How do you see gratitude?

I often wonder about the children that came into our home while I was growing up.  As you know, my mum was an emergency foster parent for more children than I can remember.  Babies, siblings and young ones up to the age of 8 or so.  

I would often wonder how my mum would care for them with open arms not passing judgment and welcoming them into our home without hesitation.  They would come with bruises, pain and fear and I hope they left our home knowing there was more out there for them.

I may not have exactly what my heart desires but I do have and had more than I could have ever asked for.  I love the moment my eyes open, the breath i'm given and the life I live. 

How do you see your gratitude?

Your journey

I was starting to write about taking down barriers for yourself, opening and walking through doors but then something hit me.  

When you try to strengthen yourself from those who have done something wrong, regardless of what it is, have you thought of why they did it?

My perspective is that those who hurt us most are hurting as well.  Why did they survive or which walls are they trying to break down?  

Sometimes... no most times, we repeat what we live.  If your parents beat you, you will more than likely carry it on, then your children.  So on and so forth. 

The beauty is, we are changing and learning.  We are seeing that there can be a difference and it stops here.  Personally speaking, if I didn't do anything about the abuse, would they have stopped?  Would the abuse have been taken further to others?  It's something I ask myself from time to time.  

I believe that not only did I heal myself but help those who abused me heal.  Remember, behaviour is learned.  I help stop the pattern.

It's been a journey and one that is daily and will be for the rest of our lives.  

Learning how to breath again.

When you've had enough, torn your thoughts out onto paper and ripped your heart with someone and they've taken the last bit.  Chewed it up and spit out... 

you need to re-learn to breathe again.  

Get out, look beyond yourself and learn the steps of taking care of yourself.  Without the help of anyone.  Take a step, then another.  Open your eyes, use your mind and free yourself from whatever was holding you back.  

Learn how to breathe again.

Would you rather....

Given an opportunity to see life from another perspective... would you rather turn towards things you've known or would you take that leap of faith?   

Today take back your anger, your uncontrollable emotions and your fear.  Own yourself, your feelings and know that it simply is ok to feel this way.  Move forward but while doing so, don't forget how far you've come.  

In fairness you must know that opportunities don't knock often so go ahead, take a peek.

Happiness....

You want this?  You want what you think you don't deserve?  What you think you need to experience?  Spot that weakness and move forward!  

Did you know a better you will help a better everyone else?  Do you know a stronger you by yourself will build stronger others?  Being positive creates positive?  Think about this, when you are surrounded by negative people, how do you feel?  Drained, tired, upset?  Well, change it and be the first to give off the positive!  Change your life for the good, the better, the best. 

Who are you living for?

When you wake in the morning, who do you take your first breath, first beverage and who do you eat for?  The answer isn't for anyone else but yourself. Don't live your life any other way. 

If you believe this then you believe in yourself. Don't short change your time here waiting for someone to love you, believe in you or expect anything different other than who you are.

Live your life for you and everything else will follow.

Namaste
(Derived from Sanskrit and is a combination of two words meaning, I salute you)

The strength of faith within yourself

When someone lets you down how do you deal with it?  

How do you face it. If you choose to?  

First off, disappointment will happen, people will let you down.

You have to remember this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. It's their choice and their failure.  Don't let it make you feel less of a person or lead you to believe it was the fault of anything you've done. 

Be that strong, confident person you are and live your life without someone controlling you and your emotions. 

Someone who loves you enough

I listened to someone tell me how it was hard to explain to their friends growing up about their parents being split, different last names and all.  Ya, I get it.  They are entitled to feel this way but ... here goes my vent...

Did you have a roof, clothing and food?  Are you OK now?  

Often we let the little thing bring us down.  We let them control us.  Right now this very moment, let it go!  You don't own it nor can you change it.  LET IT GO!

You need to turn those sad moments into good things.  "ya, so I have a different last name as my parents... How do you figure that's a bad thing"?  

Someone cared enough to help raise you!  Be happy for that.  

Live for today

You've been hurt, torn down and feel like no one cares.  

Stop this self pity and pick yourself up darling!  

You are one of a kind, you are precious and you are beautiful!  

No parent can fix your hurt, no partner can take the blame and 

no child should see how you see yourself.  

Believe that in this very moment you are the most amazing, 

kind and loving person you can be.  

Don't let someone's anger take it from you, 

don't let that person stomp out your self respect or make you feel like a pea.

If you look out that window, regardless of what you see, there is an out.  

Something beyond belief is out there waiting for you to discover.  

Live for today.

Positive directions

I've seen on Facebook over and over again the random acts of kindness 

done daily on every continent.  

What we don't see are the moments we let pass us by and 

create a little bit of anger within us.  

We need to stop letting those little things eat us up and start letting things go.  Those drivers who race up to be one car in front of you, the riders on the bus who don't give their seat to someone who needs it or the person in front of you who didn't hold the door.

Answer this today, this very moment.  Did that person have such an impact on your life that you have let them change you for the worse?  Only if you choose to do so.  Stop your inward thoughts turn you into someone you are not.  Keep your head above water and your heart in the right place.

Keep those random acts of kindness going but don't let those little bits of anger pull you in a direction you weren't meant to be in.  

Steps forward to survival

We all need to feel wanted, appreciated and mostly loved.  It's hard not to look elsewhere when none of those are being offered by someone who should be the most important person in our lives.  How do would you define the importance in a relationship and at what point do you stop giving when after years, there has been nothing in return.  

Step 1 - Acknowledge that you are partly to blame for letting this happen
Step 2 - Grieve for the loss of time wasted and let go
Step 3 - Wake up and plant your feet back on the ground
Step 4 - Plan.  Plan your future starting NOW  
Step 5 - Be clear with your intentions with the other person and stand your ground.  Don't let others sway you, your mind or make your life any less valuable starting right here, right now.  

Demons

Facing your demons can be a tough but closing the doors to your challenges is tougher.  You may never know what is around that corner when you don't take a peek.  

Take that step, move forward.  You may find that it wasn't so tough after all.  There are better things out there for you waiting to see what beauty lies inside your heart.  

When I was a child I faced those ugly demons square in the face, I said 'NO', I stood my ground and took away the control they had on me.  Don't let anything, even fear control you.  Those are your demons.

Finding light

If I could describe how to find your light, I would say turn around and become a child again. 

Watch those young ones run with no fear, no anger no pain.  Just sunshine.  There's your light.  Take a moment and look back at what you had that made you the happiest.  Open it up and let it in.  

Stop letting the dark things in your life take over and choose your light.  Don't stand in the shadow of others, love what you do, who you are and where you are.  

Take the small, simple moments and keep them close enough to remember but let others see your light.  

Let the experience happen

Life throws you many curves with your heart.  People come and go.  Some give a bigger impact than others, some help you heal and some put a little crack in your heart.  Regardless of the outcome, let the experience happen.  In the end you may just look back and see the crack was actually part of the piece you were missing.