Gratitude

Each morning at about 5:30 a.m. my 2 1.2 year old son rolls over and whispers in my ear, "mommy I'm awake and I'm happy, lets go downstairs". Each morning that I hear him speak these words to me are valuable lessons in self awareness and personal choice. Thanks to my son not a morning goes by now without me checking in and noticing if I am happy. If I am not I ask myself why and if I am not happy I immediately become aware of how I would rather be...happy. I roll out of bed and go begin my day with my little guru who reminds me how we are always at choice, so I choose to play cars, superheros and chase.

What about the days or moments in our day when we want to be happy but we just can't seem to rise above whatever state of muck we are in? I got stuck this week for about 24 hours, seriously stuck in the muck. After some grumping around, a self coaching session and a good talk with my husband I was finally able to move through my stuff. What was waiting for me on the other side was the reminder of the power of being in a state of Gratitude.

I got so caught up on 1 little thing that it sent me reeling. As my frustration grew so too did my focus on everything that was not "right" in my world. I noticed dishes, piles of papers, the garage that is still not re organized after Christmas, my office that is still not fully put back together, clean clothes that were not put away...you name it, it caught my eye and my frustration. I stewed for 24 hours, I knew what was going on but choose to stay stuck in my muck, I didn't like how I was feeling or acting but I wasn't able to shift my state either. The longer I stayed there the more aware I became that I was keeping myself in my yuck mood by focusing on everything that wasn't right... I had a choice...

As a coach I immediately asked myself questions that I would ask a client- my brain knew the answer just like my clients do butttt I was still stuck, just like my clients so now what? My son Topher popped into my head...I'm awake and I'm happy... Gratitude...what is right in my life, what do I have to be thankful for? As soon as I began to give thanks and feel the gratitude I immediately shifted. I began to feel lighter, I was happier, I was loving my husband vs. trying to deflect my frustration onto him, I felt healthy and strong, my light had come back on so to speak.

It is so easy for our busy lives to engulf us and before we know it we look up and we seem to be stuck in the muck. If you have a day or a moment that you are frustrated, stressed out, worried, disappointed, anxious, fearful, angry at someone or something stop...take a breath and shift your thoughts away from the things that you can't control or maybe can't do anything about in that moment and focus on what is good, on what is right, on what you do have, what resources, support, love, family, friendships, health, etc.

Tonight I saw that I was getting a call from work on my day off and my first thought was ughh work but them I immediately followed that by saying I am grateful to be able to hear the phone ring. I answered the phone with a smile on my face, helped a team member and went onto enjoy my evening in a state of joyful gratitude.

Our teachers take many forms, be open and aware of the learning's as they present. For me, my little guru is 2 1/2 and he is teaching me more than I ever could have imagined~

Love and Gratitude to you all~