WE GIVE THANKS BY …
AWAKENING each day with an attitude of gratitude.
BEING HUMBLE about our role in the universe.
COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS … often.
DELIGHTING in simple pleasures.
ENCOURAGING those who need our support.
FORGIVING those who have disappointed or hurt us.
GIVING what we can to help others.
HUGGING our loved ones ... family, friends, and pets.
INCLUDING those who have no close friends or family.
JUGGLING our commitments to both work and family.
KEEPING A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW for those who have lost their way.
LOVING others unconditionally.
MAKING ROOM for one more person at the table.
NEVER FORGETTING to offer a prayer of thanks.
OPENING our hearts and our wallets to those in need.
PREPARING warm, nourishing holiday meals.
QUIETING our minds with prayer and meditation.
RECOGNIZING that blessings can show up in surprising ways.
SPEAKING kindly and compassionately to others.
TAPPING INTO SPIRITUAL WISDOM to guide us.
UNDERSTANDING that blessings are meant to be shared.
VEERING AWAY from resentments and anger.
WORKING for an end to hunger ... both physical and spiritual.
XPRESSING appreciation for all that others do for us.
YEARNING FOR AND WORKING FOR PEACE.
ZEROING IN on what's truly important in life.
WISHING YOU A WARM, WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!
with love and laughter, BJ
www.danceintherainmovie.com
© BJ Gallagher 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Gratitude and giving - every day!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2009
Living in Gratitude
Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons were on the show last night to talk about their book: Living Life as a Thank You. What a great reference manual for each of us to use during those times when it seems almost impossible to find anything for which you are grateful.
The book is a compilation of true stories, touching on so many different life issues, surely everyone will be able to relate to one of them. Getting through life’s adversities is sometimes difficult, but being grateful, on a daily basis helps to get through them more easily.
If you wake up and can just remember to be grateful for that – when you think about it, THAT, waking up, is HUGE! Some people won’t wake up, but here WE are!
Daily gratitudes make for life transformations. Thank you, to be polite, is of course a gratitude. So is doing something for someone else. We can be grateful to have the opportunity TO do something for someone.
Driving in traffic, let a car out of the side street and watch as they then, in turn, let someone else out as well. It perpetuates, and it only brings more good things to those who are grateful.
Positive actions bring more positive actions. Gratitude in all things brings more things for which you may be grateful. It’s a wonderful circle that just keeps coming back to you with only positive and wonderful things.
We all have the resource of gratitude. We need only practice it. When we do, the results are immediate. I’ve done it just as an experiment to see what happens and I must admit, my life has transformed incredibly over the past few months. It has been most apparent over the past two to three weeks.
Try a little gratitude in your life and watch the results you receive. Here’s a tip to help you get started.
Clearing ourselves to let gratitude take precedence takes a bit of practice but once you see what happens, it becomes automatic. Be mindful of what you say and make an effort to correct all the negatives. For instance, when you say, oh, it’s a horrible day or it’s rainy and miserable, try to be aware that there is an opposing view. Follow it up by saying, this is a perfect day to get those indoor chores done, or the rain is good for the lawns and gardens and everything will now flourish. Those changes are both positive and they are filled with gratitude for what is and what is to be.
Writing down what you are grateful for also helps. Perhaps at the end of the day you can write down at least ONE thing that you are grateful for that occurred that day. You can, of course, be grateful for more but start small. Then add to it and when you get to a number that works for you, maintain that count each and every day.
If all live our lives as a thank you. We will all be on the right path to our happiness and we will be healthier, less stressed and we will have a whole lot more energy.
I am grateful for this opportunity to help those who wish to learn about living in gratitude.
Intending you all a most wonderful day!
The book is a compilation of true stories, touching on so many different life issues, surely everyone will be able to relate to one of them. Getting through life’s adversities is sometimes difficult, but being grateful, on a daily basis helps to get through them more easily.
If you wake up and can just remember to be grateful for that – when you think about it, THAT, waking up, is HUGE! Some people won’t wake up, but here WE are!
Daily gratitudes make for life transformations. Thank you, to be polite, is of course a gratitude. So is doing something for someone else. We can be grateful to have the opportunity TO do something for someone.
Driving in traffic, let a car out of the side street and watch as they then, in turn, let someone else out as well. It perpetuates, and it only brings more good things to those who are grateful.
Positive actions bring more positive actions. Gratitude in all things brings more things for which you may be grateful. It’s a wonderful circle that just keeps coming back to you with only positive and wonderful things.
We all have the resource of gratitude. We need only practice it. When we do, the results are immediate. I’ve done it just as an experiment to see what happens and I must admit, my life has transformed incredibly over the past few months. It has been most apparent over the past two to three weeks.
Try a little gratitude in your life and watch the results you receive. Here’s a tip to help you get started.
Clearing ourselves to let gratitude take precedence takes a bit of practice but once you see what happens, it becomes automatic. Be mindful of what you say and make an effort to correct all the negatives. For instance, when you say, oh, it’s a horrible day or it’s rainy and miserable, try to be aware that there is an opposing view. Follow it up by saying, this is a perfect day to get those indoor chores done, or the rain is good for the lawns and gardens and everything will now flourish. Those changes are both positive and they are filled with gratitude for what is and what is to be.
Writing down what you are grateful for also helps. Perhaps at the end of the day you can write down at least ONE thing that you are grateful for that occurred that day. You can, of course, be grateful for more but start small. Then add to it and when you get to a number that works for you, maintain that count each and every day.
If all live our lives as a thank you. We will all be on the right path to our happiness and we will be healthier, less stressed and we will have a whole lot more energy.
I am grateful for this opportunity to help those who wish to learn about living in gratitude.
Intending you all a most wonderful day!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Excellent advice from a wise woman, BJ Gallagher!
How to handle negative feedback in your career
By Associated Press business staff
November 09, 2009, 4:21PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Whether it's a bad performance review or an unexpected scolding from the boss, negative feedback hits workers squarely in the ego.It's never easy to hear that something is wrong with your work, your behavior or both. And maybe the criticism is unwarranted or unfair. But becoming angry or argumentative, which many people do, will only make matters worse.
Career consultants say there are ways to deal calmly with negative comments from the boss, and to turn painful feedback into a positive for your job and your career.
PUT YOUR EMOTIONS ON HOLD
When most people get negative feedback, their immediate reaction is to protect or defend themselves, said BJ Gallagher, a workplace consultant and author of "It's Never Too Late to Be What You Might Have Been." Workers want to prove the bosses wrong and convince them how hard they really work.
The key is to avoid those emotions, Gallagher said. Going on the defensive will only make you look uncooperative, get your boss angry and you won't get anything accomplished.
Instead, Gallagher recommended "throwing a circuit breaker" on your emotions and coming into any meeting with the intent to learn.
STEP BY STEP SUGGESTIONS
Keeping some of these recommendations in mind will help you get through the difficult period after the feedback lands.
-- Try to just take in the information. But do ask yourself, "Is this true? Am I doing something I'm not aware of? Or is the boss just in a bad mood?"
-- Ask questions. Make sure your boss gives you examples of the times when your performance wasn't up to par. Rumors fly in offices, and the feedback may not necessarily be accurate. If the boss says he or hears that you're frequently late or have a negative attitude toward certain tasks, ask for specific instances.
But even if the boss can't give you details, don't dismiss the feedback out of hand. Think of ways you can make the situation better.
-- Say thank you. It may sound trite, Gallagher said, but "a complaint is really a gift."
"It means (the boss) still cares enough to tell you how to improve," she said. "Negative feedback is better than no feedback."
-- Give your boss a "mission statement" that shows your commitment to improving your performance, recommends Joseph Grenny, author of "Crucial Confrontations." Say what you'll do to resolve the problems with your work.
-- Schedule another meeting. Asking for a chance to review your work again shows initiative and lets the boss know you want to do better.
More importantly, though, the next sit-down will give the boss a chance to see that your work or attitude has improved. All too often, Grenny said, bosses hold on to negative thoughts about an employee although the worker is doing better.
FORMAL REVIEWS
"A performance review is everybody's worst headache," Gallagher said. "The feedback can be painful and frustrating, even if you know it's coming."
Gallagher said most organizations handle performance reviews poorly, and don't always take the best interests of the employee into account. But you can try to make the process more constructive:
-- Do a self-appraisal. Even if your boss doesn't ask for one, do one anyway. It might open up more communication, Gallagher said, and you'll be able to point out things you don't agree with in the formal report.
-- Use "I'' language rather than "you" language in your response to the review, and focus on what you're going to do. That will help you stay away from accusations and avoid putting the boss on the defensive. Example: "I will try to update you about what I'm working on more frequently," rather than "You need to communicate better."
-- Avoid right and wrong. You won't make things better if you blame the boss. Instead, use active statements that show you're listening, such as: "Clearly, this isn't working for you. It isn't working for me, either. Let's focus on ways to make this better."
IS IT YOU, OR IS EVERYONE?
Managers can sometimes be prejudiced against workers, and build a case against employees they don't like, said Leigh Branham, owner of the human resources consulting firm Keeping The People Inc.
"We're promoting people into management that don't really fit," Branham said. "They're good with data, but often not good with people."
But, on the other hand, be careful you don't have a victim mentality.
Talk to your peers, and try to find out if they're in a similar situation with the boss. It may be that your company is changing the way it works, and that many employees, including you, are having a hard time adapting and that the boss is putting pressure on everyone.
THE NEXT STEP
So you've been handed a bad review or a big dose of criticism. But what if, after a lot of reflection, you believe the problem just isn't there or is your boss' fault?
If he or she treats everyone else well and is harsh on you, there's a chance that the relationship between you and the boss is simply broken, Gallagher said. Just like any relationship, there are some boss-employee pairings that just don't work.
If you get the sense you're not going to win the battle with your boss, you do have some options, including reaching out to human resources for mediation. You can appeal your review or file a grievance. If it's feasible, apply for a transfer.
Or, as a last result, you can quit -- but that's not something people take lightly in this economy.
"People are more willing to put up with more abuse now in this tight job market," Gallagher said. "It's like that old saying, 'the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.'"
But if you don't see things improving, quitting just might be the only solution. A stressful work environment can lead to all sorts of problems including sleep loss and digestion issues, Gallagher said.
And it pays for bosses to consider an employee's personal well-being, too. In her research, Gallagher has found that the No. 1 reason for absenteeism is a bad relationship with a boss.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Please join us for a Friday filled with inspiration!
Source: greatgoodplace.indie...
Friday in Montclair
Monday, November 2, 2009
moments of reflection and gratefulness
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A Perfect Moment: Embrace Gratitude Imagine living as if each day were a gift. Envision that from the moment you woke up until you hit the pillow at night, your heart was filled with joy, your mind still and calm. Just picture a world without grumbling, a world where everyone is happy and grateful for where they are. Studies show that gratitude is a key component of personal happiness. People who are grateful about specific things in their past, who celebrate the triumphs instead of focusing on losses or bitter disappointments, tend to be more satisfied in the present. Gratitude Practice: Create a list of the 10 things you are most thankful for in your life. Carry it with you or post it on your mirror, on your refrigerator, or at your office. The items on your list will seemingly leap off the page when you most need a reminder of what you are grateful for. —adapted from Living Life as a Thank You (Viva Editions & Cleis Press) by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons More: |
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