appreciation – Page 6 – Appreciation Magic

I Appreciate Trees – Day 6

I love trees. I have always loved trees. There is something majestic about them. I love all kinds of trees, and especially deciduous trees: I love the changes each season. I love a tree full of leaves in the middle of the summer, with its leaves that make a rustling music with the wind. They sing their own song while they provide a quiet shade from the hot sun of sizzling summer days. The autumn leaves of all colors that so gently fall to the ground create works of art in the sky as well as on the ground when the pile of leaves lay below. There’s something so fun about playing in a pile of leaves! Winter branches remind me of the cycle of life: the transitions from life on this planet to moving on to a higher place, and taking time to rest, reflect and renew for the upcoming springtime. Spring buds give such promise and excitement of a new birth, new lives and new journeys that blossom once again into summer fullness. The cycle repeats. Change is indeed inevitable and the tree grows stronger.

Oh, if trees could only talk! Imagine what stories they could tell! I appreciate trees!

I Appreciate Singing! – Day 5

Bird on Cow from PDPhoto dot org — Photo Courtesy of PHPhoto.org

What do cows have to do with singing? For me, they were probably my first real “audience” as a singer (aside from my parents). When I was a little girl, I used to sit on a fence at the end of my dead-end street in my small town in Iowa and sing to the cows that were in the field there. They were a very captive audience! They would gather round and listen to me very intently. I can still see their faces but most of all, I can still remember that feeling of singing to them and how it lit up my soul inside.

I love to sing and appreciate that I have vocal chords that still work to do an “ok” job of it now. There were times in my life when I was singing daily. Singing fills my heart with joy and makes me feel alive. I would say that singing is one of my passions: something that I would be happy doing as a career. But I didn’t follow that path and I appreciate that it’s really never too late to pursue it now, if I decided just that. I also appreciate that I don’t have to be in a singing career in order to sing. Singing doesn’t require any instrument, except our own voice. While I play several instruments, I love singing most of all.

I appreciate really good singers like Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Cristina Aguillera and Kelly Clarkson. I love singers that give me chills when I listen to them and I love to experience that feeling when I sing, too. I appreciate singers of all musical genres. I also really, really love singing shows on TV! My fave show is The Voice! I appreciate how there are no age limits on that show, and that the initial “judging” is done entirely by listening to the contestants’ voices.

I love to sing anywhere – but lately have been singing more privately in my home, my car and yes, in the shower! I feel inspired by singing. What inspires you?

I Appreciate Unexpected Money in the Mail! – Day 4

Woo hoo! I really appreciate abundance in my life, and how it shows up in unexpected ways. Abundance isn’t just about money but this rampage of appreciation is all about that!

I love how I receive unexpected money when I align myself to a better feeling vibe. I’ve been shifting my vibe lately, making time for myself and deliberately slowing down to experience the “now.” I came home yesterday to find two unexpected checks in the mail!

One was part of a class action lawsuit against a bank I used to frequent. It felt really good since I had no idea I was part of the group and I didn’t have to do any fighting to get it. Easy! The other was another rebate of an insurance premium because they had “a very good year.” This is the 3rd time that this has happened to me with this insurance company (which just happens to be located in my home state of Iowa) and I have to say each time it’s a joyful surprise.

The amount of money isn’t the issue for my excitement – it’s the excitement and fun of getting the surprise abundance in ways that I was not focusing on! l absolutely LOVE when that happens! So since I’m appreciating joyful surprises of abundance, that means there’s a lot more on the way. YAY! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

I’m convinced that refocusing myself on writing down my rampages of appreciation daily is a key reason why I’m creating fun and easy joyful surprises. If you’re just reading my blog now, I invite you to join in on my Facebook group called 41 Days of Appreciating Rampages and appreciate away!

I Love My Cat – Day 3

After Hurricane Sandy, I rescued a cat from a shelter. You might also say that she rescued me! Of course, we chose each other. Her previous owners had named her Lindsay, but after two days of thinking I’d call her Daisy, my youngest daughter came up with the name Zelda, and the name stuck. This photo is the one from the shelter website, before we met in person, but I knew when I saw her online that she’d be mine. I love my cat, Zelda!

A 3 year old and tiny, she is obsessed with this little cardboard box that was within a much larger package. It has become one of her favorite places to hang out!

She makes me laugh because she would only go into the comfy cat bed I got for her when the cardboard was there! lol

Animals bring such joy to one’s life and Zelda is no exception. I love how she is so gentle, loving and talkative! She talks a lot, albeit quietly, and I love all the sounds she makes. She comes when called upon, never scratches (even when she wants to be let go from a human’s arms), and loves to play.

While she’s a little one, she has a big heart. She’d make an excellent therapy cat, as she immediately senses when humans are sad or distressed and talks while jumping on a lap. She soothes the soul. Her gentle, loving spirit has been such a blessing to me these past 7 months.

She is beautiful, inside and out! Patient- extremely patient- she often tests the human who is playing with her, in a game of who can have the most patience! You’ll often find the human waiting and waiting to see when she’ll jump and catch one of her toys. (The only exceptions are her Da Bird toy, which she is really crazy about and a cute purple fuzzy thing that I got her on the first day home.)

She won the praise at the vet clinic for being the best behaved animal of the day! She really is patient and calm, even in circumstances that aren’t that much fun (like a shot at the vet’s office, and having people poke around her body and in her ears).

She sometimes watches TV. This photo is one I took when she was on my lap (one of her favorite places) and was looking toward the TV. The reflection in her eyes made them appear blue.

I love how she loves to look at herself in the mirror, too! After all, she is a beauty!

Zelda has brightened up my life since she came into my family. Even family members who are not known to be cat lovers remark about how great of a cat she is. I love my Zelda and am so appreciative that she’s now a part of my family.

She likes one of my silk pillows from China as a bed these days – so fitting for Princess Zelda!

P.S. Oh, and in case you didn’t notice: Zelda is a Hawkeye, too! 🙂

I Appreciate This Present Moment – Day 2

In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle writes, “It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.” I truly appreciate that I understand this power of now: the empowerment that comes with knowing that I can choose to spend my life rehashing the past or concerning myself about what could be – either way, I am doing so in a moment of NOW. Whether we are thinking about the past, present or future, we are doing it NOW. That truly is all there is. And as I write this, I realize that with each letter I type, it’s no longer “now.” 🙂

I appreciate now. Just NOW. This present moment. That is all there is.

I appreciate that I know the power of this present moment. I appreciate knowing that I can make each moment meaningful. I can make each moment count. I appreciate knowing that when life feels like it’s rolling too fast, I can center myself back to the NOW. I appreciate the present moment to slow down, take a breath and feel the NOW. I appreciate the meditative vibration of NOW, the prayers of NOW, the smiles of NOW, the observation of NOW, the joys of NOW, and the unwanted contrast of NOW. I appreciate that by focusing on now, I can move myself into a state of acceptance and observation and find appreciation- no matter what is happening. I appreciate the blessings for myself and others when I am fully present in this moment of now.

Right here, right NOW. I appreciate this moment of serenity as I write this rampage of appreciation for each moment of now that I’m experiencing. I appreciate this moment of now- as you read this appreciation rampage. I appreciate you for being here. I appreciate this present moment. NOW is all there is.

I Love The Summer – Day 31

I love the summer! Whether I’m at a beach or just outside enjoying the longer days, I love the feeling of summer. I don’t have one of those jobs where I get the summers off, but I do get seven weeks of 4-day work weeks in the summer, so the 3-day weekends in the summer feel like mini-summer breaks.

I can remember the feeling of summer as a kid: the excitement of having the time to go out and play all day, take family vacations, ride my bicycle everywhere, walk barefoot in the grass or just sleep in. Yet I wasn’t sad when summer ended and I went back to school because that meant seeing my friends who lived in the country.

Summers mean play, vacations, wearing shorts, being casual, sun, heat, water-related activities, and a thriving vegetable garden. The summer feels free to me. I just love that feeling and wonder how it might be living in a place where one doesn’t experience the contrast of the seasons as much. I prefer the four seasons as they provide a change in my environment: some of which I love and other parts not so much! Either way, the contrast of these seasonal changes help me to appreciate each new season. And right now I’m in the middle of the summer and I love it!

An Apple A Day

You’ve probably heard that saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While the saying is a reminder for us to eat healthy foods and incorporate daily habits which promote our overall well-being, that’s not exactly what this post is about. I recently was watching Oprah Winfrey on her Life Class and she talked the importance of keeping an appreciation or gratitude journal. She says it’s the most important thing she has ever done. She’s been writing 5 things she’s grateful for everyday for 16 years! The show reminded me that I haven’t been as diligent at keeping my own journal, although I have done so off and on over time. (Here’s the link where Oprah talks about the importance of an appreciation/gratitude journal.)

Gratitude Journal from Oprah’s Life Class

Today I’m so grateful for the reminder of the importance of giving this gift to myself and to others when I take the time to write down what I appreciate. I say it’s a gift to others, because I know that the energy I give out is what I also attract. When we focus on appreciating, amazing things show up. Suddenly, there is “evidence” everywhere of the beauty in our lives. There IS something magical when you write your appreciations down. As I write this now, I can hear my inner voice saying that I have the perfect opportunity to do that on this blog. I am committing to renewing my habit of writing down my appreciations in a journal everyday. My intention is that this habit will stick with me – like eating an apple a day. And while I’m not intending to write on this blog daily, I do expect to be inspired to write a bit more frequently here.

Interestingly, 4 days ago I started my daily listing of 5 things I’m grateful for and since then, I’ve received a beautiful note from a Facebook friend, expressing her appreciation for connecting with me and where this led her; I made two big sales from an affiliate product I very passively list on another blog; an international student stopped by to give me a hug as she said “goodbye” to the United States and thanked me for everything; my boss approved my vacation request for the summer; and the weather report for today says that the sun will shine again in New York City! (It’s been raining all week.) Wow. That’s 5 things right there.

See how easy it is? There is “evidence” everywhere to appreciate. I’m taking Oprah’s advice and challenging myself to develop this habit of writing down 5 things I appreciate each day. I can’t wait to see what else shows up! Won’t you join me?

The Buds of Spring

While I realize that this past winter here in New York hasn’t exactly been “typical,” and many days felt like Spring, I can’t help but get excited when I “see” signs of Spring around me. While I absolutely love flowers, buds on a bush or tree are one of my favorite signs of Spring. It always feels like a re-birth to me, an awakening, and a fresh start when I see the buds peeking their way through and into our air space. I caught this glimpse through a bush yesterday on my way home.

So today I am really appreciating the buds around me and wondering what budding inspirations are ready to bloom? Have a great day, everyone!

A Dog’s Love

I have had two dogs in my life and they both meant the world to me. The first one was named Suzy. She was such a very special dog. She wouldn’t bark to wake me up in the morning to say that she had to go outside: she would sit and stare at me until I woke up! A cocker spaniel, she had the most profound eyes and I could always “feel” her gaze those mornings. She would communicate through her eyes with humans: in a way that felt like we were having long conversations everyday. I guess we were very connected and she just radiated love.

Suzy got along great with the cats I had, too. I was looking through old photos and found this one of Suzy as a puppy with one of my favorite cats, Jiri, as a kitten. The two of them were great pals, growing up together. I think my cat believed he was a dog, quite frankly. (But that’s a story for another day.)

For those who have pets, and particularly dogs, you know how much enjoyment they can be. They have this unconditional-like devotion to their humans that easily puts us in a place of “feeling good” just in their presence. So today, I’m appreciating a dog’s love: that unconditional kind of love they often pour out to their humans. their friendship, their companionship, their devotion to their humans, and the joy that being in their presence brings.

I love those feelings that a dog’s love brings out in humans. I love the feeling that a dog’s love brings out in me. Dogs have the ability to love in a way that brings out the best in us. It’s no wonder – after all, if you spell dog backwards, you get God. 🙂

Today Is A Good Day!

It’s been awhile since I posted here. That seems to happen a lot with me. Having several blogs, a part-time business and a full-time job in a field I love means I do things when I feel inspired. Today I was inspired by my friends at GoodVibeUniversity, where I read a thread in the forums called “Today was a good day.” But rather than reflect on a day that still isn’t over, I decided to call mine, “Today IS a Good Day!”

This is another way to practice the art of appreciation EVERYDAY. I may not write it here, but I do find things and people to appreciate everyday. I’ve made it a habit. And you know what happens? My days get better and better! I “see” things that I never noticed before and often they are really beautiful.

So today IS a good day! It’s a holiday and I’m enjoying another day off, snuggled in my warm home, while I appreciate that I don’t have to go out in the cold today! I’m also loving those kitties that have made my back yard their home. I haven’t seen one of them in awhile, so perhaps someone took him in as their own. (He was my favorite and the most beautiful.) But 3 of the kitties remain and are growing! I love how we look at each other through the kitchen window and love sending them love (and receiving their “thanks” of appreciation for the food I’ve let out for them, too).

I have been wanting a pet again for awhile now and have been going back and forth between dogs and cats (not to mention that I’d have to negociate it with my landlords). But today I realized that these are my pets now! While they may not be in my home, I’m quite attached to these little creatures and am enjoying having them around. They are getting more comfortable with me, too.

While today is quite cold for New York City, the sun is stunningly beautiful. The kitties like to perch themselves on top of a plastic bin that my landlady has on the back porch. The sun hits the bin for some hours during the day, so it’s warmer there for them, and higher up (as cats love it to be).I added an old afghan to the top of it to keep them warmer.

Yes, today is a good day! And in the spirit of Access Consciousness, which I’ve just recently became aware of, I’m asking: What else is possible for today? How does it get any better than this? I can’t wait to see what’s next!