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Count Your (tiny) Blessings

I’ve heard from many of you after last week’s Tiny Habits post, that you’re excited and hopeful in creating your own Tiny Habits. Whether it’s a new habit we’re trying to master or a large project that looms before us, the act of breaking things down into small, manageable chunks makes it seem doable and even fun.  This got me thinking about other powerful “tiny” things.  Namely…

Tiny blessings. 

Have you noticed that the big, headline-worthy, miracle-sized blessings get all the attention?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for big blessings and they should be celebrated, but in the grand scheme of things, if we take note and give thanks for the daily tiny blessings in our lives, we will experience more gratitude and joy in our lives. 

We all experience these tiny blessings, but because of their wee size, they may get buried in the day-to-day stresses, activities, and routine.  If you don’t notice them, you might forget to give thanks for them, or to share one as an encouragement to someone else, or to acknowledge their faithful presence in your life.

Tiny blessings should not be overlooked.  It’s time to shine the spotlight on them!

Here are three simple ways to ensure you don’t miss out on the tiny blessings that come your way:

Use The Correct Lens: I recently spent the day with a photographer and was amazed at what he could capture just by switching out his lens: zooming in to capture detail that would easily be overlooked by the normal “roving” eye or using a widele lens that expanded his view, capturing detail in the periphery that might otherwise be missed.  It’s the same with us, we need to listen to our instincts and be present in the moment enough to realize when it’s time to switch out our lens.  Don’t get so caught up in the big picture or so bogged down in the minutia that you miss out on tiny blessings all around you.

Remember Your History: Every single one of us has tiny blessings dotted across the canvas of our lives.  Sometimes those small dots become blurry and distant.  It’s easy to forget our past blessings, but you don’t have to.  Keeping a record of your tiny blessings is a great way.  I do this in my gratitude journal, when nothing is too small.  When you get in a rut or go through a difficult time, it’s very encouraging to pull out the physical reminders of your blessings to give you hope and keep you going.

Be a Tiny Blessing Bless-er:  I’m sure you’ve heard the Bible verse, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  I think Jesus was on to something here!  I’ve seen this firsthand to be true and I bet you have, too.  Whether it’s a kind word, gesture, or other loving act, being a blessing to someone else almost always has a way of leaving you feeling like you’ve been more blessed than the bless-ee.

Friends, don’t let the circumstances of life let the tiny blessing spottings disappear.  Keep your eyes and heart open and be prepared to be blessed!

Here’s to counting your (tiny) blessings!

Jill xx

 

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6 Steps for Transitioning to Your New Normal

There are these huge waves on the Oregon Coast called sneaker waves.  They appear without warning, oftentimes catching an innocent bystander by surprise and whisking them out to sea.  There are warning signs posted on the beach, but like with many things in life, most people don’t think anything bad will happen to them.

I don’t know what it is lately, but I’m hearing from more and more friends, family members, and co-workers being hit by one of life’s “sneaker waves.”

Divorce, loss of a loved one, cancer diagnosis, break-up of a precious friendship, loss of a job, mental illness, problems with aging parents, personal injury.  Even things that aren’t supposed to be traumatic, like becoming an empty nester, or moving to a new city, can throw us for a loop.

The bottom line is that what was once normal, is now uncharted territory.  Transition to a new normal is necessary.

If you’re reading this, and are going through a tough time in your life, I encourage you to consider the steps below to help navigate through this difficult season.

Six Steps to Transitioning to Your New Normal   

Grieve the loss of the what was.  Grieving is a necessary process when you’ve experienced loss.  It’s important to allow yourself to grieve the old normal, but be careful not to spend too long in the denial stage.  Depending on what you’re going through, denial can actually be a helpful tool your mind uses to help pace your emotions.  The key is not to get stuck there.

Manage your expectations.  Yes, life will be different now.  It can be helpful to outline in your mind or even on paper how the new normal might be.  Sometimes just getting a visual picture or a plan for what’s to come will help manage the ups and downs that are typical in these transitionary periods.  With this being said, read on…

Be flexible.  Remember that no matter how perfectly you plan and try to manage your expectations, there are bound to be setbacks.  This is normal.  It is, however, extremely important to be flexible during a difficult transition period so that you don’t add to the stress you are already undergoing.  Roll with the punches—as best you can–learn from your experiences, and get back on course.      

Replace the “hole” with something healthy.   After my mom died, I inherited a bunch of her cookbooks.  Not much of a cook before, I found myself diving into culinary experimentation.  Not only did I learn new skills, but I felt a connection with my mom while cooking—a void was filled.  When my son left for college and I became an official empty nester, I started this blog.  I knew I would have extra time and I didn’t want to fill it with watching tv or something else that wouldn’t benefit me.  Be careful not to let drugs, alcohol, or any other destructive activity fill your void…sometimes these things may feel good in the moment, but they are bound to cause trouble down the road.

Understand you’re not alone.  It can feel like you’re the only person in the world who has been handed such a crappy hand, who has been so heartbroken, or who has experienced so much pain.  No two people will have the same exact experience, but you can bet there are lots of people out there who’ve experienced something similar.  There will come a time when it’s important to lean in to such people.  Leaning in does not mean you’re weak.  Leaning in can be your saving grace.  Whether it be through a support group, a friend, family members, church members, or a perfect stranger who was set in your path for a reason you may not understand.  Just lean in, friends.

Start your gratitude journal today.  If you don’t already practice writing in a gratitude journal, today is the perfect day to start.  Maybe you can only come up with one thing per day, that’s OK, just write it down.  If you’ve already been in the practice of writing in a gratitude journal, don’t let any setbacks you’re experiencing prompt you to stop.  Expressing gratitude is wonderful in the good times, and can be a real life-saver in the bad times.  I wrote an entire post on journaling here, check it out for ideas and inspiration.

Here’s to reaching a place of peace and stability in your new normal.

Jill xx

As always, I appreciate you spending time with me here today.
Please share my blog with your friends, family, and co-workers.

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Are You Comfortable in Your Own Shoes?

Following is an excerpt from something a friend of mine wrote on his Facebook page a couple days ago:

“I may not know everything about myself and I know I’m far from perfect – but I like what I do know and for the first time feel confident and comfortable in my own shoes.  Shoes I know I like because I like them, not because I saw them on someone else.”

In his post, Landon, who had just celebrated a birthday that, as he put it, pushed him firmly into his 40s, was giving thanks for all the birthday well wishes, but was also sharing another important personal milestone in his life…finding, understanding, and loving his authentic self.

Earlier in that same post, he wrote, “I don’t think I wanted to know who I was before, and instead just mimicked what I saw around me.”

Can anyone relate?

I can chalk up most of my childhood, 20’s and 30’s to feeling this same way.

Does going through a Madonna (the singer, not the Virgin One!), hippie, and “rocker” phase, all within a couple years, tell you anything?  And believe me, I got into each phase with gusto!  That all took place in my teens–my 20s and 30s brought on their own set of mimicry issues.

I would guess that most of us, at some point, have struggled with identity issues, some more than others, but the beauty in this story today, is someone “coming into their own” and sharing their experience with us.

We can learn from others.

You and I can learn from the words Landon shared.  We can learn for ourselves, for our children, for our friends.

My challenge for all of us today is to realize the importance of, and take steps towards, living as authentic people.  Let’s stop walking around wearing someone else’s shoes.  It’s no fun!

Following are some key points that may be helpful to you as you traverse along your journey in discovering your authentic self:

Introspection: A little self-examination goes a long way.  Ask yourself these introspective questions, either during or after you’ve experienced certain emotions:
1. When I get upset or agitated, what is the core reason for the emotion?  Am I feeling attacked?  Are painful memories being brought to the surface?  Am I feeling judged?  For certain parts of this exercise, I find it helpful to step away from my circumstances and view it from an outsider’s perspective.  Doing this gives some clarity and “unbiased” perspective that I might not be able to see through my eyes.
2. When I’m really grateful, what is the core reason?  Do I feel understood?  Do I feel safe?  Do I feel blessed?

Discovering the answers to these types of questions will help you uncover truths about yourself that are extremely important in this process.

Consider taking it a step further and work through these questions and answers in your journal.

Forgiveness: “Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  The act of forgiveness sets you free.  Free to move to an emotionally and physically healthy place.  Remember that forgiving doesn’t equal forgetting, and it doesn’t equal acceptance of the wrong that was committed.  This goes for forgiving others as well as forgiving yourself.  Forgiving yourself can be harder than forgiving someone else, but it’s just as important.

Listen & Be Open to Criticism: There are two types of criticism.  Constructive criticism can point out a mistake or a fault, but is intended to provide improvement and growth opportunities.  Destructive criticism is hurtful and can have negative effects on self-confidence.  Being criticized can be hard, but if you learn to receive constructive criticism well, you’ll have an opportunity to grow in ways you might not imagine possible.

Give of Yourself:  I’ve learned more about myself when I’m not “thinking about or doing for myself.”  The point of giving is not to receive, but I’ve found, time and again, the beautiful bonus of giving is going away with more than you came in with.

Practice Gratitude:  The practice of expressing gratitude not only brings the obvious benefit–feeling content and happy–but it also brings a concentrated awareness of the important things in life.  I love this quote by author Melody Beattie: “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Maturity: You know the old saying, “with age comes wisdom.”  This can certainly be true, but we need to be mindful of the latter part of that quote, too: “…but sometimes age comes alone.”  No matter our age, we will always be a work in progress, but we have so much to gain from our experiences.  The key is to actually learn from those experiences.

Think about these six areas as opportunities to grow closer or deeper into a person who is comfortable in her own shoes!

As always, I appreciate you spending time with me today.

Jill xx

P.S.  If you enjoyed this post, you might also like this video I did on authentic living.

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Removing Limiting Beliefs From Your Life

There’s a story in the Bible about a man named Moses who, one day, God personally asked to go talk to the leader of Egypt (who, by the way, was not the most friendly fella) and ask him to release His (God’s) people.  These people (some say as many as 2 million) from Israel had been in captivity for 400 years and had become slaves in this country, so chances are this leader was probably not just gonna let them go on their merry way without a fight.

As you can imagine, Moses gave every excuse in the book as to why he shouldn’t/couldn’t do this for God.  I’m sure he was nervous to approach the leader of this country, but Hello!! — the one and only Almighty God was asking him to do this– this wasn’t just some friend asking for a favor!

Fear and insecurity got the best of Moses, so, to help out with that, God showed him some amazing miracles he could perform that would prove God had sent him, in case the leader didn’t believe him.  After all this, Moses, all set for success, pulled out yet another reason why he shouldn’t be the one to perform this task.  Here’s what he said, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”  This is where I imagine Moses is getting on God’s very last nerve, but God, in all His grace, decided to let Moses’ brother Aaron go along with him to be his mouthpiece.

The story goes on and it’s a doozy (Moses and Aaron do complete their task, by the way), but what I’d like to point out about this story is what Moses was experiencing that day—a case of limiting beliefs.

Limiting beliefs. 

We all experience them.  Sometimes things we’d like to do just don’t seem possible.  We may have an idea that goes against all logic, so we put it behind us before giving it a fair shot.  We ultimately convince ourselves that we don’t have the capacity to achieve certain things, even though we very well may be able to.

The reason I use Moses as an example here is because if a guy, that the God of the Universe was audibly asking to do something, and telling him He would help him with the task, still couldn’t believe in himself, then we are all certainly bound to experience a limiting belief or two from time to time.

Limiting beliefs dictate how we think, how we feel, and how we behave.  The power they have over our lives can be immensely defeating.

First, let’s take a look at some typical statements that cue limiting beliefs and then we’ll discuss several ways to overcome these beliefs so that each of us is striving to live our fullest potential.

LIMITING BELIEF STATEMENT CUES:

I could never…
I’m not good enough to…
I’m not smart enough to…
I don’t have enough time to…
I shouldn’t…
I’m not skilled enough to…
I wouldn’t know how to start, so…
I don’t have enough money to…
I don’t have a college degree, so…
I don’t deserve to…
I don’t know how to __________, so I can’t…
I’m too old to…
I’m worthless.

Read through those again.  Does one in particular look familiar?  Have you used any of these statements in the past?  Are you using them now?

Let’s take a look at six ways to overcome the limiting beliefs that may be hindering you from reaching your fullest potential.

OVERCOMING LIMITING BELIEFS

Learn from past failures.  Don’t allow past failures to dictate your present or your future.  These failures and mistakes should be used as prime opportunities to learn and grow.  Haven’t you noticed how the biggest lessons you’ve learned in life have come from being on the other side of a bad decision?  The key is to be able to pinpoint what went wrong and how it could be done differently in the future.  Learn, grow, and give yourself a little grace, friends.

Replace negative voices in your head with positive affirmations.  You know these darn voices have a way of creeping in and making you feel “less than,” or even worse, “less-than less than.”  Because these are involuntary voices, we not only want to be reactive (say something affirming to yourself the second the voice pops up), but we should be proactive as well, by stating positive affirmations every day, regardless of how you’re feeling that day.

Another approach could be to ask a question directed at the negative voice.  For example, let’s say my inner-voice said, “You are terrible at writing!  Who would want to read what you have to say??”  I could come back with the following question for myself: “Have I ever helped anyone with the content on my blog?”  My answer would be “yes,” so that helps to shoot down or point out the lie the negative voice is projecting.
NOTE:  I wrote an article titled, “How to Stop Your Negative Self Talk From Bullying You.” In it, I discuss the impact of negative self-talk and four specific ways to overcome your own voice when it bullys you — click here to read.

Let go of the naysayers in your life.  You probably have someone that comes to mind immediately, as you read this.  There are people who have a tendency to either suck the life out of you or see everything through a negative lens.  I firmly believe you should cut out or at least substantially minimize your interactions with these type of people.  If you don’t, they’ll weigh you down and limit your potential for positive growth.       

Invite emotionally healthy people in your life.  As some relationships fall away, others will blossom and grow.  Jim Rohn always said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  Makes sense doesn’t it?  Who do you spend time with?  Who are the top “influencers” in your life?  When we surround ourselves with people we respect and admire, they’re bound to rub off on us, right?  Yes, they will, and hopefully you’ll rub off on them too. : )  Iron sharpens iron, friends!

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.  It’s when we step out of our comfort zone that we are able to experience real growth.  It doesn’t have to be a HUGE step either—small steps allow us to ease into new things without fear taking hold and throwing us back.

Obviously, you don’t want to live in a constant state of being outside your comfort zone—there is much good that takes place in the comfy zone too!  Find a good balance and think about the steps you take as adventures and growth opportunities.

Practice gratitude verbally or in written form every single day.  Expressing gratitude is associated with greater happiness, and when you make it a daily habit, the benefits are 100-fold!  Whether you write three things down each day in a journal or you say them out loud, your perspective on life will change.  You’ll become aware of the little things in life that we oftentimes take for granted, and by becoming aware of these things, you will experience more joy in your life.

I urge you to take steps today to begin the work of overcoming the limiting beliefs in your life.  Don’t let the “I don’t have time” belief take you away from this!  You deserve better.

As always, I appreciate you hanging out with me today.

Jill xx

P.S.  If you’ve found this post helpful, would you please share with those you care about?

Also, if you’re not subscribed to my blog, don’t leave without doing so.  It’s free, and you’ll receive a new post delivered right into your email inbox every Saturday morning.

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How Changing Specific Words You Use Every Day Will Greatly Impact Your Life

You may not realize it, but there are most likely words or phrases you use every single day that are putting a damper on the way you perceive and react to life.  These words may seem innocent enough, but believe me, they’re not!

Join me as I share what these words are and discuss how you can benefit from recognizing, altering and, in many cases, removal of these words from your vocabulary.  As I discuss in the video, just changing one single word will truly make a major impact on your life.

IDEA: Don’t have time to sit and watch the video?  Stick your earbuds in, press play, and take a walk with me.  I’m also good at chatting with you while you wash the dishes or cook a meal. 🙂

What do you think?  Are you willing to make a change?
Have you noticed these patterns yourself already and made a change?  If so, how has it impacted your life?

Thanks for spending time with me today!  Hope you enjoyed the palm tree cameo in the video. 🙂

Jill xx

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Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Think about a typical, let’s call it “ordinary” day.  You get up, make the coffee, shower, eat breakfast, go to work, return home, make dinner, do some laundry, watch tv, and go to bed.

Just another ordinary day, right?

Think again.  There’s something extraordinary right in front of you, you just need to know how to find it.

Merriam-Webster defines ordinary in this way:

Ordinary definition

On the other hand, they define extraordinary like this:

extraordinary defintion

I think the folks at Merriam-Webster should add a footnote with both these definitions that says it’s possible to experience the extraordinary in the ordinary.  It’s just a matter of awareness, perception and gratitude.

Let’s take a look at the “ordinary” day I described earlier.  How might we uncover the extraordinary there?

Have another cup of joe: Did you know that coffee beans are actually a fruit called a coffee cherry harvested from coffee trees?  The process from planting the seed, to harvesting (often hand-picked) the cherries three to five years later is only the beginning.  A very detailed process then takes place over the next several months that includes processing, drying, milling and exporting the green beans to a roaster.  The beans are finally packaged and available for sale in your local store or coffee house.  So, as you sip on your delicious coffee each morning, consider the extraordinary efforts that took place to create it.  Enjoy!

Rub-a-dub-dub:  Did you know that 85% of the world population lives in the driest half of the planet? 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation.  As you turn on the warm water each morning and lather up with a wonderful scented soap, give thanks for the extraordinary gift that your bathing experience is.

Take the “scenic” route: Most of us spend a good deal of time in our cars, but this works for those of us on a bus or a bike too.  Take a look around.  Note the beautiful leaf color on the trees, the interesting architecture of a house or building, and the way the clouds billow high up in the sky. These things we pass by each day, sometimes without a thought–when seen through a lens of awareness, their extraordinary qualities are revealed.

Just another day at the office: I use lots of technology throughout my day at work–how is it that I become impatient when the internet (the world at my fingertips!) goes down for 5 minutes?  Remember the day when we had to go to the library and utilize the Dewey Decimal system to look something up?  That wasn’t that long ago!  We are in an age in which we are witnessing never before seen technological advances.  These tools we utilize every day, at times taken for granted, are extraordinary.

You get the point.  It’s up to each of us to find the extraordinary in these “ordinary” experiences.  I would argue that we can find the extraordinary in almost anything.

Have an extraordinary day!

I’d love to hear from you.  Look around right now, using your new eyes of awareness, what is the first extraordinary thing you notice?  Please leave your comments below.

Jill xx

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Reboot Your Life

We’ve all been there.  Our computer locks up or we get some weird error that pops up.  The IT guy tells us to “reboot”.  In most cases, the reboot works like a charm.

Ever felt like you need a reboot in life?

Does one of these scenarios sound familiar?

  • You had a conversation where you stuck your foot in your mouth and wished you could hit the rewind button.
  • You started off your day stubbing your toe when getting out of bed and ended that same day with breaking your favorite lamp.
  • A bad decision you made has gotten worse. ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ is a cute phrase thrown around, but the reality is that some of our decisions can be a nightmare that we don’t wake up from.
  • A bad mood sets in for no apparent reason, and you just feel down.
  • You are totally overwhelmed with your busy schedule.

If a reboot works for our computers, how much more could a reboot work for our minds, our bodies, and our souls?

Here are some reboot suggestions that can be implemented immediately:

  • Take a walk.
    Research shows increased health benefits with a 30-minute walk per day. It can cut the risk of heart disease, the #1 cause of death of men and women, by 40%!Don’t think you can fit in a consecutive 30-minute walk each day?  Break up your exercise time into three 10-minute walks per day–breaking it up like this is actually more effective for blood pressure control!  After you read this, plan to take a 10-minute walk within the next two hours.  After you take that walk, set up a time for your next.  Make this a habit.  You won’t be sorry.
  • Take a deep breath…or two…or three.
    Deep breathing is a definite stress reliever and you don’t need any special gear or a club membership to do it. Deep breathing gives you more energy (bringing in more oxygen to your body), more focus (especially when you are very intentional with your breathing–you quiet your mind, giving it a break and a reboot!), and deep breathing also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is critical to your body’s healing and digestion processes.  Try it now.  Breathe in for five seconds and out for five.  Do this three or four times.  Good job!
  • Make a change in your diet.
    It’s no fun feeling sluggish, especially when your sluggishness is caused by the things we choose to ingest.  One quick and easy change to your diet is to incorporate some foods that are not only good sources of magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids and protein, but are also known to boost brain power!  Some good options are: salmon, avocado, nuts, berries, spinach, and dark chocolate.Now, we all know the types of foods that drag us down.  For me it’s too many carbs!!  I LOVE carbs!  It’s not until I limit (NOTE:  I didn’t say cut out completely) my carb intake that I feel and see the effects.  Here’s an idea.  Make a decision to lay off one or two of the foods that you think might make you feel sluggish and see how you feel after a couple weeks.
  • Just Say “Maybe”
    Are you a “yes” woman or man? I admit, I am a recovering “yes” woman.  For most of my life I would say yes to almost everything asked of me.  I wouldn’t consult my calendar, my already packed schedule, or my husband.  THIS is NOT a good habit.  Remember, a well thought through yes, is 100-times better than 100 knee-jerk yes’s.  My recommendation is to never commit yourself to something without sleeping on it first.By the way, some of us (women mostly) somehow decided that our worth was based on how much we were doing or what people thought of what we were doing.  The sooner we can get that line of thinking in-check the better!
  • Hang out with a friend or two.
    Friendships enrich our lives.  As a matter of fact, having a network of friends is tied to living longer.  Something to remember is that there are different types of friendships and one is not necessarily better than the other.  You may have friends that are there for the good and bad times — priceless.  Some friends have you in stiches all the time, but they may not be the “call in the middle of the night if you need help” type of friend.  You know what “they” say, laughter is sometimes the best medicine.  Other friends may be with you for a season and move on – enjoy the time you have with one another.
  • Take a technology break.
    This day and age, many of us are more connected to our virtual reality than we are to our REAL reality.  Do yourself and those around you a favor and set aside time when you truly unplug from ALL the technology in your life.  We haven’t always had the information and capabilities at our fingertips like we do today, and believe it or not, you WILL NOT die if you take a break!  As a matter of fact, you may live longer.  That’s right!  Our brain is an organ—the CENTER of your nervous system– and it needs rest in order to grow and perform to its potential.
  • Give thanks. Last but definitely not least, give thanks.  I firmly believe this is the most important on our list.  When you stop and take a moment to realize all that you have to be thankful for, your entire perspective on life changes.  Some days it might be hard to dredge up something that you are thankful for.  Start with the things that many of us take for granted, like the breath you just took or the food you ate for lunch…each of us will have a different list, but all of us can find things to be grateful for.Go ahead, grab a pen and write down five things you are thankful for right now.  If you choose to spend 1 minute per day doing this, you will be amazed at how fast your list will grow AND how much more you will feel thankful.

If you are an over-achiever, here’s the instant-reboot-implementation-plan for you:

Take a walk with a funny friend and practice your deep breathing exercises together (this will undoubtedly provide extra bouts of laughter).  After your walk, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a delicious spinach, walnut and salmon salad.  Don’t forget to give thanks for your friendship and the food before you eat!  As you part ways, tell your friend you will have to sleep on it before making a decision as to whether you will join her in volunteering to clean the local park the following weekend.

Did you notice that this entire experience was technology free?  You and your friend did not check your Facebook status once during your time together, and you lived to tell about it.

All kidding aside, what type of things do you do to reboot?  Is there something that I haven’t listed that works best for you?  Please add your suggestions in the comments section.  Your idea may be the one that helps someone who is in need of a reboot today.

As always, I appreciate you taking time to read my blog.  If you have found value in something you read here today, please share.

Jill xx

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5 Lessons We Can Learn About Life From Appollos Hester

Have you seen the awesome video of the high school football player that has gone viral this week?

I hope you haven’t and this is your first time.  You are in for a real treat!  (Confession: I have watched a dozen times now and it never gets old).

Every bit of the 2 minutes and 28 seconds of this video is superb.  This video is G rated, so gather any youngsters wandering around to watch with you.

Ok, first of all, DO YOU NOT LOVE THIS KID!  I just want to hug and high five him!

Every second of this video is filled with goodness, but here are the TOP 5 lessons we can learn about life from Appollos Hester:

1. NEVER LOSE YOUR CHILD-LIKE ENTHUSIASM
Appollos is in high school, so he’s still officially a “child,” but somewhere along the line most of us lose our zeal and excitement for life.  Did life become less exciting?  No.  Our perspectives change, but that doesn’t mean we lose the ability to twirl and jump around when we are excited about something.  Right?

Challenge: Next time you get your mail, skip to the mailbox.  Don’t worry about the neighbors staring at you.  Maybe you will encourage them to live out random acts of joy.  Believe me, skipping makes you feel ALIVE!

2. LISTEN TO YOUR MENTORS
Appollos recounts what his coach told the team in the locker room huddle, “It’s gonna be tough, it’s gonna be hard, you’re gonna go out there, you’re gonna batter, you’re gonna fight, you’re gonna do it for one another…”  He took the advice and encouragement the coach gave and BELIEVED his team could do it.

If you are lucky enough to have a mentor/coach/counselor in your life, listen to them and apply the wisdom they have to impart.  If you don’t have someone like this in your life, I encourage you to find someone who can speak into your life in a positive way.  For those encouragers out there, you have a gift to share, become a mentor to a child or adult today.  Click here for some organizations that need you.

3. BE GRATEFUL
Appollos is grateful.  He’s grateful to God.  He’s grateful to his parents.  He’s grateful to his friends and teammates.  He’s grateful for everything!  Research shows that people who practice gratitude consistently are physically, emotionally, and socially better off.  No matter what your circumstances are, there is always something to be grateful for, it just takes a conscious decision to choose to live a life of gratitude.  As Appollos reminds us in the video, “It’s a mindset!”

4. POSITIVE PEOPLE MOTIVATE THOSE AROUND THEM
I love it when the desk reporters at the end are discussing the interview and one says, “I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to run through a brick wall!”  This guy was pumped! Positive people inspire others and breed positive change.  Positive people also attract positive life experiences.  You know motivational speaker Tony Robbins is going to be all over offering a job to our dear Appollos!

A bit off topic here, but didn’t the desk reporter look and sound just like Vince Vaughn when he made that comment?  Just a note for the future movie producer of Appollos’ life story. : )

5. SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS
There is so much good in this world.  Unfortunately, the ugly stories the media has a tendency to share get the high ratings, so those stories aren’t going anywhere.  The reason this video has gone viral is because it makes us happy to watch it.  It inspires us!  It motivates us!  The lesson here is, when you have good news to share, share it.  Spread JOY and HAPPINESS!

“You can do anything you put your mind to. Never give up on your dreams. Keep smiling.” – Appollos Hester

What was your favorite part of the video?  Do you have something awesome that you would like to share with us today?

Include your comments below, I would really love to hear from you!

In an effort to make your friends and family smile, please consider sharing this post with them.

Jill xx

P.S. If you haven’t subscribed to my blog already, don’t wait!. You might miss an encouraging and helpful post.

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Gratitude in a Virtual World

There are 829 million daily active users on Facebook today.

What are we all doing there?

We are either sharing, watching others share, snooping, or a  little of each.

We share milestones: Births. Deaths. Job changes. Relationship status updates. The list goes on.

We share beautiful sunsets, what we ate for lunch, funny memes, how many goals our awesome kids scored, and ALS bucket dousing videos. The list goes on.

What do we tend to steer away from sharing? The awful fight we got in with our spouse or best friend, the ginormous zit on our chin, the failed test, the feelings of despair after you get “the call” from the doctor’s office. The list goes on.

Seven days ago, I was challenged on Facebook to list out things I was grateful for each day, for seven consecutive days.

While I don’t often share much about myself on Facebook, this has been a fun exercise.

What have I been most grateful for this past week? Family and friends. The sound of children laughing. My relationship with God. Being flawed, yet still fabulous. Music that rocks my soul. Quality time with my boy before he leaves for college. People who smile. Life-saving blood cells from an umbilical cord that saved my best friend’s life.

Today is the last day of sharing my heart on this seven-day gratitude challenge.

Here were the words I shared on Facebook today:

Today I am super grateful, proud and nervous to announce the birth of…

…MY BLOG.

For those of you that know me, I hope I didn’t dash your expectations for a moment that I might be birthing another human-being! Are you kidding?! I’ve got my only offspring headed to college any minute. What will this empty nester have time for now?

Writing… HERE .

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway

I have imagined starting a personal and business development (think life-coach/teacher) website for several years. Like many of us tend to do, I pushed that idea back in the dusty corner that doesn’t receive much attention.

Until now. My dream has officially been dusted off, semi-polished and I’m throwing glitter in the air!

My goal in writing this blog is to provide a virtual space that will be a place of inspiration, encouragement and education. A place to ask questions and share ideas. (To gain a sense of why I might like to provide such a place, click here to read a little about my personal and professional background.)

I should let you know…

THIS post wasn’t the post I planned to launch my blog with. I actually wrote an extensive article on living a life of purpose and passion. I even created a printable goal sheet to go with that post! (The geek in me will tend to rear its head from time to time here—no apologies.) I hope you will find that particular post very helpful in the future. HINT: Subscribe to this blog and it will magically arrive in your inbox each week.

With this being the last day of my gratitude challenge and the launch of this website, how could I NOT write about gratitude and the effect it has on our lives.

Whether you choose to share in a public format or simply write in a journal each day, I encourage you to express your gratitude daily. It will change your life.

Choosing gratitude each day is not always easy, but with practice you will find that it is possible to be grateful even in the most difficult of circumstances.

John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Express Gratitude Today

If you choose to subscribe to this blog, you will hear from me once (maybe twice) per week. I will try to bring value to your life with the thoughts and information I share. I hope you, in turn, will contribute your thoughts and ask questions for us to ponder in the comment section below each post.

I would be honored if you would put your name and email in the subscription box and see where this journey takes us.  Jill xo

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