Thanksgiving and the Holiday Attitude of Gratitude
Too Pretty to Eat!
In a matter of a few days it will be Thanksgiving . That special day when we gather our families and loved ones together and celebrate all that is good in our lives.
We all have our traditions; watching the parades, the camaraderie of cooking the feast in a kitchen with way too many cooks in it and visits from friends to toast the season and share some pie. For most of us it’s a special day filled with families, loved ones, pleasant thoughts and warm feelings of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude has long been known as a key to happiness. Study after study shows those who are in the habit of giving thanks for all they have on a regular basis have more positive attitudes and achieve greater success in their personal and professional lives as well as better health.
Given all the benefits why is it we can’t seem to maintain these feelings throughout the year? Wouldn’t it be nice to bottle these feelings and take a small dose of it daily?
Well actually that is not as farfetched as it sounds. By making a few small changes in the way we look at things and committing to putting more emphasis on the ‘good’ that occurs in our daily lives we all have the opportunity to sustain a more positive outlook and attitude. It’s simply a matter of practice and creating a new habit.
There are many things in each of our days to be grateful for if we only take the time and effort to look for them. Here are a 3 easy ways to help you get in the habit of noticing them:
1) The Gratitude Journal: This is not a new concept but I believe it’s the simple things that make the biggest difference in our lives. Pick up a little notebook and make small daily lists of the things you are grateful for. It can be as simple as receiving an unexpected phone call from an old friend to someone who supported you at a time when you needed help. This doesn’t mean your day will be perfect. But if you take the time to look for the good things that occur there are far more of them in your day than the momentary problems you might encounter. Keep this where you can see it and it will remind you to think positively.
2) The Rewrite Strategy: There are times when we may be going through a particularly trying time and we may find it difficult to find the positive in a daily way. As we hurry through our day and duties it is easy not to notice our negative statements. This exercise is a great way to become more aware of what we are saying to ourselves and others. Try this! It’s a great way to shift your attitude!
- Take a sheet of paper or you can do this on a page of your journal if you are keeping one and draw a line down the center of the page to make two columns.
- During the day write down any negative statements you find yourself making on one side of the column.
- At the end of the day on the other side of the column rewrite each of the negative statements into a positive statement.
3) Appreciation Token: Nothing is as rewarding as extending a kind gesture to someone, particularly if it is unexpected. Here’s a really FUN and AFFORDABLE ($5.00!) way to give thanks and spread gratitude. I discovered this site and just had to share it!
http://www.tofa.us/ Spread gratitude and appreciation in the world with this trackable gratitude coin. A token of appreciation that simply says “Thank you for making a difference in my day”.
There are many things to be grateful for: the first cup of coffee in the morning, slipping your feet into well worn slippers after a long day, people who love you no matter what, grandchildren who squeal with delight and jump into your arms when they see you, a long chat with an old friend, the opportunity to help someone who needs it without being asked, chocolate covered almonds, pets who warm your life…always and unconditionally, hitting every green light when your late, leisurely watching a sunset, fresh cut flowers, laughter.
Gratitude is taking the time to notice what is special in the most common of occurrences and then taking the time to appreciate it. What’s on your list?
P.S. If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven’t danced in the rain. ~unknown~
By the way…the 21 day Attitude Adjustment Course is NOW on SALE - HALF PRICE!
The Dirty Little Secret and a Holiday Gift For You
As a believer in the cup that is half full I don’t often rant but while researching for a new Holiday Project, which I will share with you in a moment I bumped into a couple of articles that discuss a subject that is often treated as the dirty little secret that really isn’t a secret at all.
When Age And Gender Work Against Your Job Search
I discovered this link to the Forbes article by Ellen Weinreb while reading a review of it on Goldivas.com, an internet magazine for women for women over 50. If you care to read it click the link above.
Both the review and the article itself were eloquently written and did a fine job of illuminating the increasing difficulties women over 50 are facing when attempting to find employment. Ms. Weinreb, a professional recruiter who interacts with job seekers every day says “For older women, gender isn’t the only roadblock in the job market today.”
Both articles discuss the cultural bias and mistaken perception that women lose their value as they age. Consider the quote from Carrie Chapman Catt during a speech at the Senate hearing on woman’s suffrage, February 13, 1900:
No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion.
However I was encouraged that someone, anyone had taken the time to bring this to the forefront! Bravo to you Ms. Weinreb who further states “I thought I might be onto a trend that has yet to be seriously discussed. I decided to do my own research to validate my observation, and believe that this is a serious issue facing older women.”
I couldn’t agree more. Recently I have been attending a number of women’s groups and I can assure her this is absolutely a trend. On my last excursion I was sitting with six women and four of them were unemployed. Three had been let go in cut backs and one was let go due to the company’s closure.
All four have been actively seeking employment for one to two years. One of them has resorted to doing temp work, two others are trying to start new businesses while continuing to seek employment and one is surviving on dwindling savings.
Yes, in my circle this conversation is all too familiar. The real surprise for me is where is the outrage? When the subject is discussed it is always in a matter of fact way and with a tone of resignation. A sentiment echoed by the women interviewed for the Forbes article. Now I applaud women for not whining but where is the outrage? Where is the energy for a solution?
The Solution?
While I agree with both articles that cultural bias will not change overnight I truly believe there is a lot more we women can do in addition to Ms. Weinreb’s suggestion that we should “persevere and be careful not to talk or act in ways that reinforce the cultural bias.”
The truth is our numbers are great.
Imagine the impact we could make if all women of a certain age made a concentrated effort to support each other’s endeavors and businesses whenever possible.
There are many competent qualified professional women of a certain age who have a great deal to offer if only we could easily access them.
THE HOLIDAY GIFT:
It’s the Holidays and that time of year when shopping is on the agenda. Sooo I thought this might be a good time for me to do my part to:
Support Sage Women’s Enterprises
FREE ADVERTISING FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Promote your business on my site for free!
I am setting up a Holiday Reference page on my site where women of a certain age who offer a product or service can contribute a small Ad with a link to your site for the holidays. Below is a peek at the page and a sample add
If you are a midlife or boomer woman with a business or service to offer I invite you to take advantage of this opportunity and promote your enterprise for the holidays!
If you know other women of a certain age who could benefit from this be sure to pass this along to them!
To participate in the Women Supporting Women Campaign fill in the registration form below and the easy instructions on how to participate will be delivered to you. (You will also receive a free subscription to my e-zine if you don’t already receive it)
So what are you waiting for…Join Us, support your fellow women of a certain age and let the Holidays Begin!
To your hopes, dreams and possibilities,
Deborah
P.S. Don’t forget to SHARE this article with your fellow women of a certain age! As always, if you have any questions or comments don’t hesitate to contact me deborah@womenintransitiononline.com. I’d love to hear from you.
Holiday Stress – It’s that time again
Can you believe it? It’s November and the year is almost at its end…
This is the time of year when there are lots of activities planned and many exciting things happening. The Holidays!
Many of us have made great strides this year. And some of us may have hoped for more! Whichever segment you may fall into – the New Year has yet to arrive and there is plenty of time to create something meaningful to you.
It’s time for you. YOU’RE IMPORTANT!
Women in Transition Online recently unveiled two New Mastermind opportunities designed specifically for midlife women and beyond! What better gift to give yourself than the opportunity to realize strong progress on your goals in the Mini Mastermind Experience or explore new options for your life in the Adventure Fest Boot Camp. I have implemented an easy subscription plan for both programs and you can register as much as a week beyond our start date for either program! What better gift can you give yourself than the opportunity to discover what it is you truly love in life and get started doing those things right now?
November 2nd (TOMORROW) is our meet and greet call so don’t miss this opportunity; JOIN US TODAY!
Speaking of gifts, below are 4 tips to help you reduce those holiday melt downs!
HOLIDAY STRESS
Halloween has passed and the busy holiday season begins. I love the holidays but the truth is; it can also create a lot of stress in our lives if we let it. Can it be avoided? Well… probably not all of it but here are some timely hints I have found can really help:
START PLANNING EARLY – The best time to make a plan is when you are not in over your head! Ummmm I think that would be NOW, right? So why not sit down and plan your holiday meals, table and home decorations, guest list, travel plans and gift list and budget and… Sound overwhelming? It does to me too but I found a great site where you can download a really reasonable ($9.95) Holiday Planner. You just follow the 12 or 6 week Christmas Countdown Checklist which makes spacing out your holiday tasks a lot easier! No surprises; I like the sound of that. (There is also access to FREE holiday budget spreadsheets that do all the addition work for you.) This is a great site and she has other types of great planners as well! Well worth checking out:
http://www.thehouseholdplanner.com/products/holiday-planner/
GET PLENTY OF REST – We are all more able to cope when we’re rested. Try to get your 8 hours each night and eat healthy when you can. (Oh those Christmas parties and goodies!) It is also a good idea to carve out some quiet alone time each day. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time but even 15 minutes to yourself when no one will ask anything of you can really help to keep you centered and calm.
DON’T FORGET TO GUARD YOUR ‘ME TIME’ – When we get busy it’s often our ‘me time’ that seems to be the logical place to make up for ‘not enough time.’ Don’t do it! When you neglect your personal needs and wants you wind up tired, resentful, grouchy and ineffective at everything else you try to do.
ASK FOR HELP – This is no time to play the Wonder Woman role. ASK FOR HELP! You are one person. Look ahead and divvy up some of the duties you know you won’t be able to get to. By doing this early in the planning stage you will stand a much better chance of enjoying the season and have more quality time with those you love!
Remember, you are human and your best IS ENOUGH. Keep a positive attitude and enjoy this season. I hope you spend it surrounded by those you love and are filled with the gratitude of all that you have and all that you are.
Watch for more tips throughout this holiday season and if you have any to share be sure to put them in the comments section at http://www.womenintransitiononline.com/deborah-speaks/ or email them to me at deborah@womenintransitiononline.com.
Deborah Hayes, CTA Life Coach
Empowering women to live a life of consequence, a life without regrets that is your own unique version of the life you love. About Deborah
deborah@womenintransitiononline.com
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