Just before my journey to the East Coast, I was reminded of how important attitudes of gratitude are. I had written a letter to someone I had known for many years and who was stuck on the negativity that seemed to be in her life daily.
In a conversation with her, this negativity seemed to be like a broken record which repeated itself over and over again. In fact it was almost as if it was a prepared speech to be given at just the right time in any telephone conversation. As a member of Toastmasters I could appreciate the detailed remembering.
At the end of my letter I had reminded her of attitudes of gratitude which Oprah had made famous and many before her had practised: to find five things in your day you are grateful for.
I know that some days it can be difficult to find these five. They say that through adversity you gain knowledge. I know in my life that this has been true. I had a significant work related injury as a nurse, which physically still affects me to this day. Mentally, however, it no longer is my main focus, and indeed it has taught me to be appreciative of what life has to show me.
Now I just slap on a back brace when I know there is lifting to do. Also exercise has become a daily part of my routine. If I don’t do the work needed to stay healthy—it won’t happen. It is important to participate in your health.
Depression had plagued me for years around this event. When I made the mental shift to get well this became part of my healing. Yes there are days which get me down, however I don’t dwell there on a permanent basis.
It is a process, and learning! The journey is our life. What we do with our lives is up to us. This incident has taught me so much and I am grateful for this.
At the time, I had been saying, “Why me?” Today I know why. It was a lesson to be learned and dealt with as I processed it. Yes it will always be a part of me; however I am the driver of my life, not it.
I am a healer. In order to help others I had to heal myself. Many people were with me on this journey to health and I am grateful to them. My interest in Reiki and allergy work came from my health and healing of those in my family. This broadened to include others.
It is exciting to listen to myself as I learn new ways to help people. I now incorporate the many courses I have taken and it has become an entity of its own. My years of teaching in mental health & addictions are also a part of who I am. This is a tool to being more effective in my communications with my clients and indeed with me.
Getting back to my original thought about negativity surrounding a person, I heard on the radio the next day about Oprah’s attitudes of gratitude. I started to laugh, as I knew I had been correct in including this in my letter to her.
Things like this just pop up, if you are on the right track and listen to your own intuition. Whether she will understand and try to find gratitude in her life is up to her. I hope she does, because she is such a dynamic person. I wish she could see herself through my eyes.
So as I enjoy my grandchildren, and await the birth of twin baby girls, I wish you well on your journey. May the twists and turns in your life enrich everything you do, and who you are.
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