(diva)logues

"Looking for a better way to get up outta bed instead of getting on the Internet and checking on who hit me, get up..."

 

Carving out even just a few minutes each day to meditate and/or pray, either first thing in the morning or last thing before sleep, can be a great time to remind yourself of the things for which you're grateful.

Even if you don't have time to actually journal, the following prompts are some good things to focus on as you pray or meditate, especially on days when you might be struggling more to find the good in the world, your job or your relationships.

 

When you focus on the good, the good gets better. 

What you focus on, grows.

What you concentrate on is what you'll see more of in your life. 

Gratitude... gratitude... gratitude. 

Mindset... mindset... mindset.

XOXO

15 Gratitude Prompts

{source: Modern Day Christian Chick}

 

• PROVISION:  Even if you do not like your job, or you are unemployed, find something you are thankful for within the context of how you are provided for.  Provision really comes from God.

 

• HEALTH:  Even if there are challenges, find small victories you can be thankful for.

 

• FRIENDSHIPS:  Identify and write about what you are grateful for within the context of your friendships.  Write out some of their names and what you are grateful for about each person.

 

• FAMILY TRADITIONS:  What family traditions are you grateful for and why?  If you do not have any family traditions, which ones would you want to start and why?

 

• SKILL SET:  What skills do you possess and why are you grateful for them?

 

• MENTOR:  Identify a mentor, teacher, pastor, etc who you are grateful for and why?

 

• SOMEONE YOU DISLIKE:  Identify 3 positive things about them. What lessons have they taught you that you are grateful for?

 

• YOU:  What do you love about yourself and why?

 

• TODAY'S EVENTS:  Identify something large or small that had an impact on you today.  What lesson did it teach you that you are grateful for?

 

• GIFTS RECEIVED:  Name a gift you have received whether tangible or intangible and why you were grateful for it?

 

• GIFTS GIVEN:  Name a gift you have given whether tangible or intangible and why you were grateful to have given it?

 

• PARENTS:  Identify 5 things that you learned from your parents/guardians that you are grateful for?

 

• FOR SOMEONE ELSE:  What kindness did you extend to someone else today?  Why are you grateful for it?

 

• SENSES:  Make a list of the senses you possess (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste) and why you are grateful for each?  Some may not possess all or any so you can start your gratitude there!

 

• ONE THING:  What is one thing you are most grateful for?  This may appear to be an easy question to answer, especially if you have children.  Carefully consider what you are most grateful for.  It's more difficult than you think to narrow it down to just one. 

"Control, I like to have a lot... control, now I'm all grown up... "

 

At the end of 2020, I wrote a blog post reflecting on the prior year, along with great ways to avoid illness.   You can read it again here.

 

On a similar note... I read something on Facebook the other day written by  Dr Lauren Fitz, a cardio dance fitness instructor I follow. 

And since I agree with everything she said, I wanted to share it here:

 

Imagine if 18 months ago we would have been told…

 

•stop eating fake food & fast food because it hinders your immune system

 

•start a daily habit to move a minimum of 30min

 

•do a majority of your grocery shopping in the perimeter of the store

 

•make sure you are getting good quality sleep every night

 

•read every food label and don’t consume anything that has seed oils like canola, corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybeans or sunflower because these MAN MADE OILS cause lots of inflammation

 

•try eliminating sugar, dairy, gluten and seed oils for 1 month just see how you feel

 

•focus on building REAL relationships in your day to day life instead of wasting time scrolling social media or watching the news

 

•check your vitamin D levels and if they are below 40 TAKE A FREAKIN SUPPLEMENT (remember to take vitamin D with fat because it’s a FAT SOLUBLE vitamin which means it will NOT absorb if taken without fat)

 

•check your fasting insulin levels to see if you are on your way to being insulin resistant and metabolically unhealthy like 88% of Americans are

 

Do you realize where we would be today if THESE were the messages that were pushed into our minds everyday? Do you understand the power that YOU HAVE to change all of those things? Stop focusing on all of the crazy and start focusing on YOU & what YOU can do to start reclaiming your armor against all that we are fighting in 2021!

 

 

 

 

There's a lot about the current state of the world that feels out of control.  But when you can't control what's going on around you, try to remember that you can always control what's going on within you.

 

We all have the ability to take our health and wellness into our own hands.

 

There are so many ways to amp up your immune system and help you avoid illness, but it takes effort... CONTINUOUS effort.  And it may even take a change in lifestyle... not just temporarily, like a diet, but for life. 

 

We don't always want to put in the work to eat more nutritious foods.

We don't always want to put in the work to get more exercise. 

We don't always want to put in less time AT work and carve out more time for adequate sleep.

 

 

But there's no time like the present to take control over your own quality of life.

 

We're not here on this earth to survive... we're here to THRIVE. 

 

 

Small changes... continuous effort... awareness of your own ability to be an advocate for your health and wellness. 

 

 

 

Those messages above may not have been given 18 months ago... but YOU can change your focus and control all the "controllables."

 

 

 

And ps... today is the first day of school at MIZZOU and I got this unsolicited picture from Bryn. Could not love this MORE!!

 

 

I love her so much!

 

Happy back to school day for most and I hope everyone has a happy and healthy school year! 

XOXO

"Let's go! If you want it you can get it let me know..."

 

Just a quick share of something I read this morning, along with a fav pic from last summer with some of the really cool people I teach with at Bloom.

Happy Wednesday!

XOXO

 

 

You can do it when you set your mind to it. You can do it when you commit your time to it.

You can do it when you stride confidently past your doubts. You can do it when you decide not to plunge into the pit of meaningless distractions.

You can do it when you have a good, meaningful reason. You can do it when you keep going for as long as necessary.

You can do it when your desire for achievement overpowers your desire for comfort, convenience, and self-pity. You can do it when you go ahead and take the next step no matter what just happened.

You can do it when you realize how worthless and debilitating the excuses have become. You can do it when you remind yourself that a single action is more effective than a thousand complaints.

What great good do you envision for your world, for your life? You can do it when you are ready, when you muster the will, when you get up and go.

By Ralph Marston