Gratitude

The movie project I am collaborating on - The Difference - has its focus this month on gratitude. Here is a quote by Geraldine P. Anderson: "There isn't a word in the English language with more magic in it than the word gratitude. Love makes fertile the soil for things to blossom and to grow, and love begins with gratitude."


My buddy in a workshop over the weekend was a man who had lost his leg 13 years ago. As far as I can think all my friends are totally able-bodied and it was quite an experience to see first hand what it's like to have only one leg. It certainly focussed my attention on the fact that I have two and never think about it much. I'm so grateful for my legs and to him for this experience.


This morning I noticed that my favourite check-out lady at the supermarket was back after what seemed like a long absence. She told me she'd been visiting family in Sri Lanka, about all the violence and how people didn't go out at night any more because they were afraid. I'm going out to dinner tonight, and I'm going out without fear. I didn't appreciate that before but I do now.


Here is some gratitude tapping for you:


Even though I feel the opposite of grateful, I choose to find something to be grateful for.
Even though I focus on what I don’t have, I now choose to focus on what I do have.
Even though I forget to be grateful, I choose to spend each moment in gratitude.
I choose to acknowledge what I have.
I choose to give thanks for each gift I receive.
I choose to recognise every person and every situation in my life as a gift.
I choose to offer thanks for all the positive features of my life.
I choose to let people (partners, children, relatives, boss, employees, colleagues, friends, service people) know I am grateful for who they are, how they are, and what they do.
Even though I can’t find much to be grateful for, I choose to look deeper.
Even though I think I’m on my own, I choose to express gratitude to all those who support me in different ways.
Even though I forget to appreciate others, I choose to remember on a daily basis.
Even though my life appears to be in lack, I choose to always find a point of gratitude.
I choose to express appreciation continuously.
I choose to live in a constant state of gratitude.
I choose to express my gratitude at every opportunity.



For more information see http://www.tangibleresults.com.au/

Hating our body

I met a middle-aged woman at a business meeting the other day. It was a hot day and the air conditioning wasn't working. She started to complain about how she needed to scrape her hair back in a pony tail. She then detailed all the problems she had with her hair, finally ending up saying she hated it and that it had been the bane of her existence all her life.

I was fascinated by this - wow, how much energy had she spent during her life on hating herself. I commented that many people in the world had wild fuzzy hair including our neighbours in PNG. She countered this by saying that their hair was evenly fuzzy while hers stuck out all over the place. She was simply determined that I get the message that her hair was wrong, and finally told me she'd been called scarecrow at school. That explained a lot!

In our society the ideas we hold about body can be so damaging. It can be hard to recognise that if we hate a part of ourselves or equally if we hate a symptom that our body is manifesting then we are hating ourselves. So make a list of all the things you mildly dislike to actively hate about yourself and start to tap.

Even though I hate _______(body part or symptom), I'm willing to learn to love myself.
Even though I don't like _______, I open myself to loving all of me.
Even though I wish I didn't have _______, I choose to love and accept my whole body.

If you were teased at home or school, or anywhere else for that matter, for a particular attribute tap on the incidents and the associated feelings.

Even though the other kids called me scarecrow (for example), I forgive them as well as myself for taking it personally.
Even though I felt humiliated when the kids called me scarecrow, I choose to honour and respect myself.

If you have a sense of shame about aspects of your body do tap on that:

Even though I feel shame about _______, I'm ready to release this shame right now.

Some straightforward affirmations while tapping can also help:

I'm OK with my skin.
I choose to love my hair. etc.

For more information see www.tangibleresults.com.au