Category Archives: gratitude

Grateful for Caring Souls and Sweet Animals

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

Yesterday, Dan and I visited Sanctuary One, a wonderful farm here in southern Oregon. 
For those of you who remember, Sanctuary One has a very special place on our hearts. With the help of over 100 people last year, we rescued three steers who were scheduled to be killed. After we saved them, Sanctuary One kindly adopted them – even though they had never before adopted steers. I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done had they not taken them in, and I will be forever grateful for their kindness. Since then, the steers have been adopted into their permanent home where they live a peaceful life on 40 acres of lush grass. They are definitely happy there! 

For those of you who aren’t in this area, here is a little background on this magical place (in their own words):
 Sanctuary One at Double Oak Farm is the first care farm in Southern Oregon. Care farms are farms where people, animals, and the earth work together for mutual healing. We envison a future where care farms are as commonplace in the United States as libraries, hospitals, and colleges.

With your help, Sanctuary One can provide a safe and caring home for needy animals; we can do something about the nature deficit disorder that more and more people are suffering from because they are constantly plugged into a computer instead of outside interacting with nature and animals; and we can teach others how permaculture can convert a traditional farm into an organic and sustainable food forest.

***

It had been a year since we had visited, and I was absolutely amazed at how much had changed in that time.
They built two cottages where dogs and cats can live in while they are waiting to be adopted. The work they have done on the land is astounding – planting, composting, building fences for the animals – the list goes on and on. 
  
Robert (the executive director) and Sansa (the animal care manager) have such open, kind hearts and their love for the animals and this farm shows through in everything they do. This all started with a dream Robert had – in fact, his master’s thesis was basically a business plan on how a sanctuary such as this could work. And now it’s a reality! (A great lesson for all of us to make sure we have a clear vision for our goals and dreams – that’s how our ideal lives come into being!)
My favorite part of visiting the sanctuary by far is seeing and interacting with the animals. 
It was so great to see some our friends again:
Lisa the beautiful pig
 Stevie the sweet goat
Rosie, the sweet and grumpy pot-bellied pig
And we got to make new friends, too!
Cookies and Cream
Bryan (a one-week old lamb who absolutely stole the show. We even got to bottle feed him!)
Plus there are horses, ducks, more goats, sheep, chickens, and geese! 
It’s such an amazing place that is doing so much to help animals, people, and our planet. 
If you live in the area, please call to schedule a visit so you can experience this wonderful place firsthand. They love volunteers, and your help would make such a difference!
If you aren’t able to visit, there are still ways you can help!
You can sponsor an animal.
You can help them win an entire fruit orchard.
(To vote, click on “list by state.” In the Oregon section, click Sanctuary One. Then follow the instructions to “Plant My Vote.”
You can donate an item from their wish lists:
Animal Care Wish List
  • Straw bales
  • Metal food bowls
  • Dog and cat collars and leashes
  • Cat litter
  • Towels (any size)

Farm and Garden Wish List

  • Picnic tables
  • Work gloves
  • Compost, potting soil, and clean fill dirt
  • Metal garbage cans
  • Heavy duty garden hoses
  • Gardening and farm tools

You can fan their Facebook page.
You can join their mailing list.
I am so grateful for Sanctuary One.
Dan and I are proud to be affiliated with such a wonderful group of people.
If you do visit, be sure to buy some of our notepads and notebooks that we made especially for them – 100% of the proceeds go directly to Sanctuary One! 🙂

Grateful for Miracles

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

Dan and I were on a telesummit yesterday for an upcoming program that we are participating in. There were 23 people on the call from all over the world, and we were all taking turns introducing ourselves. It was so interesting to “meet” everyone and learn more about them.
So many wonderful serendipitous events have occurred recently – all leading me on a path that feels like home, even though it is scary to stretch and leave my comfort zone. Almost daily I feel and see miracles that help me know that I am right where I need to be, which is so reassuring and completely necessary right now as I journey into this new world. 
Yesterday’s miracle was the biggest of all. 
I am still spinning and trying to wrap my brain around it.
I am so in awe of this wonderful universe and all of the gifts that it brings.
So back to the telesummit…
About five people had introduced themselves, and we were anxiously awaiting our turn. 
And then the miracle happened. 
One of the participants started speaking, and I recognized the voice as my long-lost best friend/brother from high school! What are the odds???
This person has always been very special to me and my family. We met because I was the exchange student liaison at my high school, and Won came from Ethiopia. 
Immediately we hit it off. His positive energy and wonderful laugh were contagious. We had an instant friendship and were together often. We were theater partners, and he helped me break out of my shell and put it all out there during our performance. He was always at my house, and my Mom thought of him as her son. He became part of our family.
Here we are back in the day. 🙂
And then life took over. We went to different colleges and tried to keep in touch, but by then I had moved across the country, and he got married and had a sweet baby. Sadly, we lost touch. A year ago he found me on Facebook, and we caught up, which was so amazing! We knew we could never lose touch again! 
I had no idea that he had joined this program. And I haven’t told anyone that I joined. 
It’s complete serendipity. 
We will see each other again soon for the first time in almost 20 years!  
There are so many reasons why he is just perfect to reenter my life at this moment. 
It’s just one more sign that I’m on the right path. 
And for that I am extra grateful.

Grateful for Taking Action

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

I read a wonderful quote from Cheryl Richardson today:

When we marry intention with action, miracles happen. 
This is so true and such powerful wisdom. 

I am grateful that we each have the choice to take action in our own lives. 
If something doesn’t feel quite right, we get to change it. We always have free will and as long as we are alive we can align ourselves along the path that feels the most authentic. 

Taking action can sometimes be hard and can sometimes bring up feelings of fear and uncertainty, but when we take action we are moving forward. Standing still in a life of comfortable stagnation isn’t a great scenario. How will we grow into the person we know we can be if we never risk and push ourselves?

Today I took a big leap toward my future. I promise I will talk more about it when the time is right, but for now I can say that I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity, for my support system that helped guide me to this decision, for putting my own fears aside and taking action, and for surrendering to the outcome.

Think about a decision you can make or an action you can take today that will move you closer to living your ideal life.
If you have been meaning to make this change for awhile now, write about what is holding you back.
How can you move beyond this fear and move into the freedom and joyfulness of a life filled with openness, learning, and growth?
Let’s be grateful today that we all have the power and ability to create our ideal life.
And by taking action and pushing ourselves just a bit, we open ourselves up to the possibilities.

Grateful for Unexpected Curve Balls

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and you get to choose to stay open and see where it takes you.
I was planning to write a gratitude post today about a wonderful appreciation meditation that I just learned, which is very helpful in tuning in to all of the good in our lives and helpful for attracting more positive things to us. 
(And I promise I will write this post very soon!)
And then life took over, which sometimes happens, doesn’t it? 🙂
The curve ball is that Dan and I found a sweet cat late last night, and we were up almost all night spending time with her. We have our fingers crossed that we will find her home – it’s very obvious that she was well taken care of and very loved. 
So while I had planned on making journals, filling orders, and writing today – I will instead be putting up signs, going to the vet, and spending time with my new friend. 
And while I feel exhausted and a bit frazzled, I am so grateful that we found this sweet kitty and can hopefully reunite her with her family. I am so grateful that we were in the right place at the right time. I am so grateful that she trusted me enough to let me pick her up and take her home. 
I am grateful for unexpected gifts and wonderful new furry friends.
I am grateful for being able to stay flexible and continue this journey with an open heart.
And I am grateful that my intended post will come out when the time is right. 
Here’s to all of us being grateful for everything in our lives (including the curve balls).

Grateful for Connectedness

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
At craft shows last year, Dan and I would have our I Am Grateful For… journal out on the table for everyone to fill in as they passed by. It was fun to see what they wrote, and we noticed that no matter what their backgrounds were (age, race, economic status, etc.) they all were grateful for the same things: family, love, friends, health, happiness, etc. 
And I absolutely love this because it shows 
how truly similar and connected we all are. 

We all want to be happy. 
We all want to be loved. 
We all want to be known. 
We all want to learn. 
We all want to give. 
We all want to be appreciated. 
We all want to find peace within ourselves. 
All of these things are universal, and we are all on this journey of life together.
It doesn’t matter what our externals are. 
It doesn’t matter whether our cultures are different, whether our ages are far apart, or whether our life experiences are completely opposite. 
We are all human, and we all experience joy, pain, happiness, and sorrow.
We are all doing our best to live up to our full potential. 
We are all doing our best to love ourselves and others in the best way we know how. 
We are all doing our best to make each day better than the one before. 
And I am so grateful for this connection. 
As you go about your day today, take some time to look around at the people you come across. Really feel your connection to them.
Know that while your external experiences might be very different, your inner experiences are very similar.
We are all unique, and yet we are all the same. 
And realizing this helps to bring us closer together.

And for that I am grateful.
P.S. – Thank you to everyone who has filled out our Self Care survey! There are still a couple of days left to respond, if you haven’t yet. (It’s in the top right corner.) It’s so interesting to see where we all fit in on the spectrum.  

Grateful for Authenticity

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
I had the amazing opportunity yesterday to attend a wonderful telesummit focused on helping women entrepreneurs practice self care and put themselves back on their own priority lists. 
put together by the amazing life coach, Susan Liddy.
Susan worked her magic and found 24 inspiring women in many different fields – each offering advice and strategies to help us feel energized and taken care of as we continue to run our businesses. 
I can’t wait to attend future events!
I am so grateful for Susan and her ability to be completely authentic. 
She tells her true story, which can be a vulnerable place. I admire anyone who can talk about not only the wonderful highs of owning your own business, but also be realistic and talk about the lows that can come as a result of working for yourself. 
She recently was working so hard and such long hours that her adrenal glands stopped working correctly. She has since begun to really evaluate her life and take steps to truly take care of herself and her body. 
I am in a very similar place, and so her story really resonated with me.
Running your own business can be a slippery slope. You can lose perspective and start having a hard time recognizing what is work and what isn’t. It starts to seem natural and normal to think about work all of the time, to not have balance, and to keep pushing yourself to achieve your goals. 
I was feeling really tired and burned out a few months ago, and so I went to a nutritionist. It turns out that (among other things), my adrenals were completely shot. I had been keeping crazy hours, stressing out, and overworking for so many years that they just didn’t have anything left to give.
So I stopped.
And I took some time to reevaluate my life.
And I came up with a plan to create a life that was authentically me, calmer, and balanced. 
And while I am still in the midst of all of this soul searching, 
I am excited to see what the future holds. 
Having people like Susan share their similar stories is a gift that I am so grateful for. 
Having the courage to put your authentic self out into the world is so inspiring. 
So thank you, Susan, for being authentically you – honest, caring, and forthright about your experience. I am inspired and know that you are helping so many women who are in similar positions. I am truly grateful that our paths have crossed.
If you are also a FEMpreneur and could use a little pick-me up, you can still join the telesummit – and it’s completely free! 
It’s never too late to start practicing self care. 
And it’s never to late to start living your authentic life.

Grateful for Kindness

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
A writing prompt from

Have you ever been helped by a stranger?
If you could tell them how grateful you are for them, what would you say?

Many years ago I was involved in a car accident. 
I was in complete shock and crawled from my car to the sidewalk to lie down. 
A lot of that moment is a blur, but I do remember many people immediately rushing over to help me. One man in particular will stay with me forever – and I would especially want to thank him for his selfless kindness and compassion. 
He somehow found a pillow or a blanket to put under my neck. And because it was summertime and very hot, he held an umbrella over me to shield me from the sun. I was hurting, crying, and scared, and he was so soothing and comforting. He just kept saying that help was on the way and that everything was going to be okay. And then before I knew it, I was put into the ambulance and taken to the hospital.
I regret not having the chance to thank him. I wish I had gotten his contact information.
He is such a kind soul and just going back and reliving that moment brings me such a sense of calmness and gratefulness – all because of him.
He made me want to be a better person.
His selfless actions that day affirmed the goodness that is in everyone.
I will forever be grateful to him.
Can you think of a moment in your life when a complete stranger helped you in some way and made your life better?
It could be that they smiled when you needed it most, or let you ahead of them in line when you were in a hurry, or literally saved your life in some way. 
What would you say to them if you could see them again? 
What are some things you can do to pass along their kindness to others? 

Let’s all take a moment today and be grateful for the kind and caring souls who have entered our lives when we needed them most. 
P.S. – It’s the last day to enter our Pay it Forward Giveaway! Good luck!

Just One Little Action Can Go a Long Way

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Happy Friday, everyone!
I’m having so much fun reading your giveaway entries!
Thanks so much to those of you who have been paying it forward and posting about it!
In honor of you, I wanted to keep the good vibes flowing and post a question from our 
Journaling Further Within book:
What is one action you can take today to make the world a better place?
We all have unique gifts and can pay it forward in so many different ways. 
The wonderful thing about this exercise is that it doesn’t have to be something huge.
Little things add up quickly to become big things.
Here are some examples:
At the post office, you could hold the door open for someone whose hands are full.
When you do your errands today, you could pick up any litter you see in the parking lot. 
You could give someone (a loved one or a stranger) a heartfelt compliment.
You could donate to or volunteer at  your favorite charity.
You could be conscious about the food you buy.
You could offer to help an elderly neighbor with their grocery shopping.
You could plant a flower or a tree.
You could write a passionate letter to your local Congressman/woman.

The list is truly endless, so please spend some time today creating your own. 
And then pick one item from your list and do it! 
It feels great to put out positive energy and love – and it’s contagious! Once you start, you’ll want to keep it up and others will follow in your footsteps.
So take that first step today and begin with one conscious action.
P.S. Be sure to enter our giveaway! 
And if you do pay it forward today, be sure to post about it!

Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of Others

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
A writing prompt from The Gratitude Book:
50 Prompts to Keep the Grateful Feelings Flowing:
Imagine you are your partner or best friend, and they are writing all of the things 
that they are grateful for about you. 
What would they write?

Often we don’t realize how much of an impact we have on our loved ones’ lives.
And yet, if we take a moment to see ourselves through their eyes, we begin to realize just how much greatness we bring to their lives – how much love, friendship, humor, and warmth they receive just by being around us. 
Spend some time today with this exercise. It’s a great one for your own self esteem.
For extra warm fuzzies, you could ask your loved ones to participate. Have them write down (or tell you) what makes them grateful for you. 
I guarantee it will be an eye opening experience.
So often we can be hard on ourselves and may need someone else’s eyes and perspective to really see just how wonderful we truly are. 
So pat yourself on the back today for making a difference in someone else’s life. 
Their life is so much better because you are in it.
Take some time to really take in their gratitude for you.
You deserve it!
P.S. – Be sure to enter our Pay it Forward Giveaway!

Grateful for the Littlest, the Biggest, & One Thing in Between

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
One of the best things about starting a gratitude practice is you quickly realize just how much there is to be grateful for. You can practice gratitude everywhere – and anywhere you look you’ll see something that you’re thankful for. These are great things! 
For today let’s narrow it down to just three things that we are grateful for: 
the biggest, the littlest, and one thing in between.

And when you write these down – take some time to really feel your gratitude and appreciation. If you have the time and are able to, write an entire page on each one. Write about why you are grateful and how this affects your life in a positive way. 

Focusing on just three of the millions of things in our lives that we are grateful for will help you to really appreciate them even more, which will lead to even more gratitude. 
***
Speaking of gratitude, we have a new Soulful Journal that we are excited to introduce!
Here is the description:
Feeling and expressing gratitude on a regular basis can lead to a happier, healthier life. 
In this book, we give you 50 prompts that encourage you to express your gratitude.

Sample gratitude prompts:

Who is one family member you’re especially grateful for? Write about them, including one special memory that embodies what about them you love and appreciate.

What is one aspect of your daily life that you don’t always take time to appreciate, but that you’re actually very grateful for?

What is one experience from your childhood that you’re especially grateful for? Write about how it felt at the time and, in retrospect, how it’s affected your life.

We hope that these questions stimulate positive responses and help keep the grateful feelings flowing–throughout your day and throughout your life!


Have a great day today expressing your gratitude!