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Self-Soothing: a gratitude ritual
Self-Soothing is Self-Love in Action Create a Self-Soothe Kit I have been making great use of a self-soothe kit I made last year and I would love to share that with you. I was guided to make my kit by Vanya Garabedian, LCSW who uses it with her clients who are in recovery from addiction. …
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Stressed and Blessed
Both are true. Uncovering that truth. Yes, And Oof. My final (if all goes as planned) year of graduate school has begun. And already the stress is thick this semester. I was texting a friend and told him how intense it was to be in class for 12 hours (with just two small breaks). I…
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When You Stop Searching
A note for me that might just be what you need to hear too. You Are OK The spirit in you is shining bright. You don’t see it though. Your focus is elsewhere. Everywhere. You are searching. Sometimes slow sometimes frantic. For the right way. For more time. For what’s next. For validation, distraction, meaning.…
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Escape Into Presence
When I Worry Sometimes I Look for Gratitude and Only Find Worry I write out my gratitude every night before bed. It is a wonderful routine that usually involves reflecting on my day with a positive lens. There are times when my positive lens doesn’t work or I can’t seem to find it and I…
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Mindful and Grateful
As long as I talk about gratitude I will never stop talking about noticing. Don’t Miss Out on This Moment I have said it before and will say it again: We can’t be grateful for something we don’t notice. I know that seems obvious. It really does. But still we are scattered. Busy. Worrying. Planning.…
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Repeat the Good
Learning to honor the good in our lives. Imagine Ruminating about the Good How often are your ruminating thoughts about the good that is happening in your life? If you’re like me almost never. I usually ruminate about my to do list, what other people are thinking, fears about the past or future, or the…
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Grief and Self Touch
Appreciating your body with touch. Intentional Self Touch During Times of Grief I have been thinking a lot about grief and loss. There are people in our gratitude community who are experiencing profound losses right now. And there are people in my other communities, people in the country and all over the world, who are…
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Could Be Better Could Be Worse
Up and down. Down and up. Could be better. Could be worse. A Blessing from a Stranger at Walmart I very rarely go to Walmart. When I do it's usually very late at night when the other stores are closed. So just before midnight on Sunday night there I was walking the aisles of Walmart.…
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Don’t Be Blinded by Gratitude
Not everything is beautiful. In what ways does seeing the darkness of the world bring you hope? Seeing the Darkness and Finding Hope As I mourn yet another mass shooting I am reflecting on being grateful but not ONLY being grateful. I would hate for a gratitude practice to be blinders to seeing the tragedies…
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Notice the Beauty of Nature
Nature makes you pay attention this time of year. The Call of Nature On Saturday I was rushing all day from obligations to a friend and family and home. All things I am full of appreciation for but because I was rushing and busy I wasn’t present. At one point in the day I was…
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Fall Gratitude Walk
A walk outdoors to deliberately take in moments of beauty. Gratitude Found Take a walk with me as we explore nature and the outdoors. We find gratitude in unexpected places. And remind ourselves to be grateful for things that are easy to take for granted. We explore the concept of unattachment, noticing, appreciating and letting…
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Breathing is Enough
Me too. Let’s just take a breath together. Letting Ourselves Off the Hook of Gratitude I’ve been writing a series of these about difficult times and grief. After last week I declared that to be the last of the series and I would move to more positive and feel good topics. But then “me too”…
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Breathing is Enough
Me too. Let’s just take a breath together. Letting Ourselves Off the Hook of Gratitude I’ve been writing a series of these about difficult times and grief. After last week I declared that to be the last of the series and I would move to more positive and feel good topics. But then “me too”…
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A Poem of Blessings for Times of Grief
These words. Like a soothing bubble bath for your soul. Beannacht, the Gaelic Word for Blessings by John O'Donohue On the day when The weight deadens On your shoulders And you stumble, May the clay dance To balance you. And when your eyes Freeze behind The gray window And the ghost of loss Gets in…
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In Outrage and in Gratitude
Don’t cover your eyes to it. Don’t ignore it. Take care of yourself too. Being Grateful When The World is So Fucked Up Gratitude ≠ Happiness Darkness is not a lack of gratitude. Authentic gratitude comes from looking at the world with eyes wide open. It is not protected behind blinders – ignoring the horrors…
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Great Works Started and Sustained
You have so much to offer the world. Tapping Into Your Softness and Strength The rain came thunderous and hard then soft and gentle. Afterward I went outside to enjoy the cool summer air. The light all around was soft and airy. It was the middle of the day but everything seemed so still and…
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Don’t Cover Up Shit with Glitter
I found actual dog shit in my bed! Allow The Shit To Be Shit A couple weeks ago I was talking about Getting Real About Gratitude where I mentioned that things aren't always pretty but that we can still find beauty by looking at the ugliness with a grateful heart. Well that was put to…
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Today More Than Ever I Need to Be Kind to Myself
Letting Myself Off the Hook Today’s email looks a little different. Because I needed some ease and gentleness and kindness and love. Because I’m telling myself that things can be easier and I’m believing it. Because I am grateful for the relief of letting myself off the hook. I had a hard day and…
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Summer Rain Cleanse
The thunder is the loudest, the lightning is the brightest, the rain is the softest. When Life is Stormy Summer rains are showering our desert in blessings. Let the rain cleanse away your worries and your fears. Let the unknowns of life be as accepted as the thunder. Let your gratitude flow like soft…
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How Do You Fight?
My grandparents fought through prayer and hard work and asking for help. Can Gratitude Be a Form of Fighting? In this time of so many people taking sides and fighting it can feel like even peace and war is in its own conflict. But not all fighting is bad. Sometimes we are fighting to be…