Today I am grateful for:

-The local garage who fixed our leaking car tire for $15.  Did not need a new tire and only took 30 minutes.

-Being able to focus on gratitude and abundance.  Received some frustrating news regarding a needed home repair and was able to realize that this was not fatal news, and remebered that we got the tire fixed.

-Playing in the yard with my Mom and twin daughters.

-Dad’s light and fun mood today.

-Family

Grateful for:

My wife.

-She is a great Mother to our twin daughters.

-She stayed with me.

-She is quick to forgive.

-She welcomes my Parents into our home on a daily basis.

-Her beautiful voice.

I am grateful for the times when I can surrender.  Ahhhh, what a relief.  God, I will let you take the wheel and show me what to do.  I take better and more effective action when I am living in a state of truth, a state of surrender.  Thinking can be good, but over thinking and toxic thinking do nothing but lead to the enemy of action which is anxiety.  Dear God, please help me to surrender to you today and right now.  Help me to live in your pure state, helping others as you would have me.

1. Surrender

2.Acceptance

3.Gratitude

4.Today (Just for Today)

Had a great day with 6 month old twins today. Grateful they are sharing life with me. Also grateful for the following:
1. Finally came up with an analogy (which makes sense to me) regarding why it is usually not a good idea to look for advice or answers to major “issues” from close family members. People like Mom and Dad, or siblings, etc… A trusted advisor once told me this “stop going to your parents for answers or advice on these issues” they won’t give you the best answers. Let’s say I decided to write a book, and once it was completed, I wanted someone to review it and give feedback. If I gave it to Mom or Dad or Brother or Sister, I would get feedback which lacked objectivity. Whereas if I gave it to t close and trusted friend, I may get feedback I do not want to hear, but feedback I need to hear. While all family dynamics are different, I think finding solutions to our major life issues (or getting objective review of our books!) is best found outside the family unit. And I am not saying to hide our problems from our families, just that they are best suited to provide support and no so much solutions. For this insight, I am grateful.

Today I am grateful for the following:
1. Talked to my old friend Chris last night and he reminded me of the importance of forgiveness. Thanks Chris. And then during our conversation I rememberred that the most important person to forgive is myself. I can be a real perfectionist and will reserve my harshest judgements for myself. I told Chris that as I age and get just a little bit wiser, I have begun to realize that beating myself up never helps anything. It is really a self absorbed thing to do. No one benefits from my martyrdom. I went on to share with him that I seem to be hard wired for self beatings. I get all this in my head on an intellectual level, but when the rubber meets the road, there is still opportunity for growth. Guess I will be forced to deal with this one beautiful day at a time.

I often find myself wanting for more in my life.  All one has to do is watch the television for a few hours to be bombarded with the message that there are a host of things missing in your life:  A new car, the right beer, the next pharmaceutical, etc…  And don’t forget that you are paying way too much for car insurance.   Watching television for a few hours will go a long way in reinforcing the inadequacy in your life.

I think it is important to remember how good we have it just the way things are.  Even if, god forbid, we live just the “average” American lifestyle, I would imagine we still have it way better than 99% of the people did just two or three hundred years ago.  Today’s supply of food, housing, transportation, entertainment and health care put us in the elite lifestyle ranks of the 1700’s.

And how much better does a guy like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates have it than you or me?  I lay down to sleep on a comfortable bed, in an air conditioned house with a full stomach and a loving family.  I often wonder how much better Warren and Bill have it when they do the same.

I think just for today I’ll try to focus on how good I have it.  Warren’s money, new insurance nor the right beer could make it any better.

Right now I am grateful for:

1.  The work my wife does so lovingly for our twin daughters

2. Discipline

3. Good Food

4. Mom and Dad

5. Our house

6. Underlying sense that all is OK

7. Friends

8. Neighbors

9. Spirituality

10.Louie the Cat

1. Six month old twin daughters that I thought we would never have
2. My wife
3. The fact that I don’t act on all the crazy thoughts I have when I allow my wife to drive me crazy.
4. The realization that no one else can drive me crazy. I have the power to control whether or not I get upset. Whether or not I jump in the crazy river of anger.
5. My cat Louie who comes to visit everytime I get into bed.
6. Rain
7. My in-laws
8. My Mom and Dad who help out in so many ways
9. Financial security to the extent that any of us are financially secure!
10.Gratitude
11.Understanding that negative thinking will get me nowhere.
12.Knowing the difference between understanding something and knowing/living it.
13.Enjoying the journey
14.Accepting that I will never get life “figured out”

Grateful for “Little Ron”

When I can remember not to take myself to seriously, living peacefully is effortless.

When I live with humility, when I am “Little Ron”, when I am of service, moment by moment;  I am at peace.

Living in a state of surrender, I am energized and connected.  Empathetic.

I have tried and will try the other side of this coin.  “Big Ron” has not retired for good.

But I am grateful for the path back to “Little Ron”

It is a path of letting go.  And how hard is it to let go of something?

Ahhhhhhhhh.

Grateful for the times when I remember to just listen.

Wife talks…just listen

Friend talks…just listen

TV talks…just listen

Ahhhhhh.  What a relief to just listen.  It takes no effort to listen and to be empathetic.  To the contrary, analysing and coming up with solutions is really hard work.

Effortless.