Gratitude Fridays: Honoring Those Who Serve Our Communities

Experiencing gratitude is an awakening to the true expression of Spirit.  This planet, Universe, we created is lovely, filled with hope, joy, courage, passion, and beauty.  Most days we focus on the lack, the pain, hate, fear, ugliness, and in doing so bring down the vibrations of ourselves, our friends, co-workers and planet.  Every Friday I will be celebrating those things I am truly grateful for, and giving you tips on expressing and feeling grateful.  I encourage you to start coming up with at least 5 things daily to be grateful for.  Start a journal and write down your gratitude's daily.  Need some inspiration?  Check out World Gratitude for 42 days of inspirational ways to experience Gratitude.

Farmers enrich our community, provide us with nourishing foods, labor during the hottest times of the year, get up before dawn to bring us their delicious offerings to the Farmer's Market, and they do it with joy, gratitude and passion.  I am GRATEFUL to all the Farmer's in my community and the invaluable service they provide.

I am GRATEFUL for the Plumber's who installed my new trenchless sewer system, the air-conditioner repair man who came out on the weekend, the garage door repair man who was there the next day, the electricians, carpenters, roofers and all other service professionals that give up their evenings, weekends, holidays and family time to ensure we live in comfort.

To all the Soldiers out there, thank you for protecting my rights, ensuring peace in the world, and risking your lives daily.  I am GRATEFUL for the long months away from home, missed birthdays and holidays, bullet wounds, and hot steamy nights.  You are all hero's in my heart.

I am GRATEFUL to all the men and women who have dedicated months of their lives to cleaning our oceans, healing injured animals and stopping the continuous flow of oil into our ocean.  You are true leaders and visionaries; I am proud of you.

Thank you for each child molester you take off the streets, for capturing the Waldo Rapist, for protecting children in foster homes, educating children through D.A.R.E. and ensuring my safety.  I am GRATEFUL for each night you risk your life on the streets, every moment away from your family, every evil you protect my community from.  Your courage is astounding.

I AM GRATEFUL:

President Obama, firefighters, paramedics, cable repair personnel, city light worker, sewer system operator, water department employee, garbage wo(man), recycle center employee, nurse, doctor, teacher, social worker, park ranger, CIA/FBI agent, construction worker, public works employee, beekeeper, honorable politician, postal worker, UPS/FED EX driver, bus driver, phone company employee, librarian, mentor, pilot, flight attendant, volunteer

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

No TV for 30 Days Challenge

Recently Crazy Sexy Cancer chic Kris Carr release a challenge based on a blog by Skinny Bitch Diva Rory Freeman Giving Up TV . While this may seem daunting to most people, I'd like you to take a moment and do a couple of things for yourself.

1. Add up all the hours you watch TV each week.  How many TV shows do you watch?  Do you watch the commercials?  News?  Random flipping?  Have a number yet? Good.

2. Take that number and divide by seven.  This will give you an average daily viewing time.

3. Now ad up how many hours you sleep, work and eat. Subtract this number from 24 and you'll get the number of hours on average you have each day to exercise, attend your kid's activities, socialize, read, enjoy a hobby, have some "me" time, etc.  Then take that "free time" number and subtract your daily TV viewage. Think about it, is this number "big enough" to fit all of the things you want to accomplish?  Do you feel like you "never have enough time" to do what you have to do?

4. First, things first, cut out the News.  This will create a HUGE opening for joy if you eliminate this one program.  The world will continue spinning, regardless of how many murders, rapes, wars and crisis are reported.  Mentally and emotionally, the News is draining, and shouldn't be a daily focus.  Also, reality shows are simply gossip mills.  Eliminate those life suckers.  Check out my blog post Peace, Love and Happiness for a refresher on how going on a Media diet and eliminating gossip can create Peace.

5. I want you to envision all the shows you watch, and recall how you feel during each broadcast.  Any of your scripted programs leave you feeling a little sick, frightened, angry, dirty, shameful, guilty, depressed, disgusted by the world? CUT THEM OUT!!!

6. What is your TV viewing number now?  Could you reduce it further?  Are there shows you watch out of habit, simply because you've watched all the seasons, but truly don't enjoy anymore?  Cut them. 

Look at all the free time you have now!! If you choose to continuing watching TV, focus on shows that inspire, make you laugh, are uplifting, bring you joy.  If you are interested in tackling the challenge, or maybe want to try cutting out TV for a day or a week, just to start, follow it on twitter #notvfor30days. 

Now, what to do with all the extra time....

Knit, crochet, Yoga, read to kids in the cancer ward at the hospital, meditate, read a book, join Meetup, start a blog, adopt a pet, Soduku, jigsaw puzzles, plant a garden, visit a museum, go to the park, attend the ballet, exercise, go camping, dance in your living room, take Tango lessons, learn something new, draw a self portrait, meet your Spirit Guides, journal, listen to podcasts, send letters to friends, become a Soldier penpal, volunteer at an orphanage, clean out the basement, learn Reiki, attend a spiritual service, create your own Vision Board, go to the Symphony, play with a child, visit your parents, write a poem, learn an instrument

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT!!