A Day Of Thanks

Today in the United States we celebrated Thanksgiving. The day means different things for different people. For some, it's a day of getting together and sharing a meal with family and friends. For others it's a day to acknowledge being thankful for what you have in your life. Others will spend the day volunteering to feed those that are less fortunate. Then, there are those who view this day as just a regular day. They place no more importance on this day than any other day.

What does Thanksgiving mean to you? What are you grateful for?

For me, first and foremost, I am thankful to and for The Lord. I am thankful for the life He has provided me. I am thankful for His guidance and His love. I am thankful for the choices and many opportunities He sends my way. I am thankful for my faith; my beliefs.

It wasn't always that way. There was a time in my life that my being thankful had a different meaning. I was more grateful for material things. I had a sense of entitlement. Having the nicest clothes, a fancy car, and a huge house meant more to me. I wanted others to want my life. This resulted in my carrying a high rate of debt. I was in fear of people finding out that my life was a lie. I found that there was more to life than just having "stuff". I could have nice clothes, drive a nice car and have a nice house without living in debt. I began to change my ways, In doing so, my happiness and thankfulness in material things began to dwindle.

I am thankful for a healthy life. I am thankful for the freedom my country affords me. I am able to make choices, get a good education and live a good life. I give thanks that I can encourage people to pursue their dreams. I can lend an ear.

There are times when we have an opportunity to do things for others. We can literally make someone's day and put smiles on their faces. If you see someone who is sad, homeless, having a bad day at work, do you do something about it or do you ignore the situation? If you choose to help do you question the motives behind your act of kindness? Are you seeking an ego boost? Are you offering to help only to get something in return? Or do you do random acts of kindness and charity anonymously? Doing something just to secure some type of reward is the wrong approach to living a life of thankfulness.

We each have different reasons for being thankful. We have different approaches. Being thankful is an awesome way to live. Be thankful for the air you breathe; for the ability to see, hear, taste, see and feel. Be thankful that you can be all that you want to be.

If you believe in the power of prayer, thank God for answering your prayers. Be grateful for your provisions. Celebrate the goodness in your life daily. Life is too short to only show gratitude and thankfulness one day out of the year.

Lessons From A Dog's Life

I have a rescue dog that is part terrier. She loves to run and play with certain types of dogs. She's very protective and will defend me if she thinks I'm in danger.

My dog is loyal. When I think of her, it reminds me of how we have a similar lifestyle. I enjoy life. I enjoy the freedom of making choices, being with friends and family. I am protective of my family especially if I feel that they are in harms way.

Dogs lead such simple lives. They are always happy to see us. They are patient and are willing to wait for whatever time we have to devote to them. When they have our attention, you can see their eagerness to please, to have fun and to explore whatever we choose to share with them. Unless they don't feel well, it's rare that dogs are sad. Dogs, for the most part, have good, positive, dispositions.

We can learn a few things from observing a dog's life. When a dog's ears go "up" they are sensing that something has changed. When trouble is looming, they may begin with a low growl that can grow and become loud incessant barking. This will alert us that something needs our attention. In our day-to-day lives, we sometimes get premonitions when something is "off". Our intuition attempts to gain our attention by sending thoughts of doubt. It's up to us whether we choose to heed these warnings or deal with the consequences.

At a young age, dogs develop personality traits that define their nature. They learn behaviors from their owners. Will they be playful, lazy, mean, good-natured, etc? We've heard that dogs take on the personality of their owners. Certain types of dogs are natural born leaders. Some dogs are "bullies", always needing to show who's the boss. Do you tend to be a leader, playful and helpful? Or do you prefer bullying tactics?

Dogs are independent. They adapt remarkably well to change. Dogs also understand dependency. They will patiently wait for our guidance while going through changes. What is our approach to change? Do we resist/question change or do we go with the flow?

I am grateful for my dog. She loves me unconditionally. She has taught me to not take life so seriously. When I am stressed and my dog is near, I take a few moments to play with her. Playing with her is one of the best tension tamers in my life.

Yes, dogs lead a simple life. Observing a dog's life can teach us a lot about how we live and choices we make. It's up to each of us to ensure that we are living life to the fullest while taking time to relax and have fun. That's the only way to have a rewarding life.

Just One More Chance

I'm a risk taker. Always have been. Although I enjoy taking risks, there are times that I shy away from taking chances. There are times when I just want to make a "safe" decision without worrying whether there will be any repercussions.

We've all experienced opportunities in which we question the decisions we are about to make or have already made. The dilemma we face is in having faith that we've chosen wisely.  Each circumstance we face can lead us in many directions. How do you determine the best option?

Taking that next step, not knowing whether our expectations will be met can be very daunting. If we over think the outcome, the stress builds up and we end up allowing doubt to plague us. There is also fear of the unknown. What happens if we make a choice and it's the wrong choice? Is there an easy fix or are we stuck with the decision we made?

Imagine that you have been presented with two great job opportunities. One job is local, the other job requires moving away from family and friends. You can envision being happy with either career move and you decide to go with whichever opportunity comes available first. Then you begin listening to the opinions of others and you begin to question whether you really weighed all of your options. What then? Do you begin to build yourself up to fear the outcome of your choice? Do you, after making the decision wonder what the outcome would be if you choose a different path? That's a normal reaction.  

Then there are times when we've made decisions that we have regretted. We wish for just one more chance to correct what may be viewed as a poor or wrong choice or decision. Maybe it was a decision to purchase a different car, going to a different college or taking a chance on a new relationship. Maybe it was learning something new, making changes or trying something different. After you made your decision, there was a feeling of regret, of wondering what could have been.

Sometimes, you just want to change your mind. You made your decision based on the criteria you previously had on hand. Then new information becomes available and you want one more chance to regroup and make sure that your original decision is still the best option.

The desire to have just one more chance is a normal reaction. It provides us with checks and balances to understand why we made the decisions we made and to make any necessary updates or corrections. Don't be afraid of taking risks, of taking one more chance. Remember, if you take a risk you win and this leads towards happiness. Poor choices may initially be perceived as a loss. You will find, however, that you learn by your mistakes. You begin to make better choices, choices that make you wiser. That's what having just one more chance is all about.

An Addictive Life

Many of us desire different things. At times, these desires turn into cravings. When the cravings become the driving force of our life, then it becomes an addiction.

Addiction is defined as a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as nicotine or alcohol) characterized by tolerance & by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. Addiction covers a broad spectrum that can include anything from food, relationships, health, money, etc.

How does an addiction begin? One example is that of being under stress. Having stress in our life wreaks havoc on our emotions. When we are dealing with situations that are overwhelming, where we don't see a way out, it's easy to turn to food and or alcohol. For some individuals, food and alcohol serve as a means of a temporary relief from having to cope with unbearable circumstances. It's a means of escaping negativity.

As we continue along the path of wanting to escape from our sorrows, our cravings become rituals.  These rituals become habit forming. We rely on the pleasure substance to meet our needs. We then entertain feelings of guilt for attempting to solve our problems via this cycle of addiction.

Addictions can stem from childhood memories, from a sport injury or a car accident. There are also addictions that stem from relationships. Have you ever met or been involved with someone whose addiction was belittling or bullying? Their craving or desire is to cause harm through words. They enjoy trying to make others feel unworthy. These individuals have low self-esteem. Their addiction is to discourage others; to convince them that they have no value. Don't believe their garbage. Throw it out. Learn to trust your insight and what you offer.

Don't allow someone else's addiction to cause you pain. You can offer to lend support to someone who wants to go through recovery. Be encouraging as they go through their trials and tribulations. Don't, however, live in denial with the addict. This is something that parents tend to do. It's hard to see your child suffer. The more you enable someone dealing with addictions the more the situation will remain as is.

If you happen to be the caretaker of an addict (no matter what the addiction) don't forget to take care of yourself. Understand that you can't solve the situation for them. Develop a thick skin and let their tirades roll off of you. Above all, have faith that eventually, the addict will move from living an addictive life into a better life. Now, that's something to look forward to!