From Sarah Ban Breathnach’s “The Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude”:
“Gratitude is the most passionate transformative force in the cosmos. When we offer thanks to God or to another human being, gratitude gifts us with renewal, reflection, reconnection. Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life.” (Photo credit: Gabo)
That pretty much sums it up doesn’t it? That’s why I do this on a weekly basis. When I sit down to write a post like this, I am literally forcing myself to think of things I’m grateful for.
Not that I don’t have any gratitude (quite the contrary!) but when you put yourself in the position of having to think about the good things happening in your life (and those of others), especially if you do it week after week, it inevitably changes your way of thinking on a deep, cellular level.
It has to.
There’s no way it cannot change your way of being!
I’ve noticed that throughout the day, I find myself automatically (but not unconsciously) thanking God when in the midst of experiencing something wonderful.
Here are a couple of examples:
Running Like a Madman and NOT Feeling Tired
Today I was at the gym, right? I was on the treadmill running around 6.6 miles an hour, eventually ending at 8.0 mph. This was something that was simply not possible earlier this summer. In fact, I had to take frequent breaks to catch my breath! (Photo: Sly420)
But not anymore.
I noticed to my utter delight that I was not feeling tired at all, even as I steadily increased the speed. Nor did any part of my body feel haggard. It was hard not to notice because running is not the easiest thing to sustain, especially for 30 minutes.
It felt so good I had to do something!
I grabbed the handlebars, closed my eyes (while I was STILL running) and mouthed a silent, “THANK YOU GOD, THANK YOU.”
This incredible energy no doubt has everything to do with my newfound raw/living food lifestyle. Every morning, I start the day with a vitamin/enzyme-packed green smoothie. I know I owe you an update on this new way of eating - don’t worry, it’s coming in a few days.
Suffice to say I’ve gotten INCREDIBLE results - it’s going to knock your socks off.
Stay tuned!
Feeling a Natural High While Driving
It wasn’t too long ago I was driving a few miles north to get some groceries (organic fruits and vegetables, of course). On my way up there, I suddenly realized how I felt a natural high behind the wheel. It was the strangest thing.
I felt …so light…
and so happy.
I couldn’t help myself but to say “Thank you God.” Not once but several times.
How awesome is that when you can genuinely say to yourself that you feel as if every cell in your body seems to be tingling with fresh, minty breath?
Humorous Speech Contest Update
Last week I mentioned I had won the humorous speech contest on the Toastmasters Club Level. Then I went on to win the Area Contest the previous Saturday where 4 clubs were represented.
It was a contest I almost didn’t enter. Let me explain.
Even though I had known about it, for some reason I didn’t feel 100 percent compelled to participate. I almost didn’t care whether or not I entered. Besides, I was still relatively new in this particular club and thought I needed a couple more speeches there before I was finally eligible.
But when I found out that all I needed was one “Icebreaker” speech (introductory talk all new members are required to make when they first join), a light bulb went off.
What a great opportunity! Competing like this would be a wonderful way to force myself to fine-tune certain portions of my professional speeches.
You all know that I don’t bill myself as a humorist but the presence of humor is incredibly important. The speaker doesn’t necessarily have to get the audience members rolling on the floor but it definitely helps to get them feeling good about themselves with a laugh or two. While I don’t consider myself a comedian, I am blessed and fortunate to have the natural ability to tickle people’s funny bones.
I went right to work on fine-tuning the “James Bond Lady Fiasco” story, which has been working like a charm so far. (NOTE: If you plan to come hear me speak this Saturday - see below - please DO NOT READ it until AFTER this weekend, okay?).
My gratitude goes to people from Twitterville who heard my call for feedback on ways of tweaking the James Bond Lady story. I also wish to thank my fellow members of the club who have given me terrific feedback as well.
If you’re from the Akron/Cleveland area and you want to hear me speak this Saturday, October 4, 2008, send me a private message and I’ll tell you exactly where it is (Hint: It starts around 10 am and is nearby the Summit Mall).
Hope to see you there!
Food for thought: Okay, that’s all for this week - what about you? Are you taking good care of yourself? Are you feeling a natural high these days? Is there anything I can do to help you reach that point?
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11:04 am on October 3rd, 2008 1
I have had so many highs this week - so many things to be grateful for. It’s like extra blessings were showered down. And I’m working hard at taking better care of myself and I’m feeling a renewed source of energy and optimism that I haven’t felt in a while.
In addition to being thankful to you Stephen for the interview and all the wonderful comments, I’ve been spotlighted elsewhere and I found a long lost friend last night who just joined Facebook. She’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had and I haven’t talked to her in years. I felt so wonderful after seeing her there that I screamed with joy.
The best thing you can do to help is to continue what you’re doing and just keep letting that little child out. It inspires me to do the same.
Good luck at the competition (as if yoiu need it.)
3:13 pm on October 3rd, 2008 2
Toastmasters is a great organization! I used to be a member (up until a couple of years ago) of one of our local clubs. Was there for about four years. It was a great experience in public speaking and leadership skills. Time (away from my family) became the issue - and I haven’t been involved for the last couple of years. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back into it once our kids are a little older. And the contests are a great chance to get out and speak in front of a group you don’t necessarily know too well. Especially good for those who really want to hone their skills. So, to that - I say GREAT JOB!
And…to the topic of the day - gratitude. Oh, we have so much to be grateful for! Thanks for sharing some of your highs for the week. It’s inspiring to hear! For me, I’m grateful for a new friendship that developed this week. Out of the blue, just a real strong connection. And, I’m also thankful for a very good week at work. After some planned updates I did this past weekend, I was prepared for the worst. And it all turned out very good! It’s good to be reminded of that we have so much to be thankful for. Have a great weekend!
7:44 am on October 4th, 2008 3
@ Lance:
I agree about the value of Toastmasters for anyone - regardless of whether they are professional speakers or not. The amazing thing about it is that every single person knows what you’re going through when you’re up there speaking because they’ve been there themselves! That brings on extraordinary compassion, support and comradeship. It’s unlike any other group I’ve belonged to.
I was lucky to find the club I’m in because they hold themselves to high standards and genuinely want one another to succeed.
Thanks for sharing your gratitude bits - I love it when other people do that because I find theirs inspiring too. I just checked out your blog and was surprised I hadn’t known about it until now. I just became your new subscriber - I like your writing style! Thanks for stopping in.
9:04 am on October 4th, 2008 4
Can I be sappy and say I’m grateful for you and this blog? I look forward to reading your “tickle my funny bone” and inspirational messages when they show up in my mailbox. How grateful I feel that I now spend my time reading you and others you have introduced me to, through this, instead of surfing the dating sites which always made me feel unloveable, sad, unattractive and reaching for a Snickers bar. I am grateful that my friends see the real me and have encouraged me to just be WITH me for a while and stop feeling I am less for being Single and on my own. I am back to eating healthy, I am back to exercising, I am back to meditating and paying attention to the most important person in my life…. Patti. And in doing that, I am kinder and gentler to everyone around me.
9:19 am on October 4th, 2008 5
@ Patti:
You can be sappy and grateful all you want! The more, the better because it recycles good energy through you and others you share them with. Thanks for passing on to me your good energy this morning. It felt great to receive it, especially because in just a few minutes, I’m leaving to participate in the humorous speech contest!
I’m excited and thankful to have new people like yourself participating and sharing themselves with the rest of us. I’m also thankful that the community here continues to grow with like-minded people.
Kudos to you for “re-discovering” yourself. That’s incredibly empowering because what you’ve done was to make a huge shift in your thinking and now you’re taking better care of yourself, connecting with those who matter and moving forward. What’s interesting (and you might be surprised) is that while you’re transforming yourself, you open up a world of incredible possibilities that you never before imagined would or could happen before. There’s no telling what those scenarios would look like but trust me, they’ll be astounding and life-changing.
All we need to do is just believe and trust. I see that you’re already doing that!
11:19 am on October 4th, 2008 6
Well Patti and I were kind of just discussing gratitude this morning. She brought it up actually, but it’s a good habit to get into. It’s a habit I am constantly trying to develop because I have always looked at my life in terms of what it was lacking. It’s a very difficult habit to break also. Your mind just wants to go right into that familiar, but totally uncomfortable groove it’s always known. It’s the devil you know kind of thing. Maybe a fear of the unknown, fearing change. Probably a lot of those things.
But there’s always going to be something someone else has that I don’t. Always. And I think the grass always looks greener. Gratitude for me is about acceptance, compassion, honor - of myself, my life, what I have, even an acknowledgement of what I don’t have. Looking at life in terms of what I have and being grateful, has an entirely different ‘vibrational’ feel to it if I’m listening carefully. I can feel it physically, which translates emotionally. I feel I am doing myself a disservice by not honoring all I’ve gone through in my life to get to where I am today by looking at things in terms of what I don’t have.
I have so many things in my life now I am grateful for and reconnecting with you Stephen, and Patti back at our 35th high school reunion in 2001, are just a couple of them. It’s so nice to find a community of like-minded people.
Hope your contest went well.
Lance - where’s your blog?
7:33 am on October 7th, 2008 7
@ Mary Jane Hopson Pino:
Bottom line, everything is a matter of perception, right? That’s what I’ve learned over the years. The more we focus on something, the more we experience it, regardless of what it is.
Yes, having gratitude and maintaining it has an incredible “vibrational” feeling around it. When I am genuinely feeling grateful, it’s a fabulous feeling and I experience a higher state of mind and energy. I feel lighter, happier and even tearful (joyful tears). I feel connected with the Divine Source.
Yes, the contest did go well last weekend - I won again and I now go on to the finals on the 18th of October!
1:18 am on October 14th, 2008 8
Great posts about gratitude, I like them alot.
9:23 am on October 14th, 2008 9
@ David - Chicago:
David, thanks, what is it about these gratitude posts you like, specifically? How and why do they impact you? I think that would be the crust behind your complimentary statement.