Surprise Someone With Your Love

 

Imagine if you came home and your child surprised you with a hand made gift..or your spouse cooked you a 3 course meal.What if you went to work one day and your boss gave you a dinner certificate for a gourmet restaurant...for no reason at all. Wouldn't that make you smile? Who can you surprise today with your love?

Foodie Friday Feature: Kale Mushroom Leek Soup

Thinking of doing a pre-spring cleanse?  This is the perfect soup to start with. The Kale is a great liver and blood cleanser, while the mushroom mix are great immune boosters. The Leek (onion family) is also good for lowering blood pressure and boosting immunity.  The best part is that this soup tastes delicious!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 cups of Water

1 Tbsp Miso Paste

1 Leek chopped

2 cups of Chopped Mushroom (Shitake, Maitake, Baby Portabella)

1 bunch of Kale (chopped)

1 tsp of each of the following spices: Thyme, marjoram, basil, oregano, rosemary) either fresh or dried

Braggs Liquid Aminos

Directions:

Combine the water, miso paste, chopped leek, and spices and bring to a boil.  Add the kale in, and lower the stovetop temp to Medium. When the kale is slightly cooked, add the mushrooms and let cook on low for 15 - 20 min.  Add Braggs Liquid Aminos to desired taste.

Intentional Love: Actions from the Heart

During the 2011 holiday season, I heard of some wonderful and very generous acts of kindness from anonymous donors throughout the Metro Atlanta area.  An elderly couple paid off lay-aways for people who couldn’t afford to pick up their items; a group of dental practitioners provided free cleaning and other dental procedures to over 200 people; the co-workers of a low-income, single mother bought gifts for her daughter, groceries, and cleaned and decorated her home.

Well, the holidays are over, now what? Do we allow the same people who were hungry during the holidays to go without daily meals because Christmas isn’t around the corner? Do we stop providing the unemployed or under-employed with financial support just because we no longer have the holiday spirit? I certainly hope not.

Oprah Winfrey, an entertainment mogul and one of the greatest philanthropists has the true heart of a giver. She sees a need, opens up her wallet and gets major corporations to do the same. You may be thinking, “If I had as much money as Oprah I’d give away millions of dollars too.”  But it’s not just the money; it’s her love and attitude towards giving.

Regardless of the amount of money in your bank account, you have something to give.   Time, love, a smile, compassion, a hug or a helping hand are simple, daily things that can be given in abundance. They cost you nothing financially but pay off heavily for those in need.

It’s unfortunate that our society puts so much value on the mighty dollar that simple, heart-felt acts of kindness get over looked, and are often taken for granted. Holding the door for someone on a cold, rainy day or sharing words of encouragement with the cashier who’s obviously having a bad day, are helpful and appreciated actions from the heart.

While perusing through the clearance aisles at a Famous Footwear, a young lady standing next to me intended to pull out one box, and surprisingly yanked several others with it. She called out, “Mom help me!” Unfortunately, her mother was too far away to prevent any of the boxes from tumbling to the floor and making a mess. Being the person closest to her, I quickly reached out my hands and to catch the boxes making their way to the carpet and positioned my body so others wouldn’t fall off the shelf. Through her embarrassment she managed to whisper, “Thank you.”  Seconds later her mother joined us and thanked me several times. I could hear the sincerity in her voice and see the gratitude in her eyes for coming to her daughters rescue. “Your welcome,” I replied with a smile and walked away feeling warm and mushy inside. An unexpected opportunity to help a young lady in need, added an extra dose of joy to not only her day, but mine as well.

Instead of waiting for a need to arise, what if we searched for needs and decided to fill them.

Not anything big or over the top, but simple, intentional, random acts of kindness to bring more joy and peace to the world. With this in mind, I challenge you, and myself, to perform daily acts of intentional kindness. Ask yourself, what little thing can I do to make someone else’s life better? Who needs my help? What assistance can I easily and quickly provide? What actions from my heart would make one smile? What can I do for free that’s worth millions to another? Pick one or two actions then commit to doing them daily. I’ve chosen to give compliments and words of encouragement to as many people as possible. Nothing brightens the day faster then positive recognition. What about you? What will you do? There’s someone out there who needs what you’re willing to give; make sure you connect with those people, so they can receive an intentional act of kindness from your heart.

I want to extend my deepest gratitudes to LaShawn for being our guest blogger this week and I look forward to future contributions from this powerful light! Thank you my dear!

About the Author

LaShawn McCrary, is dedicated to helping women become whole and live intentionally by empowering them to take control of their destiny and experience spiritual, professional, social, intellectual, physical and personal completeness.

LaShawn always believed God had created her for a purpose but spent the early years of her life, like many women, not knowing what it was. After a decade of career changes and looking out windows thinking she should be somewhere else, doing something different, she finally stopped searching around her and began exploring inside. Now she's fulfilling her purpose by delivering messages and providing coaching that empowers women to grow closer to God, pursue their dreams, love themselves and be a blessing to everyone around them. One of her greatest heart's desires is to help women break thourgh barries and live life to its fullest.

She shares her energy and excitement for life during her presentations and every Sunday morning at 8am ET during Intentional Life, her Blog Talk Radio show.

LaShawn holds a BA in Communications from Bowling Green State University and is a former certified trainer for Fred Pryor/CareerTrack Seminars. She's also experienced in television production, sales, customer service, ministry and personal training.

 

 

Random Acts of Kindness

An act of kindness  is more than just a good deed, it's an intention. If  there is an "in order to" behind your kindness, it will show.  Check your motives today. What is the intention behind your kindness? 

Surprise Someone Today With Your Love

Imagine if you came home and your child surprised you with a hand made gift..or your spouse cooked you a 3 course meal.What if you went to work one day and your boss gave you a dinner certificate for a gourmet restaurant...for no reason at all. Wouldn't that make you smile? Who can you surprise today with your love?

Acts of Kindness

10 random acts of kindness that will make another's day.

30 Things You Love/Like About Yourself

Write a list of 30 things you love/like about yourself & 30 compliments you have received from others then share it with a friend who will acknowledge, support, and cheer you on as you read them.

Foodie Friday Feature: Cheeseburger egg white omelet

Thanks to one of my wonderful Facebook friends Cherie Johnson for contributing such a unique and yummy breakfast recipe! Try it and leave your comments for me here and on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/DrMaiysha.  Bon Apetit!

Liquid egg whites (about 1/4 cup).

Crumbled, already cooked, ground sirloin (about 4 oz/ quarter of a pound) seasoned with Bragg's amino acids, sea salt and black pepper.

Ground mustard (the spice, not the condiment) about 1/2 tsp.

Sharp cheddar cheese, 3 tbsp.

Ketchup to taste.

Sliced hamburger dill pickles, 2-3

Prepare in omelet pan.  Wait until egg whites become firm.  Add half of crumbled meat and half of the ground mustard. Fold omelet in half.  Add a half-tsp of Bragg's aminos, sorching the beef flavor to the already firm omelet.  Wait 1 minute. Flip omelet.  Add another half-tsp of Bragg's.  Add remaining meat, mustard and cover with cheese.  Add ketchup to taste. Add pickles.

Loving the Self (A Male Perspective)

The late great Whitney Houston sang the lyrics “Learning to love yourself, it is the GREATEST love of all!”  Frankly, through personal trial and error, I have to say I strongly agree with her. Self-love, not to be confused with conceit or selfishness, is in my professional and personal opinion one of the major factors in man’s (or woman’s) lovability. In other words I strongly believe that person is limiting themselves on how they can receive love from someone else if they don’t first learn how to love themselves. This may be a tough pill to swallow for some, but I encourage you to open up your mind and heart to receive this. We often read and hear of major ways to build our relationship with others, but we rarely focus on reason and ways to love ourselves. Here are a few reasons on why we should learn to love ourselves:

•           If we learn how to properly love and appreciate ourselves, we’re more likely to truly see and appreciate when others do.

•           We’ll be less likely to become needed of pats on the back and accolades, because we know our worth.

•           We’ll have a better chance of recognizing when other people are actually more upset with themselves and/or their situations but are just taking it out on us.

•           We’ll be less likely to put ourselves in harm’s way.

•           We’ll want better for ourselves in LIFE, LOVE & LABORS.

Of course there are plenty of other reasons for us to learn how to love and appreciate ourselves, but by now I think you get my drift.  I have unfortunately seen quite a few relationships take nasty turns not because one or the other person necessarily did something wrong, but more so because one person was not in tune with themselves and was completely relying on the partner to make up the slack. YES, in relationships of all kinds it does take 2 to tango (as they say) but if one of the 2 or (God forbid) both of them are not in a space of self love, appreciation and empowerment that particular relationship has a greater chance of problems and pitfalls.  So how do you do it? What are some ways that we can learn to love and appreciate ourselves? Well it all boils down to building a solid FOUNDATION:

Forgive yourself – If you can learn to do this, you will have released a great weight from your life.

Open your heart -  Many of us are holding onto some things we need to let go so they be replaced with some good things we’re blocking out.

Unlock your full potential – For many people there is more to us than meets the eye. Take some chances on pushing yourself to live a little more.

Never tear yourself down - Life can be hard enough without us being an open enemy to ourselves.

Dream out loud – There are some things inside of you that you need to let come out. For no one else but YOU!

Appreciate your greatness – Each of us was created with our own measure of greatness, it’s time for you to learn to appreciate yours.

Take time out for YOU! -  Self quality time for self is important. You can’t be good for anyone else if you haven’t been good to you.

Incorporate self-celebration – Find ways to reward yourself on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but something that you do for yourself to reward your great work.

Overlook the simple minded – Strive not to get caught up in the “minors” of others. Developing this loving foundation may be above what others are willing to give themselves. Let that be their issue!

Never feel unworthy – No matter what you’ve been through in your past always remember you are an amazing individual with a daily opportunity for greatness. You are worthy of all the love you can give you and so much more.

Building this self-love F.O.U.N.D.A.T.I.O.N may take a little work at first, but anything worth having really does. The amazing and good part is that once you build such a foundation, chances are anything else you build on or around it (ie: other relationships) will become solid as well. Are you ready? LET’S GO!

Self Love Through Acts of Love

Sometimes we are so caught up in taking care of others that they forget to engage in the basic acts of self care. Today, take an hour to yourself; read, listen to some music, take a walk or even a nap.  Acts of self love are important for building the muscle of loving others.

Be in Love with Yourself

Look in the mirror & give yourself the highest compliment.  When you can look  yourself in the eye day after day and tell yourself how wonderful, smart, great, beautiful you are without flinching, then you can truly pass that genuine love on to others as well.

3 Ways to Love Yourself To Life!

It’s February and love is in the air! But who is that love directed to?  It is wonderful to give love to another, to be in love with another, but how often do we think about giving love to ourselves?  How often do we think about falling in love with the person you see in the mirror day after day?  I’m not talking simply about liking or loving yourself, I’m speaking of BEING IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL BEING THAT IS YOU!  I’m also talking about showing yourself love by performing actual acts of love towards yourself.  If you are rolling your eyes already and saying to yourself how ridiculously cheesy and corny this sounds….keep reading!

There are many of us who like ourselves just fine and even those of us who LOVE who we are and who are completely comfortable in our own skin.  But how do we show ourselves love on a regular basis!  I’m the first to tell you that while I completely love who I am and am comfortable in my skin, I don’t always take the time to LOVE on myself like I would like.  I --- like so many others I know, coach, and treat --- let life get in the way.  Well, I invite you to step up your level of accountability (with me) and try these three ways of giving love to yourself on a weekly basis:

 

1. Take care of the basics- Eat, Sleep, Hydrate, Move…. 

This may sound extremely basic, but it’s amazing how many people out there do not even have a handle on the basic self-care activities in life.  There is a saying that when you are feeling irritable and unreasonable, HALT! That means check to see if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.  We are coving a few of these in this first step, and will touch on the others later in the article. Firstly EAT! When life gets busy, we tend to let the diet slide, eat more junk, and even sometimes skip meals altogether.  When you are eating erratically or not eating at all, the metabolism be pulled out of whack leaving you feeling fatigued, achy, irritable, and more likely to crave more of the not so healthy foods.  The second basic self care move is to GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP!  The average person require 6-8 hours of sleep each night for the body to feel refreshed for the next day.  Sleep is a time for the body to repair and rejuvenate the cells.  When you are deprived of sleep over a long period of time, the blood pressure can become high, your mental faculties become compromised (forgetfulness, irritability, emotional instability), and you can even experience physical pain (migraines, body aches,).  Rest (as a variant of sleep) can be just as important sleep.  Just laying down for an hour can be as rejuvenating as getting a quick nap.  HYDRATE!  Your body is ~90% water, and so to keep yourself hydrated is pivotal in keeping the cells functioning properly. Drink 64 ounces of water daily unless you have a condition that requires water restriction (i.e. congestive heart failure or chronic kidney disease).  Finally, MOVE your body!  We are constantly in motion whether we realize it or not. The body needs and desires movement. Sedentary lifestyle can lead to muscle wasting, fat accumulation, and even decreased mobility all around.  However, when you make a point to exercise or include physical activity of some sort in your life daily, you will see more energy, tone, and even mood elevation from the recurrent release of endorphins that occurs when you really get the heart rate up for longer than 20 minutes.

2. Get to Know The Good in You.

How often has someone given you a compliment and you’ve responded by downplaying it by saying something like “Oh, it wasn’t a big deal” or deflecting by saying “Oh but you really did all of the work” instead of just accepting the acknowledgement and saying “Thank you”.  Part of our unconscious conversation about who we are or who we are not can reflect in our outward world.   In fact, when we are having the unconscious conversation about “not being good enough” , “not being smart enough”, “not being loveable or wanted”  it directly affects our sense of self esteem, our emotional well-being, and can affect our decision making process (especially in relation to taking care of the basics).  A great exercise (and this week’s double dare challenge) is to write 30 things you like about yourself. Spare no detail, as even the smallest thing counts!  Another great exercise is to write 30 compliments that you have received from other people throughout life. Through the combination of these exercises, you truly get to see who you really are through your eyes and the eyes of others.

3. Connect with Others

Remember, earlier in the article we mentioned the acronym HALT – Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.  We are social beings by nature, and when we isolate ourselves from friends, family, and people we love (and whom love us) we are depriving ourselves of love that we deserve.  There are numerous studies that correlate human connection with overall well-being.  Human connection has been shown to improve outcomes after heart attack, stroke, and even improve cancer treatment outcomes.  Connecting with others is allowing ourselves to be loved by others. Allowing ourselves to be loved is a way of showing ourselves love.  Make your connections with others loving and fun!  Schedule a game night, or a pamper day. Have a girls or guys night out, or a potluck dinner party. Spend a romantic evening in with your loved one watching movies or take a night out on the town dancing.  Go to the park with your family, children, nieces, nephews…plan a family reunion!  Whatever the activity, allow the love to infuse your life as you allow yourself to be connected to and loved by others.

In the month of February, we are focusing on developing a daily practice of LOVE in our lives.  This includes being loving to ourselves as well as appreciating and being loving towards others.

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:  Create a loving affirmation for the self and say it every day.  An affirmation is a positive statement in the present tense affirming something that you are striving for or moving towards. For example: “I am happily enjoying my beautiful body at 125 lbs” – or “I am excited to be financially free!”.  An example of an affirmation of self love is “I am complete, whole, perfect, and beautiful” or “I am a child of God, and a person of worth”.  Create your affirmation, write it down, post it up, place it somewhere that you will see it and remember to repeat it at least once daily.  Post your experience my facebook or twitter page or email drlife@mbswellness.org. I acknowledge you for being willing to take on new challenges and ways of being in 2012! God Bless!

Join the challenge! Visit www.drmaiysha.com daily and connect with us through Facebook and Twitter for daily inspirations and dialogue about your and others successes and challenges each week.

Maiysha Clairborne MD

Copyright 2/05/12

 

 

 

Love through Gratitude

Foodie Friday: Feature: Tricia's Outrageously Delicious Strawberry Shortcake

©     1 Lb. Soft Tofu	©     2 Lbs. Extra Firm Tofu (Pressed & Drained)
©     2 Tbs. Sunflower Oil	©     ½ Lb. Organic Sweet Butter (Softened)
©     3 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice	©     1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
©     1 Tsp. Sea Salt	©     3 Tsp. Lemon Extract (Glycerine Based)
©     4 Tbs. Arrowroot	©     1 ¾ -2 Cups Organic Brown Rice Syrup
©     1 Tsp. Vanilla	©     5 Organic Eggs – (Add One At a Time & Blend)

Procedure: In a food processor, blend the following ingredients well: extra firm tofu, soft tofu, sunflower oil, lemon juice, and sea salt.  Add brown rice syrup and blend well, again.  Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add butter, arrowroot, vanilla, (1 Tsp) lemon juice, lemon extract and mix with a handheld mixer.  Lastly, add one egg at a time and blend with the hand mixer until you have mixed in all 5 eggs.

Spray or lightly butter a 10-inch springform pan and bake at 375 degrees in a bath of warm water for approximately 1-1.5 hours (until golden on top).  Leave in oven to cool with the door open for about 20-30 minutes.  When completely cooled, top with a quality strawberry jam, fresh strawberries and fresh kiwi.  Enjoy!

Serves: Many

 

 

 

Love Through Gratitude

Enza is a spirit of love and we are so grateful to have her as this week’s guest blog. Please join Enza on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ENZAsPAGE?ref=ts

► "Whatever happens, whether blessing or challenge,

√ Find your heartbeat and

√ Tune into the LOVE frequency

√ Join the 'dance of love, the dance of life’

√ For dawn breaks each day,

√ And dusk falls each night

√ And so too, the seasons of your life

√ Will resonate to the cycles of destiny

√ Blossoming like flowers in the garden of your soul!

✔ "Love & Gratitude is all you need

✔  Forgive yourself & others

✔  Embrace love,

✔ Adopt an attitude of gratitude &

✔  Attract unconditional love into your life

 

"Everyday, as dawn breaks, awaken to the beauty that lies ahead, another wonderful day. Begin the day with passion. Invite into your life, through the power of intention all that serves your highest good.

With an attitude of gratitude, embrace with grace all that destiny shares – blessings and challenges alike. Put out the intention through visualization that only the highest energy enter your circle of influence.

Ask the divinity within to give you both the awareness and courage to act with love whatever your encounter as the day evolves.

Start each day forgiving yourself and others , releasing the emotions that weigh the karmic wheel of fortune down, leaving only the lessons to be mastered.

Have kind thoughts towards all who you encounter and whenever the opportunity arises, share the love that you are in all you feel, think, say & do.

What is gratitude?

It is the gift of embracing all with grace, with an attitude of gratitude.

What is an attitude of gratitude?

It is the art of seeing beauty & love in all that is transcending the terrestrial senses and searching for the beauty that is soul deep. It is the gift of seeing the love seed in all that is & accentuating the light in any darkness.

How would one describe a soul that exemplifies an attitude of gratitude?

The soul who embraces each day with passion finding opportunity in every challenge and a lesson in the power of love through gratitude in every blessing. As fear and love are mutually exclusive, so too gratitude and ego.  This means that being grateful makes fear dissolve and disappear. When gratitude dissolves fear, the door of abundance opens and invites us in. Forgiveness just happens. Resentment, blame, judgement melt away as they are washed over and cleansed with the elixir of love.

Whatever challenges you face – embrace them with love for love always has the answer!  The soul that lives according to this philosophy – embraces each day as another day of miracle manifestation, understanding that just as a gardener must await the season of harvest, so too the seasons of challenges precede the harvest of divinely orchestrated miracles.  And miracles unfold when the time is ripe. This is the opposite of what happens to a fear driven individual who draws fear from the past & projects it into the future, colouring the present with shades of grey rather than the kaleidoscope of rainbow colours, the full spectrum of the light image that we are, weathering every storm awaiting for the sun to shine and give birth to the wonder that awaits. Every moment in life is a miracle in progress so be sure to enjoy each breath, each moment.

How does gratitude & love facilitate life’s lessons?

Think back to the best teachers you had in life, the ones that moved you to tears with their kindness, patience and unconditional love. Think back to the passion & motivation to learn that they inspired in you for everything you did was an achievement and every achievement was commended. From this we can see that the best teachers in the world are boundless and generous in their encouragement – who are beyond labels and criticism. These are the teachers that touch our hearts, that connect with our souls, that forever nurture endearing emotions in the memories of our lessons . We can only look back with an attitude of gratitude and embrace with grace the passion and love they shared with the knowledge imparted with love and dedication. More than the intellectual facts, what remains is the heart & soul of the special teacher that left us with a gift invisible to the naked eye but unforgettable and magical when viewed through the window of our soul.

What are the fruits of gratitude through love?

When we approach life with an attitude of gratitude, the picture we paint on the canvas of our soul has all the colours of the rainbow and invites abundance and all it represents into our lives, one breath at a time.

In the infinity of possibilities that the universe offers, visualise and connect with the magic that is – the boundless, eternal love that invites us to continue dreams as we awaken each day – to live the life we love and love the life we live. We soon come to realise that all moments are special – they are the flowers that colour our life experiences. Whether challenges or blessings, all experiences, all events, all who come into our life serve a purpose in the evolution of our soul, in the weaving of our unique tapestry of life.

Gratitude invites us to nurture the garden of our souls with petals of faith and raindrops of love as we observe the wonders that mother nature shares. We appreciate the sun, the moon, the rain, the wind and everything in between for collectively

we are living the magic of the forest of our being as it evolves into the masterpiece of the universe, one jigsaw puzzle at a time. We are but one small piece in the oneness that unites us all. If we but invite the divinity within us to give us a peek at the bigger picture through soulful awareness and faith that all is – is as it is - for a reason, then we resonate at a frequency of higher consciousness, seeing our place in the bigger picture which we are all part of.

Gratitude invites us to practice the art of self love and healing each and every day and this involves the gift of self forgiveness and love.  Each and every day, call on your higher consciousness to make spiritually aligned soul choices through the tongue of intuition. Learn the language of the soul which communicates its wisdom in the silences between our thoughts. Make time to allow for those gaps in time when rest & wisdom connect and spark magical thoughts that enlighten us as wise thoughts reach you. They are yours for the learning if we but dedicate a part of our day to listen soulfully. Remember that the law of quantum physics facilitates the magic of attracting ‘real’ dreams aligned with soulful intent.

When the soul invites abundance into our lives, it is inviting riches that are invisible to the naked eye, celestial jewels that terrestrial eyes will grasp only with lenses that transcend the physical. If it is invisible to the naked eye, it has the potential to belong to the realm of spiritual affluence.

What invisible treasures we may ask are immaterial?

Love, joy, a smile, friendship, love making, a gesture of kindness, caring. These are the gifts that touch our souls to spiritually connect to others and invite us to share the love that we are. All souls can share these gifts – they are the gifts of the divine – of our higher consciousness.

In the ocean of abundance that we are all part of, the drop that we are connects with the many other drops to channel the tides of mother nature into the magical miracle that just is.  Each act of love ripples in the waters of the universe, so we all truly do make a difference, one person, one gesture of kindness, one word of encouragement, at a time.

An attitude of gratitude through love in all that you think, say, feel and do will be the magic wand that sparkles fairy dust from the soul tops of our higher beings to fertilise the seeds of love that are gratuitously blown into the garden of our soul by the winds of our imagination. Invite imagination & intuition to be the compass of the soul and connect with the realm of all possibilities, of omnipotence in the galaxy of unconditional love transcending time and space forevermore. Transcend the limitations of the human mind and invite the soul to take you on a journey of a lifetime experiencing the delight of infinite possibilities and living the life one loves as one loves the life one lives. This is the reward of living life with gratitude and love. Namasté. ~Enza Currenti~ © 2012

Stop Negative Thoughts

Whenever you begin to feel yourself fall into a host of negative thought, STOP! And immediately name OUT LOUD 5 things you are grateful for in the moment…and WITH ENERGY!

A-Z Gratitude List

 

One of my favorite exercises of gratitude (as many people know) is the A-Z gratitude list. Start an A-Z gratitude list in your own online community.  Create this movement in your household. Notices the shift in everyone's energy.

5 Ways to Make Gratitude Work for You

Have you ever wondered “what’s so great about having an attitude of gratitude?”   There are many benefits to maintaining a sense of appreciation and thankfulness in your life, including physical, mental, and spiritual health benefits.  There are many ways you’re your giving gratitude can be a gift for others, but here are 5 ways that being grateful can be a gift for you:

1. Use Gratitude to Put Your Life Into Perspective – Many times we view everything in our lives as so significant that we fail to see the bigger picture.  We may feel like our situation is “The Worst” and NO-One understands. We may feel as though we just don’t have what it takes or what we need to move forward.  We may even be creating more of what we don’t want by focusing on whatever we feel we are lacking in life.  When you are always focused on what’s missing in life you fail to miss the beauty that is present right in front of you. A Daily gratitude list can shift that perspective and help you to be in the present moment with what is.  Saying ‘thank you’ for whatever you current have has you begin to recognize that you truly are blessed in life wherever you are, and when you begin to recognize the blessings you currently have, you attract more blessings in turn.

2. Use Gratitude to Ease A Worried Mind – If you are a worry-wart, like so many people I see in my practice, it’s easy for your mind to fall down the rabbit hole of obsessive thought patterns like “what if” or “what’s missing” or “what could happen”.   This “worst case scenario” cycle can bring massive amounts of mental anguish and physical stress upon the body.  Conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even obsessive compulsive disorder can often arise out of that initial state of fear and worry.  A great practice to stop that obsessive process is to practice in the moment gratitude.  A great exercise (and one you will hear me refer to very often) is the Gratitude Alphabet in which you go through the alphabet naming one thing you are grateful for with each letter. You can do this exercise alone, with a  partner, or in a group.  It’s not only very effective in bringing people to the present moment, but it’s a wonderfully fun way to listen and get present to gratitude in others. Shared gratitude has just as much value as the gratitude you express in solitude.

3. Use Gratitude to Improve Your Relationships – Taking a position of gratitude in your relationships whether romantic, professional, or family can really give you a new connection with the people in your life.  A great exercise is to choose a person in your life with whom you want to transform your relationship and start by writing 3 things about them that you appreciate or are grateful for each day. You may keep a private journal or you may share it with them a few times a week.  Keeping it private will transform you view of them, but sharing it with them will make the greatest difference in shifting the relationship in a positive direction. Try it with a spouse, children, a parent, a boss, or a colleague.  Giving acknowledgement to others is truly a gift to all parties involved.

4. Use Gratitude as An Act of Kindness to Another – Much like previously stated, gratitude can be used as an act of kindness to another. I’m not speaking of using gratitude in order to get something you want…that’s not gratitude, that’s manipulation.  I’m speaking of being kind for no reason.  This may be a word of gratitude, or an act of gratitude such as a gift, card, or act of service for the person you are acknowledging.  Whatever the case, gratitude in this way is an act of generosity, and can be an unexpected blessing for the person to which you direct it.  You’ll find that random acts of gratitude (similar to random acts of kindness which we will discuss later on in the month), are as much of a gift to you as they are to the person to which you are giving the gratitude.

5. Use Gratitude to Help Dissolve Feelings of Fear, Sadness, & Anger – It is normal to have feelings of fear, sadness, and anger sometimes as we are human beings and that is part of the human experience.  However, when experiencing the feelings becomes wallowing in the feelings, then a downward spiral can be imminent.  This an area where engaging the attitude of gratitude can really take the edge off of a seemingly hopeless situation.  At first it may not take away the feelings (and I’m not suggesting that it should… swallowing your emotions is just as dangerous as wallowing in them).  However, when consistently practiced, gratitude during times of pain and sorrow can truly make a difference in shifting the energy with which you move from the situations that may cause such negative emotions.  You may find that speaking gratitude or showing acknowledgement to another takes your mind out of the anger or sadness and brings a level of peace and contentment.  It shifts away from the “victim” mode and brings a sense of empowerment into being.  Next time you find yourself in an extreme negative or stressful state, try the A-Z gratitude list mentioned above, and you’ll guaranteed be shifted to a less intense state of negative emotion. If you still have some leftover contempt, do it again…Each time you go through the exercise you’ll notice less and less of the negative emotion. What will make this exercise more powerful is to call someone ELSE and request that they DO IT WITH YOU to support your coming out of this funk.  Not only will you be transforming your state of being in the moment, you’ll also be making a major difference in the life of the person you called; both by empowering them with whatever is going on in their world, AND by allowing them to be a support for someone they care about (THAT’S YOU)!

In conclusion, gratitude can be very useful in shifting and transforming various areas of being.  It’s such a simple practice, yet often overlooked as a daily tool.  You can begin to add this and other practices into your life by joining our challenges each month.

In the month of February, we are focusing on developing a daily practice of LOVE in our lives.  This includes being loving to ourselves as well as appreciating and being loving towards others.

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:  You guessed it! It’s gratitude week. This week start a written gratitude journal. Write 3 things that you are grateful for in your life each morning upon awakening or each night before you go to sleep.  Notice how this practice affects your sleep and your day to day way of being.  I acknowledge you for being willing to take on new challenges and ways of being in 2012! God Bless!

Join the challenge! Visit www.drmaiysha.com daily and connect with us through Facebook and Twitter for daily inspirations and dialogue about your and others successes and challenges each week.

Maiysha Clairborne MD

Copyright 1/23/12

 

Love Thru Acknowledgement

Foodie Friday! Feature: Superbowl Sweets: Football Cake Pies

It’s time for the Superbowl and no superbowl party is complete without a good dessert! This recipe comes from ElephantJournal.com, and has several other great superbowl recipe. See them by visiting (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/02/gourmet-gridiron-healthy-vegan-and-gluten-free-super-bowl-menu-and-recipes/)

Football Cake Pies

1 cupsugar

1 /2 cup vegan shortening

2 egg replacers

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoonsbaking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegan buttermilk ( 1 cup plain soy milk with 1 teaspoon of apple cider or coconut water vinegar, set aside to curdle for at least 15 minutes )

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling

1 pound vegan cream cheese, softened

2 sticks vegan butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 baking sheets and set aside.

To make the cake pies, in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and 1/2 cup of the shortening. Add 2 egg replacers and mix well.

Onto a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Lay half of the cookies flat on a work surface. Divide the filling among the cookies, spreading out to the edges. Top with the remaining cookies to form sandwich pies. Cover tightly and refrigerate before serving. Pipe remaining icing over top of the pies in the design of football threads

 

 

 

 

 

Love in Action

Love in Action

by

Tangie Henry

 When we show our love for someone it is so much more than lip-service.  Love is an action word that allows another person to know that we care deeply for them.  Oftentimes, the act of love is confused with how we feel, but it goes far beyond our feelings.  It is contradictory to declare your love for someone followed by disrespect and mistreatment.  To love another genuinely is to honor them regardless of their actions or their stature.

One way to show that we love others is by acknowledging them for being who they are.  Regardless of what may be said, everyone wants to be acknowledged, not only for their efforts, but simply because they matter.  No one wants to feel disregarded and irrelevant.  And while we cannot control the thoughts and feelings of others, we certainly can contribute to those thoughts and feelings in a negative or positive way.  To acknowledge someone and tell them that they are appreciated, that they are needed and that their contribution to your life is impactful signifies to them that you love them.

In conjunction with acknowledging others, we also can show our love by praising their efforts.  Who doesn’t want to be told that they did a good job?  Who doesn’t want to be uplifted by the positive fruit of someone else’s lips? In one of my favorite books, “The Five Love Languages,” by Gary Chapman, he lists Words of Affirmation as one of the Love Languages that we can use to effectively express love for another.  When we affirm another person, it translates our deep affection for them.  The old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is simply not true.  Words are very powerful and they have the ability to build us up or tear us down.

Think of your mouth as a divine apparatus with the ability to speak life and death into a situation.  You also have the power to love someone with your words by acknowledging and praising them, not only their efforts, but for their presence in your life, as well.  Don’t miss an opportunity to bless someone with your words and really show them love in action.

I am very grateful to feature this week’s guest blogger, colleague and friend, Tangie Henry. Gifted to inspire, Tangie Henry has spent years encouraging others to rise above their circumstances and soar to new heights.  As a Registered Nurse and Certified Life Coach, Tangie has an opportunity to “minister” to all types of women at times of great vulnerability.  She has a heart for women who are broken and bruised and those challenged by life’s obstacles.  Offering Inspiration with a Flair, anyone needing a little motivation is inspired by her to move past their setbacks and go to the next level.  Using her life experiences, a little sistah savvy and a lot of Godly wisdom, Tangie encourages women to be their better selves.  She is the founder of InspiredSistah LLC, a faith-based company dedicated to “Inspiring Women to Live on Top of the World.”  Tangie currently lives in the metro Atlanta area with her husband, Jessie.  She is available for workshops or speaking engagements catering to the needs of women.  For general inquiries or booking information, visit her online at www.InspiredSistah.com.

Give Compliments

Have you ever been complimented by a perfect stranger? Did it make you smile a little bigger, stand a little taller, feel a little more satisfied?  Pay that feeling forward. Compliment 3 perfect strangers today. Watch the smile on their face and feel the goodness in your heart.