As we enter the new month of February, I am appreciating the January word prompts this year. I don’t usually do them, but decided to do January to get back in the habit of writing, even if it was only a few words. I really liked reading other bloggers posts as well.
I probably won’t be posting daily here, but I do intend to get back to appreciating the things in life here. My intention for today is to make this day a great one for all!
What is your mission?
Today’s prompt asks about my mission in life. It wasn’t always clear to me for most of my life. Major life changes helped me to reach within and work on myself until it came to me that I am here to help spread tips on living a more joyful life. By using the tools and techniques I’ve learned through various teachers, my journey as Barbara, The Spirited Strider, began over 14 years ago.
It started with a Memory Walk for the Alzheimer’s Association and I called my team of walkers “Team Spirited Strides.” That quickly led to my first blog and so many connections with new people. It led to learning many techniques from classes and workshops, to creating my website and a small business in coaching. While I no longer have my main website, having lost it earlier this year, I am appreciative of everything I learned while building it.
We often don’t realize the effect our words and actions can have on other people. It was through a powerful moment of inspiration that I knew that I am here to serve in love, one person at a time. I’m reminded of a sermon I gave once as a Certified Lay Speaker and a couple of years later, I returned to that church and an elderly woman came up to me to tell me how much that sermon affected her in a positive way. We often don’t get that kind of feedback about ourselves, but when we do, it’s such a good feeling to know that we made a difference in someone’s life.
For me, it was an affirmation that I’m doing something that is of value to others. I know my mission for myself and for others. Life is meant to be filled with joy and I appreciate that I can contribute to it in my own small way.
Recently I decided to explore the world of AI (artificial intelligence) by playing around with ChatGPT. I asked it to create a blog post about appreciation. This is what it said:
Title: The Power of Appreciation: Cultivating Gratitude in Everyday Life
Introduction:
In our fast-paced and often chaotic lives, it’s easy to overlook the importance of appreciation and gratitude. Yet, the act of consciously acknowledging and expressing gratitude can have profound effects on our well-being and the quality of our relationships. Appreciation opens the door to a more fulfilling and positive existence, allowing us to savor life’s simple pleasures and connect more deeply with ourselves and others. In this blog post, we will explore the transformative power of appreciation and discover practical ways to incorporate it into our daily lives.
1. The Essence of Appreciation:
Appreciation is more than just saying “thank you” or being polite; it’s a state of mind that stems from a genuine recognition and acknowledgment of the value, goodness, or beauty in someone or something. It involves consciously focusing our attention on the positive aspects of life, rather than dwelling on the negative. By cultivating appreciation, we can shift our perspective and find joy in the ordinary moments that often go unnoticed.
2. Benefits of Cultivating Appreciation:
a) Improved Well-being: Numerous studies have shown that practicing gratitude and appreciation can lead to increased happiness, improved mental health, and reduced stress levels. It enhances our overall well-being and helps us maintain a positive outlook on life, even in challenging times.
b) Strengthened Relationships: Expressing appreciation strengthens our connections with others. When we genuinely acknowledge and appreciate someone’s efforts, kindness, or qualities, it fosters a sense of validation and deepens our bonds. It creates an environment of trust, respect, and understanding.
c) Mindfulness and Presence: Appreciation cultivates mindfulness by encouraging us to be fully present in the moment. When we take the time to appreciate the simple pleasures around us—a beautiful sunset, a warm cup of coffee, or a loved one’s smile—we enhance our ability to experience and savor life’s joys.
3. Practical Tips for Cultivating Appreciation:
a) Gratitude Journaling: Set aside a few minutes each day to write down three things you are grateful for. This practice helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life and serves as a reminder of the abundance around you.
b) Expressing Appreciation: Make it a habit to express appreciation regularly, whether through a heartfelt thank-you note, a kind word, or a sincere compliment. Let others know that their actions or presence have made a positive impact on your life.
c) Mindful Reflection: Take time to reflect on the small joys and moments of beauty in your day-to-day life. Pay attention to the intricate details, relish in the present moment, and find gratitude in the ordinary.
d) Acts of Kindness: Engage in acts of kindness towards others. Small gestures of goodwill, such as offering help, showing empathy, or being a good listener, not only benefit the recipient but also foster a sense of appreciation within yourself.
Conclusion:
In a world that often emphasizes material success and achievement, appreciating the simple joys and the people who enrich our lives becomes even more crucial. By practicing appreciation and gratitude, we can transform our perception, nurture meaningful relationships, and experience the profound impact of gratitude on our overall well-being. Let us embark on this journey of appreciation, allowing it to infuse our lives with positivity, contentment, and a deeper sense of connection to the world around us.
I have to say I’m impressed! While I prefer to do my own writing, I can see where this tool could be helpful for so many things. In fact, a person I know recently had a virtual meeting about all of the ways he’s using ChatGPT in his personal and professional life. I appreciate his email that told me about it, and prompted me to try it out for myself.
I’ve been gone a long while from here. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been appreciating, as I do it everyday. It’s become a daily habit and my “go to” for feeling good most days.
Yesterday I discovered that I lost my entire website for my small business. I became so involved with my other life endeavors that I forgot to renew my hosting account. While I started the business in late 2018, I had been blogging since 2007, so there was a lot of material there. I had redirected my former blog posts to the website when I created it. Now, I cannot currently access any of it!
I was initially upset. I have to admit that I’m still not feeling 100% fine with it. However, I did make a decision that I need to find something to appreciate about all of this, so here goes…
I appreciate all the years of blogging and connecting with people. The connections I made from blogging were life changing. All is not lost.
I appreciate that a fund raiser for Alzheimer’s research led me to the initial blog, the name of my business and to my branding as “The Spirited Strider.” All is not lost.
I can appreciate that this is an opportunity to re-think and create something new. While I’m not so sure what exactly I’ll do, there really is no rush and I know that my inspiration will come when it comes. All is not lost.
I also appreciate that I may have a back up of the old blog on my laptop. I haven’t looked yet, but if it’s there, I will be able to see some posts that I made years ago. I am feeling the excitement of that, when I decide to dig and look. I have options and all is not lost.
I appreciate a Facebook and Twitter friend who suggested the archives online as a way to see if any of my posts are there. I don’t have the time now to pursue that for a few weeks, but it’ll definitely be a larger project that I’ll dive into later. I appreciate his help and suggestion! All is not lost.
That’s right! All is not lost! It’ll be exciting to see where I’m at a year from now! Meanwhile, I intend to be more active here once again.
I used to go to a Puerto Rican restaurant in Manhattan that had quotes painted on its basement walls. One in particular read, “Don’t let idiots ruin your day.” While the restaurant no longer exists, that message is good advice for living a more joyful life. Too often we let others “ruin” our days. We care too much about what they think of us or what they say to us. Yet we have an opportunity to choose our own reaction. I normally practice this philosophy of choosing how I react to unpleasant situations or people but this week, I was reminded that I’m human. I let someone’s comments to me upset me for days. And now, I appreciate that these comments made me remember to breathe, to remember to choose a better feeling thought and to remember to appreciate the best in the situation.
I appreciate it for the reaction it gave me to remember my own practices, to remember that I am in control of my own well-being and that I need not concern myself with what others think of me. I appreciate that I don’t have to wait for others to like me, or accept what I’m offering. I am enough. I am worthy. I appreciate the reminder that we don’t always know what others may be going through, so instead of judging them, we can just send them love and good intentions for moving forward.
I appreciate the time I’ve known this person. I can appreciate using Abraham-Hick’s List of Positive Aspects about this person, too. I have practiced using that list for years, whenever I was having challenges with people. I appreciate that it helps me to think of them in a more joyful light and helps me to move on.
I can appreciate myself for not responding to this person in a way that would further cause angst between us. I appreciate choosing a reaction that feels good. I can appreciate that this behavior prompted me to write a blog post. I appreciate this unwanted contrast for the value it’s teaching me to let things go. I have the power to choose how I feel about all of this and I am empowered to use this moment to let it all go: and so I did.
Appreciating what’s going right is really like a celebration. If you want to amp up your vibe and mood everyday, look for things to celebrate. No matter how small, celebrations are good for you! Don’t spend too much time looking at what’s going wrong or you’ll get stuck there, leaving you in a negative mood or even depressed.
This week, I’ve seen some things worth celebrating that I’ll share with you here.
1. More than 150 labs are working worldwide to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. While still far from a solution, 23 of them are using human trials, including the news from Moderna involving a small human trial. I appreciate all these researchers working on a solution for this worldwide pandemic and the people who are participating in the human trials for the greater good of mankind!
2. I appreciate hearing about Phase 3 of a study on a new drug called REGN-COV2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This new drug blocks the COVID-19 virus from infecting a person’s cells, which can slow the disease and protect its severity. I appreciate all these researchers around the world working on various solutions to lessen the effect of this public health crisis and the volunteers who are testing everything! They’re heroes in my book!
3. Ruth Bader Ginsberg was released from the hospital. She’s a strong, resilient and inspiring woman and I’m so happy she’s out of the hospital. My country needs her!
4. The Trump administration dropped its restriction for international students and online learning, allowing them to take online courses for the fall, and saving them from having to leave the country or transfer to someplace where there’ll be face-to-face learning. I so appreciate MIT and Harvard for bringing the lawsuit forward and the international education community who expressed outrage to the proposed new policy, as well as various states and cities who joined in. The backlash forced the administration to drop the policy altogether! International students bring so much enrichment to US campuses and I appreciate that they can stay.
5. Some people have been fortunate enough to see Comet NEOWISE across the skies. I personally haven’t seen it but I’ve always loved looking at the sky and seeing the marvels of space. There’s so much beauty up there!
6. Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Apple, Costco, Starbucks and others require customers to wear masks in their stores. The number of businesses growing with this trend is good for everyone. While I’d prefer to see people voluntarily wear masks in public and more leadership to require it, I applaud the businesses who are trying to help make our society healthier.
7. Speaking of wearing masks, did you see this display of 300 drones in South Korea to thank frontline workers and remind people of the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing? What a beautiful display!
8. I bought my cats a new toy yesterday and it is providing hours of entertainment. This one is an interactive one, so I play with them. I appreciate it when I can get something they like and actually use (unlike the several “beds” I’ve bought that they don’t use. They prefer boxes!) Ha!
9. I saw this morning a report that Rice University will conduct some classes outside, using tents and social distancing with students bringing their own chairs. I do appreciate the creativity that’s coming forth from these times and wish them all the best. Let’s hope it doesn’t storm much!
10. Today is “Iowa Day” on the Big Ten Network. That’s always something I celebrate! Go Hawkeyes!
We’re in a midst of a global pandemic and the news can really get a person down. Between the deaths, rising cases in the U.S., fighting over wearing a mask, loss of jobs and crowds not social distancing, it can be a challenge for us to see any positives in today’s situation.
Yet with any challenging situation, there’s an opportunity for growth. There’s an opportunity to see what’s wrong and create change to make things better. It may not seem so these days, but I have faith that we’ll all learn some lessons from this experience in the long run.
Learning to find what’s going right each day is an exercise in creating more appreciation and joy in your life: even during this pandemic. So, I thought I’d give a short list of some things I see and feel these days and invite you to consider making the practice of truly appreciating what is going right in your world daily. My list is by no means exhaustive. Here’s a taste of appreciation for you!
I appreciate getting up everyday. I appreciate the sun shining and the birds singing. I am so appreciative of the food in abundance in my kitchen. I appreciate the summer so I can take walks during this time. I appreciate the variety of masks I’ve gathered for my time outside my home. I appreciate the advice of the medical community during this pandemic. I also appreciate all the people who are working to keep things moving: in the hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants. I appreciate the creativity of places to come up with alternative ways of doing business. I appreciate Zoom and WhatsApp that help me stay connected with people near and far. I appreciate all the books available for me to read or listen to!
I appreciate my two cats who provide a lot of entertainment during this time. I also appreciate some of the movies I’ve seen on TV. I really loved seeing Hamilton recently and appreciate that it was made available for us to see. I appreciate all my Hawkeye Twitter friends, who provide an endless supply of fun and I love their cooking pictures! I can’t wait until the day when we can all get together for a tailgate and share some of them! And in this extremely hot, humid weather, I appreciate having air conditioning!
So that’s my short list for today. If the news is bringing you down, it helps to just turn it off and give yourself a rest until you can get yourself into a better state of mind. Appreciating routinely will help you do that. What and who are you appreciating today?
It’s been 4 years since I’ve written on this blog so today I decided it’s time to appreciate here again. We need more joy in our lives, so my hope and intention is that I’ll post more regularly for the rest of this 2020 year. Appreciation is a very powerful tool to leading a more joyful life! So with that said, here’s an old post from 4 years ago on my appreciation for my freedom of choice! Happy Independence Day to everyone in the U.S.!
Today is Independence Day in my country and I’m reminded that “freedom” means so many things to many people. I do appreciate that I live in a country where the ideals of freedom are engrained in our constitution. The Bill of Rights contains 10 amendments, some of which protect our freedom of religion, speech, and the press.
But this post isn’t about our constitutional freedoms, but rather an appreciation of how I always have freedom in my choices of how I react to any given situation. Observing social media outlets, I see some strong opinions expressed and sometimes hateful remarks towards others who disagree with these opinions. I’m reminded that we all have freedom to express what we believe, but we don’t have to agree with everyone. We get to choose. That’s freedom right there.
I appreciate that when I read or see hateful messages on social media, I can choose to ignore them. Things I don’t want or that cause me to feel negative feelings are called “unwanted contrast” in law of attraction circles. I appreciate the feelings that sometimes result from reading hate-filled comments as opportunities for me to focus in on what I truly want. I appreciate that I have learned the value of unwanted contrast in creating a more happy life.
Anytime we’re faced with something or a situation that causes us to have strong emotions of dislike, anger or other negative feelings, it’s an opportunity for us to exercise our freedom of choice: you can either simmer in those emotions and let them get stronger or practice focusing in on the opposite end of refining what you want. I’ve found that when I find myself getting heated up with passion about unwanted contrast, it’s a good time to jot down the opposite of what I don’t want, which is what I’d rather see and feel.
Once I’ve clarified what I want, I can exercise my freedom of choice in taking softer steps in getting there. It might mean that I stop looking at social media for awhile, or that I don’t talk or associate with a certain people for awhile (until I can clean up my energy about them), or that I turn off the TV, or that I just distract myself with something else. I might meditate, go take a nap, do something that’s fun, pet my cat, talk to friends and family, or any number of things. I use Abraham-Hicks’ tip of reaching for that feeling of relief to move myself up the emotional scale into a better feeling place. I appreciate these tools for the happiness that I enjoy from using them!
I always have the freedom of choice in my relief from unwanted situations, and you do, too. Some people may interpret my reactions to people, things and situations sometimes as uncaring when I don’t engage in augmenting the negativity of the situation. But I do care – I care how I feel, I care about others and intend for their happiness, too, and I know how my happiness is dependent on me, just as yours is dependent upon you. I care enough to not let outside events destroy my well-being.
We always have a freedom of choice in how we react to anything, even in the most horrific situations. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl expressed this beautifully in these statements:
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
I appreciate my freedom of choice. I appreciate it so much as it’s contributed greatly to my personal growth and made me a much happier person. I appreciate that you don’t have to agree with me, and that’s just fine. We travel our own journeys in life and I appreciate all the people who have contributed to mine in all ways: the good, the bad and the ugly. For all these situations have served me well in learning how to appreciate any person or situation. I’m happy and looking forward to more freedom of choices in my life for the growth that they foster in me.
Today is Independence Day in my country and I’m reminded that “freedom” means so many things to many people. I do appreciate that I live in a country where the ideals of freedom are engrained in our constitution. The Bill of Rights contains 10 amendments, some of which protect our freedom of religion, speech, and the press.
But this post isn’t about our constitutional freedoms, but rather an appreciation of how I always have freedom in my choices of how I react to any given situation. Observing social media outlets, I see some strong opinions expressed and sometimes hateful remarks towards others who disagree with these opinions. I’m reminded that we all have freedom to express what we believe, but we don’t have to agree with everyone. We get to choose. That’s freedom right there.
I appreciate that when I read or see hateful messages on social media, I can choose to ignore them. Things I don’t want or that cause me to feel negative feelings are called “unwanted contrast” in law of attraction circles. I appreciate the feelings that sometimes result from reading hate-filled comments as opportunities for me to focus in on what I truly want. I appreciate that I have learned the value of unwanted contrast in creating a more happy life.
Anytime we’re faced with something or a situation that causes us to have strong emotions of dislike, anger or other negative feelings, it’s an opportunity for us to exercise our freedom of choice: you can either simmer in those emotions and let them get stronger or practice focusing in on the opposite end of refining what you want. I’ve found that when I find myself getting heated up with passion about unwanted contrast, it’s a good time to jot down the opposite of what I don’t want, which is what I’d rather see and feel.
Once I’ve clarified what I want, I can exercise my freedom of choice in taking softer steps in getting there. It might mean that I stop looking at social media for awhile, or that I don’t talk or associate with a certain people for awhile (until I can clean up my energy about them), or that I turn off the TV, or that I just distract myself with something else. I might meditate, go take a nap, do something that’s fun, pet my cat, talk to friends and family, or any number of things. I use Abraham-Hicks’ tip of reaching for that feeling of relief to move myself up the emotional scale into a better feeling place. I appreciate these tools for the happiness that I enjoy from using them!
I always have the freedom of choice in my relief from unwanted situations, and you do, too. Some people may interpret my reactions to people, things and situations sometimes as uncaring when I don’t engage in augmenting the negativity of the situation. But I do care – I care how I feel, I care about others and intend for their happiness, too, and I know how my happiness is dependent on me, just as yours is dependent upon you. I care enough to not let outside events destroy my well-being.
We always have a freedom of choice in how we react to anything, even in the most horrific situations. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl expressed this beautifully in these statements:
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
I appreciate my freedom of choice. I appreciate it so much as it’s contributed greatly to my personal growth and made me a much happier person. I appreciate that you don’t have to agree with me, and that’s just fine. We travel our own journeys in life and I appreciate all the people who have contributed to mine in all ways: the good, the bad and the ugly. For all these situations have served me well in learning how to appreciate any person or situation. I’m happy and looking forward to more freedom of choices in my life for the growth that they foster in me.
I appreciate websites that work! I’ve had my main website off-line for some months and got some help from my host a few weeks back but some items are still not working. My pages (albeit 1) keep giving me the error page.
While I could get help for this again, I’ve been busy with other things so I will fix it when I make time for it. I appreciate that I can relax in the knowing that it will work out in the end.
This unwanted contrast really makes me appreciate websites that work, like this appreciation blog! This free blog has always been rock steady – always there, always working. I appreciate the ease and flow of these free services. I appreciate wordpress dot com for its ease in making a blog or website and I appreciate that I can easily change the look of this site and it all works.
When we run into things we don’t like or want, it’s always an opportunity to appreciate what is working or on what we already have. Technology does make our lives easier in so many ways! Computers, cell phones and social media have added many things to our lives to appreciate.
BUT, writing this quick post has caused me to reflect on the number of times I complain about my computer at work: it’s slow in booting up, it crashes often and forces me to re-start, or a program just freezes. There are a lot of glitches. And I’m not alone, as others in my office complain of similar problems.
What can I appreciate about all of this? For starters, we’ve gotten to know the cool people in our IT department over the years and they’ve gotten away from their desks and traveled to ours. – Stepping away from your desk is a healthy thing. 🙂 – Every staff member in my office can rally together in the collective desire for an improved efficiency of computers. That’s a lot of energy for an improved system just waiting for us to align to. We get opportunities to share our appreciation of the IT staff when they “fix” the problems, too. Collective appreciation makes everyone feel good! When the computers are “down,” we have opportunities to engage with one another, make a phone call and reach out to someone, step away from our desks, and take a break from looking at the computer screen all day. I can appreciate those moments for that.
So in the spirit of appreciating websites that work, I also am appreciating all that unwanted contrast at work because I also realize how much of what I have at home works like a charm: every time! I have 2 computers, one that is older but still works and a laptop that is fast, efficient, cool and fun. I so appreciate that. I appreciate the fact they are mine. There are people who don’t have computers so I don’t take that for granted.
So the next time I find myself complaining about the lack of speed of my computer at work, I will remember this post and it surely will make me smile as I remember that unwanted contrast is just an opportunity to appreciate what is working. And there’s a lot in my life that works: even if I can’t get to all the pages of my main website yet!
Appreciation Magic 