Whenever I hear someone say  “have an attitude of gratitude” something inside me cringes a little.  For a long time I thought something was wrong with me.  I heard a speaker say  “It’s not an attitude of gratitude, but a practice of gratitude” and that resonated with me.  Gratitude is hard work, especially when we are in a difficult place.  I know if I start thinking about all the things I am grateful for it might pull me out of a funk.  Yet I resist.  Is it just me?  

This week I was facing some struggles and I made a decision to stay right in the moment.  When my thoughts wandered to “what am I going to do?” I brought them back to the present moment.  How was I in this very moment?  I had a roof over my head, food in my cupboards, a car that ran.  I was not hungry, I was not in any danger.  I was safe in my home with plenty around me.  That is when gratitude happened.  I was so caught off guard that here in the moment with all the wonderfulness of my life in the span of less than a minuted I had gone from sheer panic, to full blown gratitude.  True gratitude where I felt it.  I wasn’t trying to have an attitude of gratitude, I wasn’t trying to feel better by making a list of all the things I was grateful for, but I chose to be very present to the moment I was in and that there was absolutely no lack in that moment.  That’s when I began to dance.

Are you “Dancing in the Moment?”
Coach Laurie  

I just took a huge step in my life.  I moved forward.  It was awesome and wonderful and I am so grateful and happy for my new adventure.
All that said.  I have people in my life who are now moving forward.  I am so excited and happy for them.  But I'm not gonna lie, it's hard. The shoe is on the other foot.  Yes I am being supportive, yes I am being encouraging, but then I think inside..."What about me?"  I'm realizing the level of faith and believing I called upon to make it through my own move, is what i am calling on to make it through their move(s).  I have to believe not only that this is good for them, but that I will be okay and that it is somehow good for me too.  In writing it, it seems self centered... whaaaa what about me.  But in all honesty when things are good I like them to stay that way.  So now I choose the same faith and belief.  And voila, that gets the focus off of me, (worry) and back on them (adventure) and I find myself letting go and trusting that this change is good all the way around and it is.  I see now why people have a hard time encouraging others to move forward when the "moving forward" affects them in a hard way. Encouraging and blessing others isn't always that easy.  Sometimes it takes good self talk and putting aside my own fear.  Ouch.. I said it... now I can continue to move forward and bless others... very aware of the vicious cycle of fear and adventure and the self talk that goes with it. 
Make it a great day!!
Coach Laurie