Subject: Gratitude
Welcome to Celebrating the Journey!
produced by Margo Chisholm
The Freedom Coach
Monday, October 18, 1999
Issue #2
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Gratitude.
It’s a very “in” thing these days. And with good reason.
Oprah has spoken at length about how keeping a gratitude
journal has changed her life and others. Sarah Ban
Breathnach tells us that being grateful is the first step
to feeling joy. Deepak Chopra writes that gratitude is,
among other things, an innate characteristic of a
consciousness of abundance. These statements are all true.
Gratitude creates a base of feeling from which peace,
serenity and abundance flow freely.
The base for the word gratitude is gratus , which means
pleasing. It’s easy to be grateful when we feel pleased,
when our lives are pleasing, when things are going
our way, when we are happy. “I’m so grateful my life
is the way I want it.” “I’m so grateful my family is
healthy.” “I’m so grateful for my big promotion.”
The deeper value in gratitude emerges when we choose
to access gratitude during the times we are not pleased,
when things are not going our way, when we feel lost,
afraid, full of doubt. When we choose to feel grateful
during the difficult times, then we can feel pleased,
peaceful, serene in the midst of the difficulties. Our
lives haven’t changed; a positive perspective emanates
from the gratitude not from the events of our lives.
Gratitude is a choice. We can’t change what life puts in
front of us; we can always change our ATTITUDE about
what life puts in front of us. An attitude of gratitude
doesn’t change the circumstances; it radically alters our
perception of the circumstances. The altered perception
eliminates fear and creates trust. The trust creates an
internal quiet. We feel pleased.
Gratitude does not come from being pleased; it creates
being pleased. The choice is yours.
COACHING:
Start a gratitude journal. Buy or make a special book. I
n that book, every night, write down 5 things for which
you are grateful. Oprah is right. Doing this will change
your life in unimaginable ways.
Make a conscious choice, each morning, to be grateful
for whatever shows up in your life today. Post signs
that say, “Choose Gratitude,” on your bathroom mirror,
above your desk, on the door of your closet, on the
refrigerator door — wherever you will see them often.
Choose to be grateful.
QUOTES
…in order to feel pleased, be grateful.
John-Roger and Peter McWilliams in “Life 101:
Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life
In School – But Didn’t”
Dear God,
I don’t like this. I wouldn’t pay for it. I wouldn’t stand in
line for it. I wish it weren’t happening. BUT…I’m willing
to believe that You know something that I don’t know,
and I’m willing to say thank you for this opportunity to grow.
Becky Jackson
Praise and an attitude of gratitude are unbeatable stimulators…
we increase whatever we extol.
Sylvia Stitt Edwards.
RECOMMENDED READING
Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life
In School — But Didn’t. by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams.
This is a delightful book chock full of marvelous information
that makes you say, “I knew that. Why didn’t I think of it
before?” The easy-to-read format — text on the right hand
page, a quote on the left– is inviting and the short chapters
contain a wealth of thought-provoking, very useful concepts,
tools and actions. I revisit this book about once a year and
recommend it as an easy way to go to “school” in a whole new
way. You can order it by clicking here.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0931580781/tothesummit
Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
In this little book, Chopra distills the essence of all he teaches
into seven simple and powerful principles that can be applied
to create success in all areas of your life. Chopra says, “Success
in life could be defined as the continued expansion of
happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.
Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless
goals.” He also states clearly that success is a process not a goal.
This is certainly my idea of success! I refer to this book
regularly as a way to remind myself of what success really is,
at a heart level, and to see what I put in the way of having
the life I really want. Click on the link to order it.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1878424114/tothesummit
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by The Dalai
Lama and Howard C. Cutler.
“Nearly every time you see him, he’s laughing, or at least
smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like
smiling. He’s the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and
temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and an
increasingly popular speaker and statesman. What’s more,
he’ll tell you that happiness is the purpose of life, and that
“the very motion of our life is towards happiness.” How to
get there has always been the question. He’s tried to answer
it before, but he’s never had the help of a psychiatrist to get
the message across in a context we can easily understand.
Through conversations, stories, and meditations, the Dalai
Lama shows us how to defeat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity,
anger, and discouragement. Together with Dr. Cutler, he
explores many facets of everyday life, including relationships,
loss, and the pursuit of wealth, to illustrate how to ride
through life’s obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner
peace.”
This reviewer’s synopsis of Cutler’s book is absolutely accurate.
Beyond the reviewer’s words, however, is the way this book
touched my soul in its simplicity, humor and practicality. For
all who want true happiness in your lives, this is a must read.
Order this book at half the retail price by clicking here.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1573221112/tothesummit
Give yourself the gift of gratitude this week.
Namaste, Margo
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TODAY’S OPPORTUNITY
Upcoming Teleclasses!
The Principles of Irresistible Attraction
Breaking the Exercise Barrier
Dieting: A Dry Drunk
Toleration Busting
Details to follow next week. Email me with questions or
interest at mailto:margo@tothesummit.com.
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Copyright © 1999, all rights reserved, by Margo Chisholm
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The author of this article is Margo Chisholm. You may
contact her at (970)704-9336 or at mailto:margo@tothesummit.com.
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My purpose in publishing Celebrating the Journey is to
provide you with resources, motivation, inspiration and
energy for YOUR journey to creating success and freedom
in all areas of your life. CTJ will use stories from my life
and others’, coaching tips and resources, quotes and humor
to deliver a learning experience that can enhance your life.
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Margo Chisholm is available for individual and group
coaching. Every dedicated athlete has a coach. Why not
have a coach for the most important game of all: the
game of life. Visit our website at https://www.tothesummit.com
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—
“At every moment of our life we have an
opportunity to choose joy.”
Henri J. M. Nouwen
Margo Chisholm
Coach, Speaker, Author, Therapist
Partnering you in having success,
freedom and joy in all areas of your life
970-704-9336 fax 970-704-9346
margo@tothesummit.com
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