here2inspire's Blog

Today we were privileged to be a part of a Recommit to Love ceremony at our Center. We talked about how loving ourselves unconditionally allows for an open heart to see and be love. "How could anyone ever tell you you were anything less than beautiful. How could anyone ever tell you you were less than whole. How could anyone fail to notice that your loving is a miracle, how deeply you're connected to my soul" ~Libby Rodrick. I am grateful for the power of love.

I have learned that every emotion and thought we have is either based from love or fear. If you have fear in your heart and mind, it is for lack of love. I choose to grow in love, to be love, to share love, to understand others in love and for that I am grateful.

And in the words of John Lennon, whose lyrics have moved me since I was a child;

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Thank you to John and all the other dreamers out there, never stop dreaming, I am grateful for each and every one of you.

What are you grateful for?

I recognize that love is a choice.

Today, I affirm my commitment to choose love.

I vow to Cherish myself, in spirit, and in truth.

To be gentle to myself and to give myself room to dream.

Today, I release old judgments of being less than.

From this day forward, I enter into a Divine Covenant; to treasure myself fully and to love myself fully, and to love myself unconditionally.

For I am the Beloved, in whom God is well pleased.

I had a full day today.

I met a friend for coffee at 8am, had my hair cut at 12:30, had a meeting with my Pastor at 2 and went to dinner at a friends house at 6. Days like today make me feel grateful to be alive for such a full life.

I am grateful for the unconditional love my husband shows me. There are days when I don't even like myself and yet, there he is, open minded, and with open arms accepting me for me.

I am grateful for all that I've learned and all I have yet to learn, I'm a work in progress.

What are you grateful for?

I've been flirting with the stomach flu for a few days now; fever, upset stomach, the works! I keep telling myself I'm well, I'm healthy. I'm not sure I'm succeeding. I am grateful for a night of snoozing on the couch because honestly, I think I'm just worn down a bit.

A grateful mind continually expects good things, and expectation becomes faith. The reaction of gratitude upon one’s own mind produces faith. Every outgoing wave of grateful thanksgiving increases faith. I am grateful to be on the path I am on.

I was listening to Daniel Nahmod's Water cd on the way home from work today. There are lyrics to the song 'Water' that I so strive for, "Have you ever seen an eagle head straight into the wind, he doesn't pick a fight, he spreads his wings and just gives in. And in the end he always makes it home just fine." I've always struggled with control issues. I always think that I have to have it all figured out, to know exactly where I'm headed and have written the map to get there. The more I grow, the more I realize I just need to have faith. I am grateful for my faith that keeps me grounded.

What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for having an open mind, for daring to imagine the impossible. I get so jazzed when I start to think of things that have never been done before. Duplicating what others have done is not what we're here to do. Following a safe path is, well... safe. Don't you get excited thinking about world peace? Ridding the world of hunger? Making sure no child goes to bed hungry?

Talking to my youngest son tonight always inspires me. He dares to dream, he thinks big thoughts and I love that about him. He knows in his heart of hearts he will make a difference in this world - I am grateful for his abundance of hope and courage to strive for something better.

I am in awe of the power of positive thinking. My husband is on a path now that really excites him. The light is glowing so brightly in his eyes it takes my breath away. He will use every once of his energy on this new project and his soul will sing. I am grateful to be near him and watch positive thought in motion.

What are you grateful for?

The morning began with major cuddling with my husband - what a wonderful way to start my day, thank you honey! Thank you for cuddling with me and making me feel so warm and loved!

At work, the day started with one of my largest accounts having issue with production samples they received. I asked our Creative Director and my boss to be in on the conference call so that everyone that could positively impact the outcome was available. As fate would have it, our Creative Director and the Senior Production Manager had something in common, they both previously worked at the same company unknowingly. The ice was thawed and the remainder of the conference call went very well for everyone involved. Thank you!

Earlier today I reached out to the Reverend of my Spiritual Center for some mentoring sessions. Her plate is full as she is involved with so many aspects of our center as well as the global integration of our Centers with another branch. She responded back immediately with a time and place where we can meet this week. I have such respect for her and welcome any advice and spiritual counseling she offers. I'm thrilled and grateful.

What are you grateful for?

My oldest son is expecting his first child and I couldn't be happier. I adore the woman in his life. She is beautiful, grounded, full of love and makes my son happy. Within three months they will bring a miracle angel into this world to bless us all and for that, I am grateful.

I have wonderful friends. I know I blog about that topic quite a bit but I'm okay with that. Over the course of these 365 days, I'm sure I'll blog over and over again how thankful I am to have my friends in my life. They make me smile, they challenge me, they love me unconditionally, they make me feel whole. You know who you are - Thank you - I love you!

I am grateful that I continually stretch myself to grow and become more of my true self than ever before. We're all conditioned by others in our lives; teachers, parents, loved ones, friends. We are born with dreams and aspirations and sometimes those around us will tell us those dreams are silly, or we should focus on what can be accomplished, or we should take the safe route. I get so charged when I hear someone tell me to dream the impossible. To stretch beyond the imaginable, to reach for that which I never thought possible. Those are the people I want close to me in my life. That manner of thinking is what I want to convey to others. I have always believed that we are here for so much more than what we end up settling for. Why? I am glad I keep asking myself that question.

All you BraveHeart Women out there...What are you grateful for? I encourage you to post your thoughts of gratitude, we would all love to hear from you. Inspire us!

I was driving to Target today and listening to NPR when the following story came on and made me smile - I had to share it with you, my dear readers. This is a text of the broadcast.

It may seem old fashioned, but a showing of gratitude can go a long way for businesses.

Tess Vigeland: And while we're on the subject of thanks -- have you at all noticed that one of the silver linings of the Great Recession is that suddenly businesses realize they shouldn't take you for granted? And just maybe it'd be nice to thank you for your patronage?

Sally Herships noticed.

Sally Herships: Sarah Siewert is 24, she lives in Chicago. A couple of months ago, she hit a department store with her mom and her sister. They were shopping for purses.

Sarah Siewert: And as soon as we got there into the purse section, one of the saleswomen immediately approached us and was really attentive. She pulled purses from the back, she went through different options, different colors.
Typical shopping experience, right? As long as you get an attentive salesperson, like Sarah did. She and her mom ended up buying a purse apiece. Then, a couple weeks later they both got letters in the mail from the saleswoman who'd helped them. They were thank you notes.

Siewert: It was a fully handwritten note, referencing the exact bag we purchased. And on my note, she even had a nice reference to our alma mater.
Turns out they'd gone to the same school. And, I'll admit the purse Sarah bought wasn't exactly cheap. It was Marc Jacobs, about $400.
But it's not just pricey department stores that are beefing up their manners. When the recession hit, JCPenney started a customer service program called GREAT. It's an acronym for salespeople: Greet. Respect. Engage. Assist. And Thank. And other retailers are following suit.

Brett Brohl: I've written at least 2,000 thank yous just in the last 12 months.
Brett Brohl owns Scrubadoo.com . He sells medical scrubs. You know, those pastel-colored outfits doctors and nurses wear. Brohl says he hand writes a thank you note for every single customer. Scrubadoo is a new company, and Brohl says there are a lot of websites out there selling the exact same products he does.

Brett Brohl: If you Google the word "scrubs," we're not on the front page, we're not on the second page. And just like every other industry right now, competition's tough and with less people buying, it's even tougher. Brohl says, a new company like his can't afford major marketing like TV commercials. Instead, he says, he's counting on thank you notes to help Scrubadoo stand out. So is this the beginning of a new trend of exemplary customer service?

Nancy Koehn is a retail historian at Harvard. She says for smart businesses, it is.

Nancy Koehn: We're returning to civility, courtesy and a way of actually honoring customers that has seemed far too absent, I think, for the last 20 years. Koehn says the role of the salesperson has changed a lot over the decades. Before the recession, a salesperson's job had morphed into managing transactions: Bagging groceries, dispensing coffee, ringing up a sale. She says the more we've absorbed technology, like self-service check-out at the grocery store, the more retail businesses have reduced service. Now, the role of the salesperson is changing again. I'm at a perfume counter at Saks Fifth Avenue with James McLaughlin. He works for a fragrance company called Jo Malone. McLaughlin says its sales people have been sending thank you notes for years. They're scented. But now, he says the company spends 20 percent more time on expressing gratitude on customers -- everything from hand and arm massages to wine tastings.

James McLaughlin: We oftentimes will liken the experience as dating. You have a really great first date, and then the person calls you three months later when there's a sale going on and says, "How about a second date?" Why would they bother? You didn't keep in touch. But Chicago shopper Sarah Siewert's salesperson did -- remember the one who sent her the thank you note after she and her mom bought purses? It worked. Siewert says she just bought another bag.

So, thank you for listening. I'm Sally Herships for Marketplace Money.

And thank you so much for the report, Sally!


I think one of the strongest messages in this report is what Nancy Koehn, a retail historian at Harvard said; We're returning to civility, courtesy and a way of actually honoring customers that has seemed far too absent, I think, for the last 20 years.

Aside from business, people in general have moved away from returning to civility, courtesy and honoring others that cross their paths on a daily basis. How often do you say "thank you" when the boy at the grocery store finishes bagging your groceries? How often do you thank your son or daughter for taking their dinner plate to the sink? How often do you smile and say thank you to the woman who empties the waste basket in your office? Common courtesy and respect go a long way in honoring those around us. Say thank you today to someone special, to a complete stranger, to a loved one. Then, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and say thank you to God, Buddha, Allah, The Universe or whatever your source is, for life itself.

Thank you for reading!

I am grateful for friends that make me laugh. For friends who I can be myself with, friends who are like family.

I am grateful to have such a wonderful spiritual family to connect with. Being around like-minded people makes you feel like I belong.

I am grateful to have won $15 on a scratch lottery ticket today! My friend gave me a ticket and I had to ask how to play (I never buy them) and when I scratched everything off found I had won! Life is good!

What are you grateful for?

I am grateful to have 3 beautiful boys (grown men) who are independent and happy. They went to Las Vegas to surprised their Father for his birthday this weekend and I'm so glad they did. I'm sure he's enjoying every minute.

Both my husband and I are starting a path to healthier living. Ok, I eat fairly healthy every day. I watch what I eat and have been a vegetarian for years. With the conscious choices I make on food every day, I would hope that I'd have more energy but the fact is, I take in a lot of toxins just by breathing. And I don't get the exercise I need like I used to when I was younger. I am thankful that we are taking a healthier path together to ensure success. I'll tell you more about this path as we get further into it.

My Mom called earlier today to tell me she fell while walking to the mailbox. Once down on the ground, she laid there for almost 30 minutes until a car drove into their driveway and saw her in the snow. Thank goodness she has a black coat! She couldn't physically get herself back in an upright position without the help of a man to get her back on her feet. I am so grateful that 1. she didn't hit her head on the ice and 2. someone happened to drive by and see her. Thank you, thank you!

What are you grateful for?

As Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree waiting for enlightenment, two musicians were arguing about the sound they were trying to get from their stringed instrument and distracted him. He was weak and tired from not eating or taking care of his body, but he wanted to see what was causing the commotion, and so he dragged himself closer to hear them. One musician would tighten the strings, and the other would cry, "Not too tight because you will break the string." The other would counter by saying, "Not too loose because the string will only buzz and rattle - in the middle is just right." The master heard the wisdom contained in their argument and declared, "That's it! That's the key...perfect balance!" Not too tight yet not too loose, not too high yet not too low. The middle path is the way!

For the past 11 days I have worked without a day off. Today, I could have gone into work, exhausted and unproductive, but I could have gone in nonetheless. I chose to stay home and rest providing myself a well deserved respite. Too much work leaves me lifeless and too much rest leaves me unmotivated. I chose to strive for perfect balance! I am thankful for taking today to rest and recharge.

Over the past few months I have been trying to develop the capacity to observe rather than analyze. This includes observing people rather than analyzing, observing situations rather than analyzing, and observing conversation rather than analyzing. This is not an easy task (and many times requires me to bite my tongue) but one that I believe will only help me grow mentally and spiritually. I am a work in progress but for that alone, I am grateful.

My husband and I have great conversation. Today was no exception. We're both dreamers by nature and sometimes can come up with the most outrageously decadent dreams! I love that about our relationship and I am grateful to have him as a partner.

What are you grateful for?

I was going through some old articles and found this quote by Mother Teresa. It has always inspired me to be myself and forge ahead - I hope it inspires you.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got, anyway.
~Mother Teresa~

I am grateful for creative thought. I get so excited when I wake in the middle of the night with an idea that is so powerful I must write it down before falling back to sleep. My ego has shut down and creative thoughts starts to speak from my heart. Creative thought is our individual nature shinning through forcing us to take notice. Don't ignore it, embrace it!

I am grateful for laughter and the power it has over my psyche. The less serious I take myself, others and situations that arise, the more I learn to live in the moment and embrace happiness.

I am allowing my unique brilliance to shine more and more everyday. Inner brilliance reside inside each and every one of us begging for us to remember and wake up to who we are meant to be. I am thankful for every day when glimmers of my unique nature shine through reminding me of me.

What are you grateful for?

I'm tired. Working away from home seems to drain me. Before I left I was able to buy a pair of comfortable boots to save my feet from swelling and tingling. I am so grateful that I had the money to buy those boots to keep my feet healthy.

I am grateful that my kids are safe from the crazy snow storm that is hitting the Chicagoland area. I talked to my youngest this morning, he was buying frozen pizza to last him a few days, LOL.

I am grateful that my husband, who has turned into Tom Skilling or Jerry Taft during this storm, giving me weather updates every few minutes, is safe and warm. He is so concerned about everyone who may be affected by this tremendous storm and I love him for that. He has a heart of gold.

What are you grateful for?

News reports read, "Colossal storm for Midwest, Northeast Across the Midwest, South and Northeast, the heavy snow, wind, ice, heavy rain and severe storms rapidly expand Tuesday". This sounds like it's going to be quite a storm this week. My hope is for everyone to be safe and warm. The weather lately has been so unpredictable. My flight home from New York isn't until Thursday evening and my hope is that the storm will have passed by then. But for today, I am grateful to be safe and warm and for my husband, boys and entire family the same.

What are you grateful for?

So much happening today. We closed on our home in Las Vegas tonight so that chapter of our lives is closed. We've learned much. Much about trust in others, much about acting on emotion. We've made some mistakes, we're licking our wounds and moving forward. I am grateful for every event that has taken place over the past two years. I continue to learn, continue to grow.



I am grateful to have a roof over my head. I am grateful for a warm meal, I am grateful for everything that I've lost in my life, and for everything I have gained. Think about this - Take a good, long look back over everything you've been through over the past years, the good events, the troubling events. Would you change anything if you could? I wouldn't. I feel like my life is like a giant puzzle and each year, I graciously accept another piece to it. The puzzle may never be complete but as each chapter closes I get to see another view of the bigger picture. For that I am grateful.

What are you grateful for?