Gratitude Games

Gratitude is a state of mind or a way of life, if you will. The ancient Roman philosopher, Cicero said, “Gratitude is the greatest of all virtues and the parent of all others.”

Gratitude becomes a practice in our daily lives that we continuously cultivate. It’s almost like a muscle, that we develop and grows stronger the more that we do it. On certain days it’s easy to be abundantly grateful, while other days we struggle. It’s often on these days that are a struggle that we have to dig deep, but we can see positive growth.

I have found in my own practice of gratitude, that I sometimes get stuck with some of the same things i.e., my family, a roof over my head, health, a great workout, etc. It has occurred to me that in order to grow my practice and go beyond the obvious per se – I needed to be challenged.

I am so excited today to review a wonderful new way that you can grow your practice of gratitude for yourself and with others.

I had the opportunity to play a new game called appropriately, Gratitude Games. There are so many options with this game, but the basis of it is utilizing the “Grategories” cards to stimulate you thoughts of gratitude.

I first played the game with my group of “Gratitude Girls,” which is my group of positive energy buddies. I have to admit, I was not in a positive state of mind the evening we got together having recently received some health news about a family member. I decided I needed my “Girls” that evening to pull me up. I used Gratitude Games as an ice breaker to start off the night. What we discovered was that we loved this game and quite honestly I don’t even know how much time we spent playing because it was such a dynamic experience.

I often tell people that energy is contagious (positive and negative alike). Through this experience playing the game, my energy shifted from negative to positive through the sharing of gratitude with others.

We played a round robin form of the game. We used the basic cards, which are great for all ages. The game also includes advanced and adult type cards that are more challenging topics that are age- and experience-related.

I put all of the cards in a basket and we went in a circle each one of us picking a card and sharing our gratitude. It’s funny how the law of attraction works since I picked two cards that were so appropriate for me–technology and movie.

I thought these were really funny because anyone who knows me knows how much I love technology (my blackberry, my laptops, and the web, et al). For the movie, well I’ve been obsessed with Twilight since I found the movie and the books last year and I have seen the movie more than 10 times. It was funny and brought the group (who knows my obsession well) a good chuckle. These Grategories were light, but many were more deep and thought provoking. Some brought tears, while some brought laughter.

Here’s what one of the girls said about her experience with the game:

“This game was such fun. It evoked so many different emotions in our group…from laughter all the way to tears. The beauty of it (for our group as we had no set rules about staying on topic) was that these “gratitude phrases” acted as really “topic starters” for us. Full blown discussions often came from each person’s turn at the cards. It was during these discussions that we learned more about each other and, I think, might have even learned a little more about ourselves. I think I speak for us all when I say we all look forward to next time.”

-Dorothy

Another one of the girls, who is a performer by nature and passion, shared her metaphoric interpretation of the game:

“I liken it to music- the “cards” being the “notes,” the stories told being the “melodies” and most importantly the universal sharing which is the song of Life which we all know the words to. We all know and hum the same notes which results in our “singing” our own song along with the person who is relaying her “melody.”

Translation: This game brings out all our songs even when its not our turn to sing but we can hum along with the one who is. It’s fun, it’s sensitive, it’s bonding and it compels you to participate!”

-Patti

My daughter, who is 7, wanted to play the game after everyone left. Since it was late, we played a quick version where she and I took turns picking cards and sharing our gratitude. She enjoyed this bonding experience very much and I learned something, too. I grabbed my gratitude journal, which I keep by my bed, and started jotting down the answers to the cards that I pulled.

At that moment, it occurred to me that this is a great thing to do just for myself to challenge my gratitude practice and grow beyond the obvious things that I am grateful for. The cards act as a challenge to stimulate something to be grateful for that I may not have thought about.

Finally, I tested out the game in a business environment. I was having a Saturday strategy session with my husband and our family business. There were five of us gathered for a long day meeting. I thought it would be fun to go once around the table for a quick game. We did and it too was a mind opening and awakening experience. Again, the emotions were from laughter to tears. It was truly amazing and a great way to open up and start our then highly productive day.

Gratitude Games is truly a wonderful product and a great addition to any family or business for that matter. As you can see from my experience and the experiences written by others it helps you to grow your practice of gratitude and in turn learn a little more about yourself and others.

I can not wait to play Gratitude Games again! I encourage you to get your own copy of the game as I know you will enjoy it and love the results you feel. Click on the links below to learn more about Gratitude Games and to order your copy.

Now, let’s have a little fun. The creators of this fabulous game are doing something really special for our readers at the Gratitude Circle. They have given us one Grategories Card Game and one Gratitude Games Pro Package to give away to two lucky readers!

There are a few ways that you can be entered in to win one of these great giveaways. First, you MUST click on the links below and answer one of these questions:

1. What are three games included in the Gratitude Games Pro Package?
2. What are some ways to enjoy playing Grategories?
3. List two things that gratitude is proven to do.
4. How are Gratitude Games and Grategories delivered and what is its benefit?

Ok, now you can earn some extra entries! Here are some additional options:

1. Make a comment with what you are grateful for.
2. Tweet about this giveaway.
3. On any other social networks? Spread the word, let us know and it will count as another entry!

Entries must be posted by Monday, April 6th at 10am EST when I will pick the winner!

In gratitude,

Learn More About Gratitude Games and Order Your Copy

Learn More About Grategories and Order Your Copy

Be True to Yourself

Find the courage to hold on to your beliefs, even if the world around you chooses to believe differently.  Have the courage to change those beliefs that no longer fit the person you have become.  In doing so, you truly become yourself. -Daniel Levin

Today this inspiration resonated with me.  I wear a small cuff bracelet on my right wrist (right next to my Gratitude Bracelet) that my sister, who is my best friend, gave me.  It’s a small subtle piece that has the words, “Be True to Yourself” stamped on it.  I’ve spent the past several years really learning who I am through all the good and bad.

I’ve had growing pains, which sometimes really hurt (can you relate?) and major joys.  Through it all, I’ve grow into the person I am today – confident and true with a depth of character and tenacity. I’m full of heart and love to feel the energy of others which is why I choose to surround myself with those who share my desire to live my life with an abundance of positive energy.

Where are you at in your life?

We are all on a different journey.  I seen to have chosen the road less traveled over the past several years, but know that I am leading and leaving my footprints on the ground for those to follow me.

Be well today and be true to yourself.

Pay It Forward Friday

**Please note, this entry was supposed to be posted on Friday, but was not – so please enjoy now on Monday!**

What a crazy week I’ve had–so many things going on in so many “buckets” of my life right now.  Does this sound like you? Utter chaos is what it feels like, actually!

My poor little girl was home sick this week for two days.  Having said that, I couldn’t wait for today to have a day to myself to catch up on work, do some writing and spend some time tweeting my inspirational online friends.

I participate in a twitter activity called, “Follow Friday” where you recommend people in your tweet stream that resonate with you.  I was so honored and humbled today to be recommended by so many people on twitter as someone to follow.

One of the tweeple in my tweet stream, @HolisticMamma, has a wonderful social networking site called HolisticTwitter.  One of my favorite tweets from her is:

“You ATTRACT what you think/tweet!  Look at your tweet stream.  Are you spreading, POSITIVITY, HOPE, LOVE & JOY?  Impact our world for good!”

I just love this one because it’s so TRUE!  When I look at the tweeple that I attract in my tweet stream, it’s amazing how much in line they are with my niche, beliefs, and thoughts.  The Law of Attraction is at work on Twitter! I’m proof.

As I jumped on twitter for a few quick moments this morning, I noticed the following post from @themojocoach:

“It’s #pifwdf (pay it forward Friday).  Post your random act of kindness to encourage another person to PIF!  Who’s got a PIF act to post?”

I love random acts of kindness and often practice little ones daily.  This morning for example, I was off to do a quick errand.  I was driving along a main road and stopped to let another car out on to the road.  I often do these little acts, but felt like that just wasn’t enough for me this morning.

I decided after my errands to get some tea at Starbucks.  Thinking about random acts of kindness, I thought to call my mother-in-law, who was home baby sitting my niece and nephews all under the age of 5, to see if she wanted me to bring her a cup of coffee or tea.

I wound up bringing her a cup of coffee and decided to spend some time with her and chat.  We wound up talking for nearly two hours while the kids created some chaos – my not yet two year old nephew unrolling the toilet paper down the hallway, and so on. It was nice to have the quality time and I’m sure that she enjoyed the adult conversation as much as I did.

The bottom line is that I left there feeling good about myself! I touched someone with a random act of kindness.

What can you do (and it doesn’t have to be big or cost money) as a random act of kindness in your life?

Positive Thinking Affirmations

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately utilizing positive affirmations.  I try to find something that resonates with me each day.

What is an affirmation, you say?

According to dictionary.com an affirmation is:

• The act of an instance of affirming; state of being affirmed.
• The assertion that something exists or is true.
• Something that is affirmed; a statement of proposition that is declared to be true.

There has been a lot of buzz over the past few years around visioning and in particular, the vision board, made popular by the Secret.

I remember Joe Vitale speaking about visioning.  He was talking about a car he once wanted.  He speaks passionately about how he visualized himself behind the wheel.  He could smell the leather seats, feel the grip of the steering wheel and even hear the music on the stereo.  The whole process is about acting “as if” you already have these things or have achieved your goals – not just material things.

Affirmations are a great tool to have in your positive thinking arsenal and aid in this process of “acting as if.”

Mindset is so vitally important in this process and it’s something I speak of often.  It is key to our success in anything we do.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s relational, spiritual, physical, or professional.

Changing your mindset is the single most powerful and important step you can take to change your life. The power of positive thinking has been studied by the psychiatric medical, scientific and spiritual community and they’ve all determined the same thing – positive thinking has power. Of course, changing the way you think is easier said than done. That’s where positive affirmations become a very useful tool.

A positive affirmation is a statement you can use to replace a commonly held negative statement. For example, if you’re always saying, “I feel fat,” then a good positive affirmation to replace this sentiment might be, “I am comfortable with my body and am the perfect weight for me.”

If your goal is to lose weight, for instance just think about how much more successful you will be and feel when you utilize positive affirmations.  The law of attraction tells us that “like attracts like.” If you are saying these negative statements to yourself, you are only attracting more of that to you.

Positive affirmations help you change your thinking by giving you something to lean on. They help you stay aware of your thoughts, which is the first step to changing them.

Finding the Right Affirmations for You

The next step is to determine what your negative thoughts are and to replace them. Here is a great list of positive affirmations:

•    My body heals quickly and easily
•    I am the picture of good health
•    The more grateful I am, the more reasons I find to be grateful
•    I know that I deserve to be loved
•    I give out love and it is returned to me tenfold
•    I have a wonderful partner and we are both happy and at peace
•    I am the perfect weight for me
•    I make positive healthy choices for myself
•    I express my needs and feelings
•    I am my own unique self – special, creative and wonderful
•    Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly
•    I love and appreciate myself just as I am
•    I accept all my feelings as part of myself
•    I love doing my job
•    I always communicate clearly and effectively
•    It’s okay for me to have everything I want
•    I am getting wealthier each day
•    I have an abundance of energy
•    My mind is calm
•    My thoughts are under my control
•     I am successful in whatever I do

As you look through the list of potential positive affirmations, are any compelling?  Do any of these affirmations resonate with you? The affirmations that speak to you are good ones to start with. For example, if you’ve been struggling with your weight, spend some time thinking about the negative self-talk you have around that issue and find a few positive affirmations which give you the strength and motivation to move through this challenge.

Affirmations are the first step towards changing your thoughts, however with any process; it takes time, practice, patience and a love and acceptance for yourself. Negative thoughts will slip in from time to time, as we are all human, but as you practice, it will get easier.

Trust yourself and the positive affirmation process. It will help to change your life.

Serendipity, Coincidence or Something Bigger?

by Gail Lynne Goodwin

How many times do things show up in your life that you write off to coincidence or serendipity? How often are you pleasantly surprised at things just fall into place perfectly?

We are very powerful beings with the capabilities of creating what we choose in our lives. Yet many times, we don’t believe in this power, don’t believe that we had anything to do with the “perfect timing” of a situation and don’t use it to our advantage. Instead, why not harness this energy and put it to work for you?

A recent example of serendipity in my life was when my husband surprised me with tickets to see a gifted musician, Jake Shimabukuro. It was an amazing night of pure inspiration. Jake was truly incredible and also allowed who he is to shine through to his audience through his stories. I was inspired and mentioned to my husband that I’d like to feature Jake as a Luminary on InspireMeToday.com. We agreed that we would talk with Jake after the performance.

The concert seemed too short for I could have listened for hours! When the concert ended Jake was swarmed by a mass of hundreds of adoring fans. Not wanting to wade through the crowd to get five minutes with him, I looked at my husband and told him that we’ll find an easier way to make this happen. He smiled at me, and knowing from past experience how things just show up in our life, we agreed that we’d just attract this to us. We didn’t want to impose on Jake when he was tired, or wait for an hour when we were tired too. We went home, knowing that we’d find an easy way to contact Jake- and soon.

The next morning my husband was flying out of Denver International Airport. While waiting in the gate area, he heard someone behind him playing Jake’s music on their mandolin or ukelele. He realized this person sounded as good as Jake himself! He spun around to discover the source, (you guessed it, didn’t you!) Jake Shimabukuro was seated directly behind him, strumming his ukulele. My husband laughed and as he proceeded to share the story with Jake, he too was pleased and inspired by the serendipity of the situation.

It’s so magical when we can trust that the right opportunity will show up, the right person will walk across our path, or the right circumstance will present itself to us- because it always happens when we believe it will!

Rather than chasing Jake or going crazy trying to find a way to make this happen, we made a conscious choice to allow it to be easy. We believe that life is meant to be easy and the things that we need are always there for us, if we’re paying attention. And in that belief, magic can show up!

We laughed at what some might call serendipity, but we knew better.

It is magic and it is there for each and every one of us- if only we can believe it.

What is it in your life that you’re chasing? Wouldn’t you like it to be easier? What if you relaxed into knowing that the perfect solution would present itself to you without you having to go crazy to make it happen? Would that relieve some pressure and stress in your life? What do you have to lose other than the stress? You’ll attract what you think about, so make every thought count.

Be consciously aware of what you’re thinking, or in other words, creating. See what you want as already done, just as we saw meeting Jake as an easy thing- before it happened. We didn’t know how it would happen, but as you can see, knowing how doesn’t matter. All we knew is that it would happen, and it did. All you need to know is that it will happen, and it will show up in your life too. The magic is waiting for you.

May there be magic in your life today, and may you be paying attention when it shows up!

Author’s Bio
The Self Growth Official Guide to Inspiration is Gail Lynne Goodwin. Gail Lynne Goodwin, known as the Ambassador of Inspiration, has been lifting people’s spirits for years. Motivated by mentors like Jack Canfield, Wayne Dyer and others, Gail realized the importance of daily morning inspiration in her own life. After years of gathering and sharing some of the best available inspirational wisdom with others, she founded Inspire Me Today in 2008 to make the Best of the Best Inspiration Daily, easily available to the world. Get daily inspiration and your free “Secrets to Soaring” eBook at InspireMeToday.com Now!

Reduce Stress Through Gratitude

We live in stressful times and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Combating stress is a skill that we can learn in order to maximize quality of life. One of the most effective ways to do this is through cognitive redirection and focusing on positives rather than negatives. Acknowledging good fortune in our lives and not allowing problems and setbacks to dominate our outlook is an important and simple way to deal with stress.

It’s easier to be ungrateful about the bad cards we are dealt than to be grateful for what we do have and achieve. Sometimes it takes disaster to make us grateful for the things that we take for granted: a roof overhead, a warm bed and hot shower. Identifying the things we should be grateful for is an exercise in positive thinking that can actually change the way that we feel and balance out the effects of stress.

Stress is caused by many factors, but it is defined as a maladaptive state where the individual is not in equilibrium with his or her surroundings. We now know that the distinction between the body and the mind is of limited usefulness. Trauma to the body can affect the mind and negative thoughts can affect the body. Stressful experiences that prompt negative emotions have a direct affect on the chemistry of the body. Our bodies produce hormones and other chemical substances, including adrenalin and cortisol, in response to threat and stress.

Fortunately the opposite also applies. A calming environment and positive thoughts can combat the physical and mental effects of stress. By taking a little bit of time out every day to concentrate on the positive – even as little as five minutes – you can separate yourself from the causes and effects of stress.

Learning to recognize nuggets of good fortune can radically change our perspective. Problems can overshadow the things that are going well and distort perception. For example, we panic about uncompleted tasks instead of rewarding ourselves for what we have achieved. Especially over a prolonged period of stress, we can develop patterns of jumping to negative conclusions. Focusing on things that make us happy is a powerful technique for disrupting that pattern of thinking and reducing stress. It can even boost the immune system.

If you are tense, stressed and can’t see the wood for the trees, it may initially be hard to identify things to be grateful for. It may take practice, but it can be something as simple as a sunny day or a flower blooming in the garden. At first you will probably rely on hindsight but with time you will find it becoming easier.

As you train yourself to recognize how many things you have to be grateful for, you will stop taking these things for granted. Seeing that flower blossoming will immediately trigger the recognition that there is much to celebrate. As you integrate this appreciation into your daily functioning you will discover how the process reinforces positive thinking and with it your capacity to deal with stress.