Gratitude Revisited…with Courage.

If you’ve participated in any of my journal workshops or have been reading my posts for a while, you know that there was a time I was petrified to write. I was paralyzed by the belief that the written word had permanence and power, with consequences that I could only see as negative. There was danger there, I was sure, even if I didn’t know what I was afraid of, and I could not gather up enough courage to face those fears.

Today I share in the joy of expressing myself in words, pictures, and even doodles because I have embraced that power, that very same power I only new as negative now is the key to my serenity.
Today when I put my thoughts on paper they become alive. And when I share my visions with others, they are real and, though they may frighten me, they no longer paralyze me.

Even more amazing is that by sharing those dreams with others, on these pages, in Masterminds, with a coach, or an Artist’s Way Creative Cluster, I know that I am drawing myself in the direction of those dreams. I choose to believe that the collective support of sharing does manifest my dreams. That gives me courage.

So today I am revisiting a gratitude list I wrote a while ago. These were new awarenesses then… born from a realization that I had never written a gratitude list before. I remember how good it felt to write them down. I experienced a moment of true clarity.

And, it feels great to know now, reviewing this list, that it is exactly what I want to share today. This attitude of gratitude is a part of me, expressed and now confirmed by my Inner Wisdom. It is imprinted on my soul, just as the words have been printed on the pages of this blog, my online journal, for years. These words live on, no matter what.

No matter what fears lurk in my imagination, I am armed with the courage to face them, empowered by the simplest truth in these words. Writing them gives them life, and sharing them gives me strength.

So today I affirm, once again, that I am eternally grateful for:

-knowing that a power greater than myself does work in my life in miraculous ways.
-accepting the peace I feel when I allow myself to just “BE”.
-sharing love in my life with my family, my daughter, my partner, my friends and kind, gentle strangers.
-wondering at nature, and all her amazing gifts.
-appreciating the power of the ocean, and the healing it brings to me and those I love.
-nourishing myself and strengthening my physical being.
-using my intellect, my voice, and my creative imagination as an instrument for awareness and change.
-knowing and accepting the existence of pure joy.
-appreciating the incredible women who are my teachers, mentors, and supporters, who gently push me to face my fears and remind me that anything is possible!
-allowing myself to dream BIG (after all these years) and to acknowledge that playing small no longer serves me or the universe.

So, today I will add, I am grateful to serve and support all who are drawn to my message and my work. I am truly blessed to be inspired by my life experiences, and to use my gift of compassion to teach, to mentor, and to encourage you to find your courage and to live your dreams.

What are you grateful for today? I encourage you to share your thoughts. Give thanks and celebrate, even the littlest of things.

In the spirit of wisdom, wellness, and prosperity–
I wish you everything you dream, and more!

Nanette