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Hello, and welcome, wonderful to have you join me! Here it is, my favourite time of year! Abundance surrounds me; it is everywhere- in the beautiful flowers, the lush hills, people, animals. This is truly a vibrant time- a time when it is so easy to remember how truly blessed we are, a time when it is easy to say 'Yes' to Life!

I thank God every day that I live here in Paradise! 'Penticton' is a native word meaning ' a Place to live Forever', and it truly is! Yet, lately some worry and concern has been creeping in, and I had to look at what I'm doing differently to see why. I discovered the main change has been I haven't been writing my daily gratitudes each evening. Hmmm... I am so grateful and feel truly blessed, I wake up each morning and say "Thank you God", yet I stopped doing the one exercise that refocused me on gratitude nightly. When I realized that and started writing my gratitudes down, I felt a major shift in my energy, back to positive and hopeful, letting go of worry and concern. So, I chose that as this month's topic...

'Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.' Melody Beattie

One of the tools that helped me tremendously in my growth was developing an attitude of gratitude. Several years ago I read Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance" a book of daily exercises to help you discover your authentic self. One of the assignments was to start a gratitude journal, and to write down 5 things each night you were grateful for. Being the type of person who does the exercises in books, I started writing down my gratitudes. Sometimes it was extremely hard to come up with something- I had to use the basics, like being thankful for a good job, food, a comfortable warm home, clothing and family. When it was the hardest, and I really had to think, it amazed me at how much better I felt after writing them down. As time went on and I felt better, it became easier to think of five things- often once I got rolling I filled a page with my daily gratitudes. In the dark times they provided light, and in the light times they helped me shine more brightly.

I stopped the practise for a while, as I was feeling great. Some life circumstances happened that led me into a clinical depression. At that time as part of my recovery I started to journal. Journaling was cathartic- it really helped me when I was healing old wounds. I could write my feelings, my hurts, resolve issues, sometimes my own and sometimes the worlds, and sometimes I just let things be. Sometimes my journal was like an itinerary- just the facts of what I did that day. I ended my day with journaling, as I found that way it cleared my head of whatever was twirling inside there, and then I would always end with my five (minimum) gratitudes of the day. As I healed my journal entries became more positive than negative, and I noticed a pattern. I stopped journaling when I felt good. When I stopped journaling I would start gaining weight. When I realized I had gained weight, I would start journaling again, and lose the weight. Journaling is definitely a tool that helps me stay focused by helping me clear the issues of my day, and keeps me heading in the right direction. So what has journaling got to do with writing my gratitudes?

Recently I stopped journaling and writing down my gratitudes for the day. I have a goals journal, and write my successes (five minimum) at the end of each day in that. I felt writing in my goals book would be enough, so stopped the other journaling. I am truly grateful for my life and all the wonders and beauty in it, and acknowledge it daily in many ways. Like yesterday, as I was having a beautiful run along the river seeing a duck and her 9 ducklings crossing the golf course, then as I ran along the lake seeing a mother duck and her brood at the water's edge. How beautiful is that? Not to mention the surroundings! That night, being on the lake in a dragonboat with several other women- the lake calm, the sunshine and surroundings incredible, working and laughing together. Having an incredible coaching session with a new client. There is some magic that occurs when at the end of the day I put all my gratitudes of the day together on paper- it becomes an incredible gift! All the little gifts of the day when added together become something extraordinary! My heart is filled to the brim once more with gratitude for all that I am blessed with. So, back to writing out my blessings each evening!

This is a good reminder to me of how I sometimes let nurturing habits slide because I think I'm too busy, or don't have enough time, or have outgrown them or? Yet I know that for the few extra minutes it takes the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience.

If you haven't started a gratitude journal yet, I strongly recommend you do. Start with writing 5 things each day you are grateful for, and see where that leads you! If you already do this practice, I encourage you to think of something that you've stopped that was beneficial to you, and resume doing it!

'For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.'
Dag Hammarskjold

On Friday July 9th, 4 other executive coaches and I have teamed up with some golf pros to provide a fun, interesting day of golf and coaching. Enjoy an hour golf lesson, followed by lunch with a panel of executive coaches speaking on "How can coaching improve your business?", and end with 9 holes of golf at Vintage Hills in Westbank.
All this for only $40!

Call Joy at Vintage Hills 250-768-0080 ext 101 to reserve your spot today!

This section is reserved for articles from readers. This month, as we enjoy the fresh new potatoes from our gardens, I thought you would enjoy this joke from Dana Valeria. Thanks Dana!

The Potato Garden

An old man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his potato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son Fred, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.

Dear Fred, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over; you would dig the plot for me. Love, Dad
A few days later he received a letter from his son:

Dear Dad, For heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up that garden, that's where I buried the BODIES. Love, Fred

At 4 am the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad, Go ahead and plant the potatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Fred

I am Norma Reid, a Certified Executive Coach, and owner of From Dreams to Reality Success Coaching. My dream is to help you fulfill your professional and personal dreams and live the rich, full life you are meant to! Call for a sample coaching session to see if coaching is for you. Thank you once again for letting me share part of your journey with you. Until next time, enjoy the incredible wonder and beauty this time of year blesses us with! Take time to smell the roses, and acknowledge all the little miracles and blessings that happen in your day. Live with an attitude of gratitude, and attract more blessings into your life! Make it incredible!

More info on Norma... »

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For more information or to register, please contact me by phone or email. Space is limited, so sign up now! What have you got to gain???

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