A
Gratitude Journal to Help You
Discover the Positive Attributes
that
Will Transform Your Life
30-Day
Program implementing gratitude and language
awareness in
following the laws of attraction.
Authored
By:
Beverlee Harbour Gopp, Motivational Coach
Copyright
2011 Beverlee Harbour Gopp
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition License Notes:
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Choose
Gratitude Not Attitude
Even When Sh*t Hits the Fan
30
Days to Find the Gratitude
and Ditch the Attitude
DEDICATION
To everyone who coaxed me out of the covers and held my hand through my own process of finding gratitude. Thank you for walking with me even when you didn’t want to. I value the hours you spent reading my words and I hope I have given you all something to be grateful for.
WITH GRATITUDE
My husband - Dewey who’s support gave me the freedom to listen. My family for love and accountability - Sarra, Laura, Shasti, Cyndee, Linda, Dick, Dean and Kathy. My friends who hold me to the highest level of truth - Nancy, Patricia, Marubia, Jeanne, Claudia, Holly, Veronica, Sherry and Carol. My coaching community who challenged and embraced me as we dove through deep and dark beliefs - Feryal, Jeff, Colette, Dorine, Eiji, Carole, Amalia, Judy, Del, Mark, JP, Eden, Zenaida, Zsuzsa, and Kris. To my mastermind group - Patrick, Ed, Kim, Ryan, Kevin, the three Jen’s, Lyn, Solange, Joy, Andre, Stephie, Sasha, David, Lisa, Jon and Paul-Michael. Your affirmations and inspiration lift me up to a new measurement of myself. Finally to my editor, Anna Quigley who I met on a ledge; she polished the words and helped me sparkle!
One of my passions is walking. As a Motivational Coach my intention is to inspire and motivate others through movement. Stepping into your brilliance often requires a little nudge and accountability. This is what I offer through this journal. An opportunity to discover what you are grateful for and allow yourself to get past the blame and negativity. To navigate your way toward self-love, appreciation, contentment and bliss.
Walking in the NOW is a philosophy focused on living in this moment. You are not your past. Together we will work on releasing the worry and fear of tomorrow.
In an economic time that has left many struggling financially, most of us have chosen unhealthy sources to compensate for our losses. I invite you to come with me as like-minded souls and walk toward our goals with honesty and intent, while learning to focus on our gratitude and be mindful of the words we use.
When
you change your attitude you will change your life.
Learn how to
be appreciative, happy, energetic and joyful.
There are five rules to creating happiness:
• Free your heart
from hatred.
• Free your mind from worries.
• Live
simply.
• Give more. • Expect less.
Day 3: Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Grateful Today
Day 5: Grateful for Opportunities
Day 7: Having a Great Day Anyway
Day 9: Abundance Doesn't Always Have a Dollar Sign
Day 10: Gratitude Underneath A Tragedy
Day 12: Grateful for Noticing the Little Things
Day 13: Who I am Grateful for Being
Day 14: More Positive - Less Negative
Day 15: Trespassing Turns Into Gratitude
Day 16: Complaining or Appreciating
Day 17: Being Grateful with Words
Day 18: Changing the Language Pattern
Day 19: Gratitude and Motherhood
Day 20: How to Share the Story
Day 22: Grateful for Variety and Options
Day 23: Every Day is a Clean Slate
Day 24: Being Grateful Even When You Don't Want To
Day 25: Gratitude for the Hats You Wear
Day 26: Sometimes Gratitude Starts with Breathing
Day 27: Being Grateful Brings Pleasure
Day 28: Grateful for Your Gifts
Day 29: Gratitude for Role Models
By: Jill Duman as published in the Yoga Journal Magazine (2011):
Cultivating gratitude can boost well-being and may help you sleep better. Gratitude is a fundamental component of most spiritual paths and a growing body of research suggests that it has important health implications, too, including better sleep, fewer physical ailments and a greater ability to cope with stressful situations.
“Gratitude elevates, it energizes, it inspires, it transforms” says Robert Emmons, a University of California, Davis, psychology professor who has helped champion the study of gratitude as a factor in mental and physical health.
A series of studies he conducted in 2003 found that people who kept weekly written records of gratitude slept longer, exercised more frequently, had fewer health complaints and generally felt better about their lives when compared with those who didn’t.
Practicing conscious gratitude has also been linked with positive mental health. Todd Kashdan, associate professor of psychology at Virginia’s George Mason University found that when veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder kept gratitude journals, they experienced a greater sense of overall well-being in their lives. “There are two parts of being grateful,” Kashdan says. “One is recognizing that someone benefited in some way, then mindfully seeing the connection to yourself. You have to be really in the present to see what’s happening in your life, what’s causing things to happen, and how you fit this into things bigger than yourself.”
A gratitude practice is a natural companion to yoga, which “offers numerous opportunities to reflect on all there is in one’s life to be grateful for,” says Emmons. To begin consciously cultivating gratitude, try considering what life would be like without a pleasure you now enjoy, or think about who you are grateful for. A daily gratitude journal can help you be more mindful of these things in your life. But your gratitude practice doesn’t have to be scripted. Simply taking time on a regular basis to mentally note your blessings is a step in the right direction.
A Contract Between Me, Myself and I
I, ______________ commit to discovering at least ten reasons why I am grateful every day. I will write these reminders of gratitude daily and honor the blessings that I am surrounded with. I acknowledge and agree that this is a thirty-day program and I will participate each day. When I notice myself starting to speak in a negative manner, I will reframe the content of my conversation to highlight the positive attributes.
This contract is by and between Me, Myself and I______________.
THE GRATITUDE LIST
My journey of gratitude started after I lost my job in the mortgage industry. The company that I spent five years with closed their doors and my six-figure income disappeared. Soon, I had mounting credit card debt and had used all of my savings and retirement to pay the bills. I looked for work, sent out resumes and participated in countless interviews without ever getting a job. I became depressed, angry, scared and lifeless.
I knew I had to do something to stop the pity party. I started walking every day. During these field trips into nature I would leave my troubles behind and concentrate on the brilliance that surrounded me. I practiced living, breathing and walking in the “NOW.” I began writing all that I was grateful for into a journal. In discovering all of my blessings the focus shifted. The sadness of who I used to be, and what I used to have, dimmed as the awareness of my gifts brought me hope. I began to realize I had a lot to be grateful for. I had family, friends, love and health. I was breathing, I could talk and I could walk. These are life’s simple joys and pleasures. With gratitude I started changing my attitude and changing my life. I became appreciative, happy, energetic and joyful. Even when opening another credit card statement!
WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR TODAY
I am grateful for my camera. I take it on my walks and capture close-ups of the most amazing things: bugs, weeds, a leaf, tiny little wildflowers and action shots of my dogs as they teach me to live in the moment.
I am grateful for the gentle slopes that surround my home. I walk on dirt trails, happy in my solitude and sing out loud to my favorite songs.
I am grateful for the water I carry while walking. I look at the pond muck that the dogs wade in and feel so fortunate to quench my thirst without parasites.
I am grateful for shoes that protect me. I often pick stickers out of doggie paws.
I am grateful for where I live. Country living is right outside my door.
I am grateful for curiosity. It usually leads me off the trail as I tread my own path to a new discovery.
I am grateful for being creative. I was coloring with an eight year old and forgot how fun it was. Especially when using a purple crayon for a red apple.
I am grateful for the days I allow myself to escape into a good book. I recently eliminated reading books with weapons, criminal activities, violence and cruelty. Now I enjoy happy stories with feel-good antics and comedic banter.
I am grateful for the variety of channels our satellite provides. I stopped watching brutality and anything with dead bodies on television. I want to laugh and dance with Ellen, travel the world, learn how to cook something new, how to makeover myself and my living room, and what it would be like to live in the wilderness with wolves.
I am grateful for my husband who appreciates my growth. His encouragement, love and support feed my ambitions and give me strength.
DISCOVER YOUR OWN GRATITUDE
We all beat ourselves up from the negativity in our lives. You might be doing it right now. Maybe it’s the mound of debt you have, a bad relationship or the inability to find a job. What if you wrote right now, this minute, ten reasons why you are grateful? It can be as simple as your ability to utilize one of your five senses. I always start with breathing since the option would be well, not breathing... We all have reasons to be grateful, sometimes we just have to remind ourselves.
LEARNING GRATITUDE
I didn’t sleep very well last night. My brain was humming with pockets of anxiety and stress. I know that if I concentrate on this, that it will keep appearing. So, I affirm “I am grateful to begin my day so early.” That is how my gratitude list manifests. It is a concentrated effort to alter my conscious and focus on the positive instead.
Let me explain how this works. It’s not as if a magic curtain shields my thoughts from forming negative feelings just because I can think of ten reasons to be appreciative. Instead, I use the energy that is created by these visions of awareness to manifest a different outcome. I’m writing this to you because I need to hear it as well.
I have the power, the wisdom and the ability to alter my circumstances. I know that if I concentrate on all that I can achieve, I will take the steps in producing success. What I must ask myself is “What am I doing that gets in my way?” Is it procrastination, disorganization, missed action steps, a plan, support from others, or just the feeling of being so overwhelmed that the first step seems so difficult? With all this in mind:
WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR TODAY
I am grateful that I know how to manage my time. Of course, knowing and doing aren’t necessarily the same thing. It takes discipline and practice. Sometimes I have to say no when something more exciting comes along. I will focus on this more and create a schedule that I can work within.
I am grateful that I am creative. This allows me to come up with numerous solutions and brainstorm ideas into step one, two and three. I will stay conscious so I can create thoughts that lead to possibilities and opportunities.
I am grateful for the gift of gab. I am able to speak to random strangers and create thought-provoking conversations. I can usually turn even the dourest of grimaces into a grin.
I am grateful for the knowledge that I have in the financial arena. I have spent my working years in corporate banking and lending and understand my options. I have a plan and I will carry it out.
I am grateful for the feedback and wisdom of others. I’m at an age where I have learned to listen more without having to interrupt with “Yes, but” and “I know.” I will seek the advice of those who have weathered a similar storm.
I am grateful to be held accountable. I take my commitments seriously which propels me into action. I will shout from the rooftop all that I want to achieve so that I can be reminded with the resounding echo.
I am grateful for taking leadership roles. I have a deeper understanding of all that I have learned by placing myself at the front of the class with chalk in hand. I become my example. I will step up and into my words.
I am grateful for being determined. Even when I want to ignore what is painful and bury my head under the covers. I know what steps need to be taken. I will remind myself that I like to walk toward my goals.
I am grateful to have the ability to share my journey with others. Perhaps I can inspire others to remember what they are grateful for. I want to be encouraging. I want to motivate others to find their own momentum.
I am grateful to have the ability to turn up the volume of positive energy when I sense someone else is feeling down. Their projection doesn’t have to be what I reflect back to them.
DISCOVER YOUR OWN GRATITUDE
Take things one day at a time. If you project your worry into the future it can be terrifying since that is the great unknown. Dwelling on the past can be depressing. Stay in the “NOW.” Be present in your own life to be alive and grateful. You will get through this. Be part of the solution not part of the problem. Don’t be a minus, be a plus. This equals success.
Perhaps your parents didn’t feed your self-esteem or teach you how to cope with insecurity. So much of what we worry about never even happens! Forgiveness, love and acceptance is the journey to discovering gratitude. The road can uncover old hurts and you might respond in a familiar pattern. Watch your reaction and see if it is based on an old story that has nothing to do with today.
TOP TEN REASONS I’M GRATEFUL TODAY
Sometimes instead of going for a walk, I look for a rock to sit on. The hillsides where I live are covered with boulders, so it’s easy to find one that’s perfect for perching. I often stand like the Queen of the world, arms spread out, gazing at the vast beauty below. Other times I lay down and stretch my back while mesmerized by the soaring dance of the hawks circling overhead.
I have a favorite rock that juts out over the valley and this is where I let go of worry and fear. My rock is safe. I call it my gratitude rock. I am able to focus on this moment, the “NOW.” I start with deep breaths and look around. There are no bill collectors or unemployment lines. Just me and the luminous green that blankets the earth around me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes as the sun basks me in radiance. I begin my internal dialogue of appreciation.
WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR TODAY
I am grateful because even though it’s winter, in San Diego it’s 74 degrees.
I am grateful that I can go walking down in the valley below and that I live in a country setting. I have woods, streams, ponds, horse trails and nature’s abundance to greet me every day.
I am grateful for my husband who works every single day to provide for us. He works through the pain in his knees, a stiff shoulder and a sore back.
I am grateful for the opportunities I have to reach out and inspire others.
I am grateful that I have enough money in my account to go grocery shopping.
I am grateful for the library and having the ability to read a variety of books that bring me enjoyment, knowledge and entertainment.
I am grateful that during the holiday season I was able to participate in a variety of ways without spending a dime.
I am grateful for the valuable lessons I have learned since leaving the corporate world. I have learned what matters most in life and believe me, I didn’t buy it at Nordstrom’s.
I am grateful for all the coaching clients I have. They have taught me that when I’m encouraging them, I am also speaking out loud to hear my own voice and motivate myself to take action.
I am grateful because there is a spring in my step, a flutter in my heart and a smile on my face.
DISCOVER YOUR OWN GRATITUDE
Do you have a quiet and safe place that you go to? When I worked in an office, I sometimes used a bathroom stall as my meditation room. Maybe it’s your car. Did you know that if you roll the windows up and blast the stereo no one can hear you scream? I used to do this all the time to change my mood. I’d yell and make howling noises and then I’d start laughing. Finally I would end this little break by singing along to whatever was playing on the radio. I am grateful that no one ever heard me.
GRATITUDE OR ATTITUDE
I consider myself to be a very fortunate and lucky person, therefore I generally am. During these last few years without a paycheck I have had unlimited blessings. What if it was all meant to be? Many are in financial jeopardy and holding on by their fingernails. People have lost their homes, cars, gone bankrupt, experienced unemployment, become sick from worry and fear and struggling to just get by.
Because I have lost so much, I certainly take less for granted. I’ve redefined my values. I remember when I had to stop paying someone else to clean my house and do it myself. I was complaining about the chore to a friend of mine who suggested that only I could clean it to match my own standards. She told me to take pride in the accomplishment instead of being stuck on the task. Now I view the activity as another way to love my family, just like cooking dinner and folding laundry.
WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR TODAY
I am grateful for the abilities I have. I can walk, talk, cook, write, paint, and read, all without real effort. I am such a great multi-tasker, that I can work in auto-pilot while doing other things.
I am grateful for the memories I have. Yes, even the sad ones. It’s my choice to spend time there. One of the best advantages of age is that I can look back on my life and see the mistakes I’ve made and what they have taught me. The trick is to not dwell in the land of ‘shoulda’, ‘woulda’, ‘coulda’; cause I didn’t. It’s important to go back and take ownership and apologize, even if it’s just to yourself. It’s really never too late. Even if someone has passed on, I’ve learned about love and forgiveness when writing a letter and telling them how I felt.
I am grateful for all the parenting I have had. My mother is evolved and enlightened and has taught me to be independent and giving. My foster parents taught me about the bonds of marriage and forgiveness, no matter what. My step-dad created a world of writing and a thirst for knowledge. My dad has encouraged me to reach for my goals through discipline and persistence.
I am grateful for where I live. It is paradise. Often I think that God gave me this gift to fill me up so that I could go out and do the same for others. Am I succeeding? Could I do more? Always!
I am grateful for all the encouragement I receive from so many readers. I am lifted beyond measure when something I’ve said has created a light bulb moment.