There are certain topics that are timeless. The one that has been on my mind for quite some time is one that feels most appropriate for my life right now – The mindset of gratitude.

One of the most important gifts we can give ourselves is the ability to be grateful for what we DO have, especially in the toughest of times. The ability to steer your attention to the positive things in your life doesn’t mean being a Pollyanna or living in a state of denial, it’s a learned skill that will change your brain chemistry, energy, and the way you interact with others.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~ Melody Beattie ~

As I fall asleep tonight, my thoughts will be that:

• Although a dear friend was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I am forever grateful that it was caught at the earliest stage.
• My mom in law lost her battle with leukemia in January yet I am thankful that I am healthy enough to participate in a marathon that will raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society while allowing me to honor her life.
• I am surrounded by wonderful friends and family who are helping me meet the above goal and are who are the best people I could ever hope to have in my life during good times and bad.
• Our schedules at this time of the year make it much harder for all of us to sit at the table for dinner but it’s something we all work at and want to do. I am grateful for the love and laughter when we are together – especially the times that make me laugh so hard it brings tears.
• Even though my dog has been having seizures, the worst case scenarios have been ruled out and she’s on medication to control them.
• Interruptions keep me from finishing my book as quickly as I would like, but wouldn’t trade the fullness that those “interruptions” bring. They are the chapters of my life.

While it’s sometimes a struggle to carve out the time to post , I am grateful for each and every person that stops by – I hope that you can take what serves you best from it. I wish you a lifetime of happiness, gratitude and abundance.

Much has been written about success, achievement and mindset for adults, yet there seems to be a fairly small selection as it relates to children. I find this puzzling because childhood is such a critical time in the development of self esteem, which is more often than not, a determining factor in success.

This article illustrates the importance of mindset in children and a practical approach to help them. I’m a firm believer that regardless of our age, the more we understand how our brain works, the better we’ll function in every aspect of our lives. 

I started teaching my sons about the human mind and related it to everyday things they could understand, like the sports they participated in, games, and friends. They both enjoy the scientific approach and I’m just happy they’re open and aware.

Call it intuition, a sixth sense, or your “gut”. I like to think of it as the deep dark recesses of your brain. The sooner you learn to access and trust this powerful resource, the sooner you can tap into real change in your life. Whether it’s in business or a relationship, the more tuned into your gut you are, the better your decisions will be.

Learning to trust your gut

At one time or another everyone kicks themselves for ignoring that “little Voice” that tells them to do or not do something. Where exactly does that “little voice” come from?  How can we develop it? Read or listen to interviews about people you consider successful. Stories of being intuitive, following hunches, and listening to the gut will most likely be present in the vast majority.

The following articles give a great inside look at the conscious and sub-conscious processes involved with what is commonly called intuition.

I learned to listen to my “gut” at a very early age once I realized that the times I’d made a bad decision were when I chose to tune out that familiar little voice inside. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to separate negative “mind chatter” from gut. Try thinking of your gut as a recollection of subconscious pieces of information your brain is feeding you, it may make it much easier for you to accept its warning signals.