Twelve by Twelve

I'll be speaking at a local resort in March for the resort's clients. You guessed it - "Stress" is the topic! While talking to the Director who is planning the luncheon I had an insight I'd like to share... because it will help.

Often times we read or hear about the importance of gratitude - and of finding and nurturing gratitude in our daily lives. "Attitude of Gratitude" as the saying goes. And sometimes people feel, it is hard to find gratitude. I think they find it difficult because they are looking for the big things, "I'm so grateful I survived the car crash... or that I made it through chemo... or I did not need surgery..." or some other major life event.

But if you focus on little things - you can find them everywhere. How 'bout this one for those in the Valley... 85 degrees and sunny on February 24th! Could you be grateful for a good cup of coffee or tea? Could you be grateful for the full tank of gas? Or the fresh spinach in your salad? Or the perfectly cooked eggs for breakfast?

Could you find "Twelve by Twelve"? How might your attitude shift if you purposely focused your mind to find and write down - 12 things for which to be grateful before 12 noon? Could you do this everyday? When you do, at the end of just one work week you'll have purposely written down 60 things you found to be grateful about. Sixty. That's a big number. Chances are you aren't writing six things down now.

Why write them down? Because it forces you to find them, recognize them, acknowledge them and take the moment to appreciate them.

Twelve by Twelve... and then maybe another 12 before 12 midnight... 120 gratitudes a week - and then even more on the weekend...

My guess is that will shift your perception and begin to change your life.

Time for me to get a notebook and start my list! First is gratitude for Dawn at Xona Resort Suites for inspiring the concept. Second is to have this vehicle to share my views. Third is the audience who reads this....

Hey, this is pretty easy. One last point. Be sure to take a moment and reflect on each one. get the feeling don't just make a list. Invest these few minutes into training your mind and notice how different you feel by 12 noon every day. And when you do feel different... keep the list going.

Let me know your results/comments/feedback.