These past couple of weeks it seems that I am hearing the same message from various sources. So obvious is the message, I would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to miss it. It must be for this reason that this little book jumped off the shelf at me this weekend, as if saying, “You need to read me next.” Where did I get this book? I don’t even remember purchasing it, yet there it was on my shelf among the other unread books, sitting there waiting for their turn to be read.
Gratitude, Affirming the Good Things in Life by Melody Beattie is an amazing little book. Just 88 pages, it is a quick read. She opens her book with the following passages:
“Every day we face interruptions, delays, changes, and challenges. We face personality conflicts and disappointments. Often when we’re feeling overwhelmed, we can’t see the lessons in these experiences.
One simple concept can get us through the most stressful of times. It’s called gratitude. We learn to say thank you for these problems and feelings. Thank you for the way things are. I don’t like this experience, but thank you anyway.”
The concept she teaches is that gratitude turns all things into more. Gratitude turns negative energy into positive energy. All we have to do is start today and then “let it work its magic.”
Do we have the belief that there is enough, we are enough, and we are deserving? Beattie stresses that believing we deserve good things is as important as gratitude. Listen to your thoughts. What do you say when you look in the mirror or pay your bills or face a problem? A tool to embed positive messages into our subconscious are affirmations. “They’re the antidote to all the negative garbage we’ve been feeding ourselves for years. We change what we say so we can change what we see.”
The next section of her book speaks to the absolute need to nurture ourselves…unconditional love and acceptance. “If we ask ourselves what would help us feel better or what we need, then listen, we’ll hear the answer.”
Beattie speaks about having an attitude of self care. She addresses many responsibilities we have, and the one that jumped out at me said, “I am responsible for how much I enjoy life, for how much pleasure I find in daily activities.” Another strong message: “Quit abusing your mind. Worry and obsession constitute mental abuse. Stop doing those things.”
Her section on goal setting had a spin to it that I had not quite considered before:
“Once we begin to discover the good things in life, we naturally want to keep the momentum going. That’s where goal setting comes in. There is magic in setting goals. Things happen. Things change. Goals are gratitude in action. Turn everything into a goal. If you have a problem, make its solution your goal.
Do what you can, one day at a time. Do God’s will for that day. Do what you are inspired to do. Do what comes your way that needs to be done. Do it with gratitude.”
A good way to close today’s article is the way Beattie closed her book…
“Come back into today, the present moment. Do not obsess. Do not become fearful. Become excited. Live today fully, expressing gratitude for all you have been, all you are right now, and all you are becoming.
Say ‘thank you’ for all things – and expect good things.”
PS, after I closed my blog for today, I went to my inbox and found the following daily message from www.tut.com. I had to go back and add a “PS”! : )
Just curious, Rosie, when was the last time you looked into a mirror and addressed yourself as “Gorgeous,” “Magnificent,” or “Sublime”?
Rosie, it matters.
Tallyho,
The Universe
