It Really Works Like Magic

Inspirational Quotes

"If you take any activity, any art, any discipline, any skill - take it and push it as far as it will go, push it beyond where it has ever been before, push it to  to the wildest edges of edges, then you force it into the realm of magic."

Tom Robbins (B. 1936),

Writer

Rhonda says, "You should love your job, whatever it is, and be excited about going to work, and you shouldn't settle for anything less. If you don't feel that way about your current job, or if it's not your dream job, the way to receive your dream job is by first being grateful for the job you have." Page 71, The Magic.

Gratitude for Work

Today's assignment is to write down as many things you have to be grateful for today at work. The longer the list is , the more magic can be brought to your money, work success, opportunities, enjoyment and fulfillment. Page 72, The Magic.

The Challenge

Pretty easy challenge today. I guess I should share my list:

1. I am grateful for my job. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. I am grateful for my rate. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. I am grateful for my supervisor because he takes the time to listen to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. I am grateful for my supervisor because he can say thank you and show his appreciation for a job well done. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. I am grateful for the freedom to take my breaks when I need to. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. I am grateful for the flexibility allowed me for my start and stop times. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. I am grateful for the opportunity for continuous learning that my job offers. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. I am grateful for the variety my job offers. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. I am grateful for the tools provided to perform my job properly. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. I am grateful for my private office. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
11. I am grateful for my comfortable chair because I spend most of my day in it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
12. I am grateful for the internet because I can easily find answers when I need them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
13. I am grateful for my co-workers because they make the day go faster. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
14. I am grateful for my co-workers because we help each other out. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
15. I am grateful for the semi-private washroom in our office area. LOL Thank you, thank you, thank you.
16. I am grateful for the full size refrigerator because we all put food in there to share. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
17. I am grateful for the microwave and stove because it provides the means to cook a wide variety of food and we are not limited to sandwiches. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
18. I am grateful to my coworkers who provide the occasional lunch ordered in for the group. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
19. I am grateful to the company for the Christmas Party. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
20. I am grateful to the company for the milestone program. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
21. I am grateful that I am able to help people in some small way. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gratitude Stone

I was most grateful for the peace and quite today because it has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.. 

Gratitude Journal

I Am Grateful:

1. For that I was able to rest while I had the stomach flu. My Mom took Faith with her for a few hours. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. For my job.Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. For my Mom because she gave me a lift into work today and picked me up. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. For the food in our refrigerator and cupboards because I was able to easily get Faith breakfast and make her lunch. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. For my comfy cozy bed that I melted into when I felt sick. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. For my little Honey Bunny, Faith. I got so many hugs and kisses from her today. She must have told me about a dozen times today that she loves me "this much" and she stretched out her arms. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. For Gary who kept checking in on me and asking if I needed anything. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. For the clothes I own. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. For getting skinnier everyday because I will soon be at my ideal weight. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. For Nicole who came to keep me company and talk in my room while I was feeling ill. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Conclusion

This was an easy assignment. I love my job. Once I get there, I dive right in to the pile waiting for my attention.

I would like to read your grateful list.

Consider following me or posting a comment.

16 Ways to Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Making an Attitude of Gratitude a Habit

I know I have come a long way in the last few weeks by following the practices outlined in The Magic by Rhonda Byrnes but I also know I have a long way to go still.

I don't know about anyone else, but when I am learning something new, I need to review it several times before it sticks. I have decided to write up a summary of calls to action from the book. It will be a reminder at a glance of the different ways I can integrate gratitude into my life and make it a habit.

Developing Your Attitude of Gratitude

1. Each day make a list of ten blessings which occurred today and why you're grateful.
2. At the end of the day, hold your magic rock and say the magic words, thank you for the best thing that happened to you during the previous day. 
3. Carry your magic rock with you as a constant reminder to be grateful. I keep mine in my change purse.
4. To make a relationship flourish, list five reasons you are grateful for that person. Do this to improve a relationship with someone you are having difficulty with. It will also give you more patience, understanding, compassion, and kindness.
5. Post a note to yourself in a conspicuous place, " THE GIFT OF HEALTH IS KEEPING ME ALIVE." and I want to lose weight so I am going to add, "I AM GETTING SKINNIER EVERYDAY."
6. Post a note to yourself in a conspicuous place, " THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MONEY I'VE BEEN GIVEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE." and I am going to add "MONEY COMES EASILY AND FREQUENTLY."
7. While at work, look for as many things as you can to be grateful for and say, "I am so grateful for ________. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
8. If you think or say something negative, stop immediately and say, "But I have to say that I am really grateful for ________"
9. Before you eat or drink anything, take a moment to look at it and say thank you.
10. When you receive a bill write across the front of it, "Thank you for the money." Once you have paid the bill, write across the bill " Thank you - Paid."
11. When you wake up to a new day say thank you that you are alive and that you have been given another day of life because each day is a gift. Continue saying thank you as you touch each item during your morning routine. I like to also say, "today is a great day to be alive!"
12. Keep a list of your dreams, your wishes. Strike them out once you have received them and add new ones as they appear. When you add a new item say thank you three times and feel grateful as if you have already received it.   OR   Create a magic board and title it with THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU in big letters. Attach pictures of all your desires.
13. Print the magical cheque and write it out to yourself with the amount of money you want and post it someplace you will see it often. When you look at your cheque picture yourself doing or having what the money has given you.
14. Magically transform mistakes into blessings. You you make a mistake, create a list of ten reasons you are grateful for making the mistake.
15. Magic Mirror. Whenever you see your reflection say thank you. If you are feeling brave, say three reasons you are grateful for being you.
16. Magic Dust. Think of gratitude's energy looking like magic dust. When you express gratitude to someone for something received from them, you are sprinkling magic dust onto them. Be grateful and say thank you to another person for anything you receive from them. It is vital for improving your life.

This is my Gratitude Practice List. I am going to print it and put it on my magic board and on the refrigerator and on my nightstand and . . . You get the picture.

Do you have a Gratitude list? How are you going to continue integrating gratitude into your life? 


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Or Does It?

Well, I hope you were thinking about your answers to the gratitude questions. I am ready to explain my answers.

Lets begin.

1. The cure for broken or difficult relationships? I agree. It is impossible to be angry with someone once you have listed off all the reasons you can think of to be grateful to that person. Day three was Magical Relationships. If you haven't completed this practice, I suggest you put it on your agenda for tomorrow. You will be happy that you did.
2. The cure for lack of health? I don't know about this one. I'll have to reevaluate it a later time not because I don't think it works but because there was no real opportunity to test it out.
3. The cure for lack of money? Again, I don't know if gratitude is the cure for this one but I do have to admit that gratitude has opened my eyes to see the abundance of money in my life.
•  I will give you a couple of examples from yesterday. I was out looking for a new table and chair set. I went back to Martins Furniture. The salesman gave me a five percent discount for being a repeat customer. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Money comes easily and frequently. 
• We also have a one in three chance of winning our purchase for free. Isn't that incredible. We will find out tomorrow. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Money comes easily and frequently.  
• And lastly, we were driving home when we spotted something in the middle of the road. Michael slowed down, opened his door and picked it up. I know this is silly but, it was a new roll of duct tape. I don't know what its value is but again, thank you, thank you, thank you. Money comes easily and frequently.
4. Gratitude eliminates fear? Off the top of my head I have to say that I can't think of an example to prove this theory. Perhaps I just haven't had      the right circumstances.
5. Gratitude eliminates worry? I will have to dig deeper for the answer to this one.
6. Gratitude eliminates grief? The answer isn't jumping out at me. Get back to me later. Oh silly me! This question is pretty much the same as number seven.
7. Gratitude eliminates depression? I definitely agree. It is absolutely impossible to be depressed when you are grateful for all the people, events and things in your life.
8. Gratitude brings solutions to problems? I have to think more on this one. I guess Rhonda is referring to Day 7, The Magical Way Out of Negativity. It is on this day that we were to choose a problem or negative situation which we would like resolved and to list ten things we are grateful about it. Rhonda's reasoning is this; ''The answer to any negative situation you want to resolve is to focus concentrated gratitude on it until you feel better inside; then you will see the magic work its wonder in the outside world."
9. Gratitude brings the opportunities and wherewithal to realize your dreams? I don't have an opinion on this one yet.
10. Gratitude brings happiness? I agree one hundred percent. This is pretty much the same question as number seven and so is my answer.
11. Gratitude brings clarity? I have to think more about this one.
12. Gratitude brings patience? Yes it does. 
13. Gratitude brings kindness? Yes to this one too. Day 10, Magic  Dust Everyone teaches us to be grateful to everyone we encounter. As Philo of Alexandria is quoted to say, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
14. Gratitude brings compassion? Three times a charm. That is a yes. I'll bet you thought I skipped question number 12. Well I guess I did but I am addressing it here and now. I think patience, kindness, compassion and understanding all go together and are learned through Day 10's practice.
15. Gratitude brings understanding? Yes!
16. Gratitude brings peace of mind? And YES again! You will fee an overwhelming sense of peace of mind when you practice gratitude. When you truly feel gratitude deeply peace of mind will settle down upon you like a warm blanket on a cold night. I didn't know how else to explain it. I don't ever recall feeling peace of mind like I have since I started practicing gratitude.

On that note, I want more. And I sincerely hope that you do too.

How would you describe peace of mind? Please share in the comments section provided. Thanks

The Magic Never Ends

Day 30?

If we are counting, this would be day thirty. This blog was originally suppose to be only 28 days but it appears there is more to share than previously anticipated. Good or bad, you can decide. I choose good.

So let's continue.

I would like to share a quote that Rhonda has included in this chapter.

"I started out giving thanks for small things, and the moe thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That's because what you focus on expands, and when you foccus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life."

Oprah Winfrey (B.  1954)

Media Personality and Business Woman

And this is what Rhonda Byrne has to say about gratitude;

"Gratitude is the cure for broken or difficult relationships, for lack of health or money, and for unhappiness. Gratitude eliminates fear, worry, grief, and depression, and brings happiness, clarity, patience, kindness, compassion , understanding and peace of mind. Gratitude brings solutions to problems and the opportunities and wherewithal to realize your dreams." Page 252 of The Magic.

Wow, she has a lot to say in that paragraph and for the most part, I agree. 

Let me explain.

1. The cure for broken or difficult relationships? I agree. 
2. The cure for lack of health? I don't know about this one. I'll have to reevaluate it a later time not because I don't think it works but because there was no real opportunity to test it out.
3. The cure for lack of money? Again, I don't know if gratitude is the cure for this one. 
4. Gratitude eliminates fear? Off the top of my head I have to say that I can't think of an example to prove this theory. Perhaps I just haven't had the right circumstances.
5. Gratitude eliminates worry? I will have to dig deeper for the answer to this one.
6. Gratitude eliminates grief? The answer isn't jumping out at me. Get back to me later.
7. Gratitude eliminates depression? I definitely agree.
8. Gratitude brings solutions to problems? I have to think more on this one.
9. Gratitude brings the opportunities and wherewithal to realize your dreams? I don't have an opinion on this one yet.
10. Gratitude brings happiness? I agree one hundred percent.
11. Gratitude brings clarity? I have to think more about this one.
12. Gratitude brings patience? Yes it does.
13. Gratitude brings kindness? Yes to this one too.
14. Gratitude brings compassion? Three times a charm. That is a yes.
15. Gratitude brings understanding? Yes!
16. Gratitude brings peace of mind? And YES again!

I will give you the reasons behind each of my answers on my next post.

What do think about Rhonda's comments on gratitude? Wrong!. Just kidding. There are no wrong answers. Just different opinions.

And I would very much like you to share your opinions. 

Your Magical Future

The 28 Day Journey has come to end and it leaves me feeling sad. What does my magical future hold? What will be my next steps?

I would like to share a quote that Rhonda Byrne has in this chapter.

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."

Johannes A. Gaertner (1912-1996)

Professor, Theologian, Poet

Rhonda's advice is to move forward from here is to "maintain the foundation of gratitude you've built, and gradually keep building on it through increasing your depth of feeling. The more you practice gratitude, the deeper you will be able to feel it, and the more deeply you feel it, the less time you will need to give to it."

She also has some suggestions for practicing The Magic. 

Plus she advises us to make the Magic Rock a part of your daily live. We can carry it in our pockets as a constant reminder and put it on the nightstand to remind us to be grateful at the end and beginning of each day. 

She also suggests practicing Magic Dust on a daily basis. We "can sprinkle Magic Dust on everyone and everything!"

I am grateful:

1. For the perfect day. Everything went smoothly and happily. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. For the food I ate today. It is wonderful to be able to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into my meals and snacks.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. For the abundance of energy I had today because it meant I was able to get a far amount of cleaning done today.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. For my car because it got me to the grocery store safely and conveniently.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5.  For the money I have received, the money I am receiving and the money I will receive. I am grateful for the groceries I was able to purchase today.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. For my health. I am healthy  and it feels great.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. For the health and happiness of my loved ones. It is so wonderful to see everyone so lively and smiling.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. For my laptop. I love it so much. I love typing on it.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. For the electricity that lights our home and runs our appliances.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. For the clothes we own that are in such good condition, clean, and neat because it contributes to our mental and emotional well being.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gratitude Stone

I am most grateful for the scratched record in my head being thrown out. You know the one that keeps singing out to me, "I hate my life." It has been replaced with, "It is a great day to be alive." Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To be honest, I don't think the record has been trashed, just taken off the player. The "I hate my life" song came on a few days ago but I quickly replaced it with the "gratitude song." Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Conclusion

I have one chapter left in Rhonda Byrne's book titled The Magic.

I welcome all comments. Have you finished your 28 days yet?

Day 27 - The Magic Mirror

"The appearance of things changes according to the emotions, and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves."

Kahlil Bibran (1883-1931),

Poet and Artist

Rhonda says, "Negative feelings about yourself cause the greatest damage to your life, because they are more powerful than any feelings you have about anything or anyone else. Wherever you go and what ever you do you take those negative feelings with you in every moment, and those feelings taint everything you touch, and they act as a magnet, attracting more dissatisfaction, discontentment and disappointment with everything you do." Page 230, The Magic.

The Assignment

Today's assignment is to say thank you every time I look in the mirror and mean it more than ever before.

Gratitude Stone

I was most grateful for having the day all to myself to do what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sometimes it feels like I am being pulled in ten million directions all at once. Everyone needs my attention or my help. And although I love my family more than life itself, it can be overwhelming at times. For the most part I thrive on being surrounded by my loved ones but sometimes, Mom, Grandma needs time to herself too.

I Am Grateful: (Day 27)

1. For the  gourds  growing in the garden. At first we thought the plants were pumpkins. Then we thought they may be watermelons. Turns out they are  ornamental  gourds. It makes me laugh. I often throw  food pieces in the gardens to decompose and we get surprises pop up in the summer. Once we all recognized the plants, I remembered throwing some guards into the garden last fall after Halloween. Faith and Sidney were so excited to cut some very unique looking gourds from the garden. 
2. That Faith slept in today and that meant I could sleep in too. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. For Nicole making pancakes and bacon for everyone. Bacon is a real treat around here. We had to cut the little ones off so someone else could have some. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. For the dishes being done by Nicole. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. For the cool refreshing day. I opened all the doors and aired out the house. It was wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6.  For the candle Nicole had in her washroom because it came in handy when the power went out this evening. It was kinda freaky. We are used to power outages when there is an electrical storm but there was no storm tonight. It was pitch dark in the house and outside the house. Freaking scary. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. For my laptop's light because it lit the area I was sitting in when the power went out this evening. Otherwise I may have had a heart attack. Silly me, a grown woman afraid of the dark. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. That Nicole is afraid of the dark too so I had to be courageous and lead the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. For our indoor plumbing. I drank a lot of pop today and had to use the washroom many times. When my Aunt was alive, we use to visit her on the Six Nations Indian Reserve. She had an outhouse. It was stinky and suffocating in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. Come to think of it, I use to sleep over at my cousins house before they got indoor plumbing and we had to use the slop bucket in the middle of the night. It was so gross. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. We did not have a zombie apocalypse or alien invasion when the power was out. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay, seriously, I am grateful the time while the lights were out was uneventful.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Hand picked by my sweet granddaughters and mounted on the sill.

The Challenge

This is probably the most difficult assignment for me. I am one of those people who hates looking in the mirror or having my picture taken.

What can I say, I have low self esteem - always have. My earliest memory of self loathing is kindergarten.

A few months ago, I was looking at some photographs from my childhood. My Mom wasn't in very many pictures because she was the one operating the camera. I wished there were more pictures of my Mom.

It dawned on me, there aren't many pictures of me in our photo albums and it wasn't just because I was operating the camera. I often ducked out of sight when the cameras came out or hid behind someone. So many, many years from now, after I have left this world, when my children and their children are looking through our family albums, they will be disappointed that there are so few pictures of me. They won't care if my hair is a mess, what I am wearing, how much I weigh or about the wrinkles and grey hair- not that I have grey hair yet. They will just want to see me.

Having my picture taken? Not so much a problem - I just won't look at the pictures. As for my reflection, I avoid looking at it as much as possible.

To do this assignment I couldn't avoid looking at my reflection. I was brave. I looked into my eyes and tried to imagine what my family and friends think when they look at me.

Thank you.

Conclusion

I am diffidently going to keep practicing this assignment. I think is important for me - everyone to be grateful for being just who they are. We accept our loved ones for who they are so why are we so critical of ourselves?

I do admit as I have grown older, it has become easier to accept myself as I am and to be less critical. I wonder does it work like that for most people? What do you think?

Feel free to share. I'd like to know what is on your mind.

Day 26- - Magically Transform Mistakes Into Blessings

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."

Oprah Winfrey (B. 1954),

Media Personality and Business Woman

I actually have three comments by Rhonda that I would like to include today. 

The is the first quote. "We have the freedom to make our own choices and that means we have the freedom to make mistakes. Mistakes can hurt, but if we don't learn from the mistakes we've made, the pain we've suffered from it has been for nothing." Page 222, The Magic by Rhonda Byrne.

Jeff Groins has this to say about making mistakes. " About a year ago, I wrote a guest post that completely failed. It was for a large writing blog, and over the following few days it got about 20 comments from people who all disagreed with me.

It felt like someone had poured ice water over my shoulders, kind of like football players do to their coach for a winning football game. Except I didn't win.

It was painful. Embarrassing. Humbling.

However, I learned more about writing from that post than from 10 posts that were well received." (http://goinswriter.com/fail-faster/)

If you think about this you will see the truth in it. Everything we have experienced in our lives has molded us into the person we are today. It is through mistakes that we grow as a person and become wiser.

It is for this reason that I have no regrets in my life. I refuse to entertain the idea of doing things differently in the past. I rather look at it as ancient history from which I would like to learn.

And this brings me to the second quote. "To learn from a mistake, we first have to own it, and this is where many people can become undone, because they often blame someone else for their mistake." Page 222, The Magic by Rhonda Byrne.

I am sure you know a few people who never seem to take responsibility for their mistakes. I know I do. It can be very annoying to be around someone like this but more importantly, they are not learning a thing.

I'm not perfect. I have caught myself making excuses for my mistakes. It's a knee jerk response. 

Sometimes I am so stubborn that even when I realize I have made a mistake, I hate admit to it to others. But I do admit it  and try to figure out how to make corrections to avoid the same mistake.

And I am sure there have been times that I placed blame for my mistakes on someone else without even knowing it. I guess the trick here is awareness. Mindfulness. 

Last but not least is this quote from Ms. Byrne. "No matter how bad something may seem, there are always, always, many things to be grateful for. When you look for as many things as you can to be grateful for in a mistake, you magically transform the mistake into blessings. Mistakes attract more mistakes, and blessings attract more blessing - which would you prefer?" Page 223, The Magic by Rhonda Byrne.

How true, how true. It is all in our perception and there are many sayings that mimic this quote. For example, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And, when one door closes another door opens. It's seeing the good in what at first seems bad then learn from it.

The Assignment

Today's assignment is to think of one mistake and list ten reasons you are grateful for that mistake.

Ah, I will have to think of a good one here. Something big.

Gratitude Stone

Before I move on to the assignment I am going to share last night's gratitude stone. When I held my stone at bed time and reviewed all that I had to be grateful for that day, it was easy to choose which I was most grateful for.

I know I should  be most grateful for the medication my husband takes for his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because it has made a huge difference in his demeanor. But I think I will just take that for granted and pick something else.

Just kidding. I am grateful for my husband's medications and the subsequent change for the better in his overall mood. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gratitude Journal

Sorry but before I move on, I have to complete my regular daily exercises so here is today's entry into my Gratitude Journal.

I Am Grateful:

1. For having the day all to myself to do what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. The opportunity to blog, to share this experience with others because I hope it helps us all find happiness and helps us fulfill all our dreams and desires. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. That Cole will continue with her Magic Practices. She just hit a bad patch and intends on getting back on track. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. For the abundance of energy I had today because I was able to get so much cleaning done. (For the last week I have been feeling sluggish and tired.) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. That Christina helped me tidy up my room because it is usually the other way around. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. For the magnificent day. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. To Christina for making kraft dinner and hot dogs for supper. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. For my health. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. That Faith went willingly with her Nana this morning. (At first, Faith didn't want to go to her Nana's today. She said she was sick and has a fever. What a cutie. She told me she was burning up and had to stay home. I find it amazing that this came from a four year old. Well, once Nana told Faith that they were going to the trailer, Faith came running back to me to tell me she changed her mind. So cute.) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. For another beautiful day. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The Challenge

I was trying to avoid what I consider my biggest mistake but I have decided to work on it because it didn't just impact me, it affected my whole family.

Where to start? My husband and I were doing well financially. We weren't rich by any means but we had great credit, a house, two good cars and didn't have to worry about money. I had savings and RRSPs.

Then we made a decision that we thought was a good one. Big, big mistake. It turned ugly real fast. 

In the end we were left holding the bag. The other couple sold their house and filed for bankruptcy. They took their money and ran leaving my husband and I with a huge debt.

For simplicity sake, let's call the other couple, Mr. and Mrs. Crud.

At first I was so angry that they did this to us. Ripped us off. Left us with a huge debt while they were someplace else living like nothing happened. The consequences for us? Bad credit. Huge debt that we are still paying for five years later.

The real bummer is our kids will on occasion remind us that this was a big mistake. I can't blame them. 

We struggled financially. I wish I could say we lived pay cheque to pay check but that would have been a luxury. Our money rarely made it past the weekend. There were times where the utilities were shut off. The kids heard the word "no" many many times. 

My husband blamed Mr. and Mrs. Crud. He wanted to get back at them. He wanted them to pay up.

I didn't blame the Cruds.

He also blamed me. He threw it in my face many times.

I didn't blamed him. Although if I used his mentality I could have easily found blame in him. He had a choice. He jumped at it too.

I blame myself. I was blinded by the visions of success -  money and I did not see what type of people the Cruds were. I jumped in without looking first.

I do not regret the mistake. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I just wish the consequences weren't so long lasting. I guess it was a lesson that needed to be learned in a very harsh way. It sucks.

So here I go. Blessings from my mistake.

1. I am really grateful that my eyes have been opened to the kindness and generosity of other people in this world. I was pessimistic about the motives of others because I had been taken advantage of many times and ripped off and hurt. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. I am really grateful to have learned again to see where my blessings are instead of concentrating on the negative. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. I am grateful that I learned other people have their own agenda's and will do whatever they have to even it means hurting others. Just kidding. I am very grateful that my eyes have been opened even wider to the trials and tribulations of my neighbor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. I am really grateful that we were able to find several resources in our community that assisted us and that I am able to share that information with others. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. I am really grateful to have learned, again, not to take what I do have for granted. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. I am really grateful that I now believe each day of life is a blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. I am really grateful that the importance of family and friends has been reinforced and strengthened. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. I am really grateful to this experience for compelling me to actually put into action my self improvement. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. I am really grateful that I can now recognize the type of person who will have a negative impact on my life so I  can avoid them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. I am really grateful that I am now surrounded by caring, loving people. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Conclusion

You know, I initially thought this was going to a difficult assignment but it turned out to be one of the easiest so far. Maybe it's because I am on day 26 now and I have had some practice in finding things to be grateful.

Writing a gratitude list for my big mistake has really put the experience into perspective for me. I mean, I knew, or thought I knew I should not regret the mistake. My reason, as I mentioned earlier was mistakes shape us into who we are but there really is so much more to it.

I am feeling pretty good about it right now. I wonder if that changes back later or I will be left with this wonderful feeling of euphoria. Time will tell.

If you have a mistake that has left you feeling bitter or angry about, I hope you try today's practice. It is liberating. I am not exaggerating. I feel really good right now. 

And I hope you will share your experience with me. Please leave a comment.

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Day 25 - Cue the Magic

"Life is playfulness . . . We need to play so that we can rediscover the magic all around us."

Flora Colao (B. 1954),

Writer and Therapist

Rhonda says, "If you hear an ambulance siren, the magic cue from the Universe is to be grateful for perfect health. If you see a police car, your magic cue is to grateful for safety and security. If you see someone reading a newspaper, it's your magic cue to be thankful for great news." Page 216, The Magic.

The Assignment

Today's assignment is to be aware of our surroundings and take advantage of at least seven gratitude cues to remind ourselves to be grateful.

Gratitude Stone

I was most grateful for the mortgage being paid on time, two months in a row because it is a huge relief knowing we don't have to worry about foreclosure. Thank you, thank you, thank you.. 

I Am Grateful: (Day 25)

1. For the peace and quite today because it has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
2. For the money I received. The coffee table we ordered at Martins has been discontinued so the sales representative asked if we would like the floor model for one hundred dollars less. I said yes please and thank you (for the money we received. Money comes easily and frequently).Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3. For the twelve dollars I won on my Bingo ticket. (Money comes easily and frequently. Thank you for the money I received.) I thought you should know I am not a gambling freakazoid. I buy the occasional Bingo ticket on a Friday because I am going to win big on a Friday night. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
4. For my cork boards that I found for a good price. I can't wait til I hang them tomorrow my my computer desk. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5. For the liquid shock I found at Canadian Tire. Usually by this time of year, stores like Canadian Tire and Walmart stop carrying pool supplies.  Now I can clean the pool water. I was going to take down the pool because we ran out of pucks, filters and shock but now we can keep it up a little longer and enjoy the nice weather and the pool. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
6. For my little Honey Bunny, Faith. I got so many hugs and kisses from her today. She must have told me about a dozen times today that she loves me "this much" and she stretched out her arms. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
7. For our car because it was a safe and convenient means of transportation for Faith and I today.Thank you, thank you, thank you.
8. For the medication Gary takes for his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because it has made a huge difference in his demeanor.Thank you, thank you, thank you.
9. For getting skinnier everyday because I will soon be at my ideal weight. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
10. For feeling healthy with enough energy to keep moving today to keep up with Faith. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The Challenge

Pretty easy challenge today. I guess I should share my cues:

1. Faith gave me a great big tight hug. That was my cue to be grateful for my little Honey Bunny.
2. I saw a fairly large women at Canadian Tire today. Sorry, I feel bad. It was my cue to be grateful for "getting skinnier every day." (I am not sure if that is the kind of cue Rhonda was talking about but it worked and I didn't even have to think about it. The gratitude just jumped out at me. 
3. When I looked into my purse this morning, I saw the telephone bill and felt grateful that it was paid. Thank you for the money I have received, that I am receiving, and the money that I will receive.
4. Faith and I saw a little boy at the store today crying because his parents wouldn't buy something that he wanted. That was my cue to be grateful that Faith is, for the most part , a very agreeable little girl. For a four year old she is just so smart.
5. When I was paying for my items at Canadian Tire, my heart started to race. A few weeks ago when money was a scarce thing around here, I would have an anxiety  attack at the check out because I was afraid the debit machine would say declined. that was my cue to be grateful for  the money I have received, that I am receiving, and the money that I will receive.
6. When Faith and I were out today, an elderly lady stopped to admire Faith's hair. The woman said "don't you wish we had hair like that?" I agreed. Faith has thick blonde, naturally wavy hair with gorgeous streaks from the sun. I have never cut her hair so it comes down to about the middle of her back. That was my cue to be grateful for my hair. (I know a woman who has lost all her hair from Alopecia and another whose hair has become extremely thin on the top of her head.) Thank you, I am grateful for my full head of hair. (I do have a thinning spots in the front sides.)
7. Sorry, I am getting too tired to think any more tonight. It is three a.m. so I will finish up for the day.

Conclusion

I think being grateful is getting easier. Or is it because our financial problems are gone? No, I think it is getting easier. And it will get even better once I write down my lists in my book. And put op my cork bulletin boards tomorrow. I also think I will put my gratitude stone in my purse so I can see it more often. Did I already decide to do that? maybe I did. Oh well. I have decided again and this time I will put it in my purse.

I would like to hear about the cues the Universe gave you today.

Or maybe you would like to be a guest and submit a post?