cycle brings me so much joy. When I bought this house the backyard was a wasteland of weeds…
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Today We Practice Self-Compassion
You Are Your Own Best Friend We are on our third of six weeks of focusing on our inner selves to be the change we wish to see in the world. This week is all about self-compassion. Last week we talked about accepting and respecting ourselves no matter what. But we can take that one…
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What Are You Waiting For?
Your Written Invitation Sometimes things just aren’t going our way. Whether tremendous loss (our quote today is from Anne Frank’s diary) or the smallest of inconveniences (like having to turn around and drive back 45 minutes in the wrong direction because I forgot something earlier) it can be hard to find gratitude. When that happens…
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Don’t wish me happiness …
May you have strength I am selling aluminum bracelets, that I hand-stamp with inspirational words, at my mom’s store, La Parada. Words such as grateful, hope, happy, love, and believe are pounded into the smooth shiny aluminum. When I was deciding on the inspirational words I would choose I had a long list of about…
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Oceans of Energy
What causes are you devoting your energy to? I spent a good part of the day today feeling sorry for myself, worrying and feeling down. Then I started working on this week’s ecard. My energy came in a rush as I immersed myself in an activity so positive and beautiful. I was focused and guided…
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Prayers on a Shitty Day
Do you only pray at the end of a bad day? One day I was doing a workshop on gratitude and sharing my tips for finding gratitude on shitty days. I cover this topic often because many people find this the most challenging. It is much more natural for them to find gratitude when things…