 With this year drawing to a close, there's a natural tendency to reflect on all that has happened this past year. As part of my own yearly practice, I ask myself a set of questions that help me to honor and celebrate the past year. This article, and the ones I will post over the next three weeks, contain these very questions I ask myself at the end of every year. I encourage you to join me by setting aside some time every week to contemplate and journal your answers to these questions. Here's one of the key questions: As you reflect back on this past year, what surprised you? You probably started off this past January with a set of intentions and knowing that certain things would happen. Maybe you had a particular goal to accomplish. Perhaps you had a travel destination planned. As usually happens, though, surprises emerge. Unplanned events, major upsets, significant delights...all of these are elements in the cycle of Life itself. So...what surprised you? There are a few different ways to reflect on your surprises. One way is to do a chronological review. Bring your mind back to January and recollect the events that happened in your life. Then move to February and so on. You can look through your calendar as you do this if you need some help remembering all the things that happened. Another way to contemplate your surprises during this past year is to examine the different areas of your life. These include: love, relationships, career, home, creative expression, wealth, finances, health, spirituality, service, community, travel, self-care, education, politics, world affairs, and many others. You can make a diagram of these words and see what happened in each of these areas of life. As you reflect on all the surprises that showed up for you this past year, I invite you to dig a little deeper and answer these questions:
Surprises are one of the great reminders that Life unfolds in ways that you might not imagine. There are infinite possibilities always revealing. Lastly, see if you can uncover a sense of gratitude for these surprises, particularly for those surprises that may not feel so good. If anything, the "not-so-good" surprises create an opening for you to respond and to show up in a greater, more loving way. For the next three posts, I'll share other questions that will help you to reflect on this past year. If you can, please save your responses and recollections because we'll be building upon what you came up with here.  This week, in the United States, many come together in celebration of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving, gratitude and appreciation are powerful spiritual practices. When we give thanks, we open our awareness to the many ways we live in a giving Universe. We get to see the richness of Life that is always present. And we allow our hearts to soften in humility to the grandness and infinite nature of all of Life itself. At any moment, you can pause and open to an attitude and atmosphere of gratitude. Even now, take a moment and ask, “What am I grateful for?” Allow the gratitude to rise and notice your heart opening. Breathe, and see what comes up. To deepen your practice just a bit, add the question, “And why am I grateful for this?” When you delve into the why, you give voice to the values that you hold dear. For example, when I asked a friend these questions, this is what she said: “I’m grateful for my dog Luna. Why? Because no matter what may be happening in my life, she’s always there to greet me and lick my face. She’s a ball of unconditional love.” In this spirit of Gratitude, I offer you this prayer that you can use to evoke greater appreciation in your life: In this moment, I recognize the fullness of All of Life, and I am grateful. I am grateful for the Life that breathes me, that brings energy and vitality to every part of my body. I am grateful for all my relations and the ways that Love reveals its splendor in connection and in community. I am grateful for my gifts, talents and abilities where I get to share the creative energy within me in contribution and service to the world. I am grateful for my physical surroundings and the sustenance I receive. I am grateful for Mother Earth, Father Sky and the interconnection between all living creatures. I am grateful for the ever-evolving nature of this Universe, which expands my own understanding of what is possible. Life is dynamic. Life is expanding. Life is Good. For all this, I am truly grateful. May you have a fantastic Thanksgiving. Thank you for being the blessing that you are. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. I'd love to hear any expressions of gratitude you may have. Please leave a comment below. Also, if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here. Finally, if you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving these weekly inspiring articles, feel free to invite them to join by sending them here.  Has a friend ever offered to buy you a cup of coffee or lunch, and you turned it down because you didn’t want to impose?
If so, you’re not alone. A friend of mine recently shared this exact experience with me. His co-worker offered to buy him a cup of coffee. He replied, “Oh no, that’s okay.” She insisted and said she wanted to do it. And still, he refused and bought his own coffee. He believed he was being a good friend to her. He didn’t want to seem like he was taking advantage of her. Out of his own sense of respect to her, his refusal seemed like the right thing to do. However, I want you to see it through the eyes of his co-worker who offered to buy him the coffee. She had a spontaneous moment of generosity arise in her. She wanted to offer him a gift, not only as a cup of coffee itself but also as an expression of her friendship. She wanted to share some goodness with him. However, by his refusing her gift, the flow of goodness was cut short. Her kindness was refused. One of the mantras I like to affirm is this: “We live in a Giving Universe.” The Universe is abundant in its love and givingness, and this overflowing of abundance shows up in a multitude ways…the warmth of the sun, the apples from the trees, and even a cup of coffee from a dear friend. Yes, we ourselves can be the conduit by which the Universe expresses its Goodness. At the heart of today’s teaching is this spiritual truth: Your experience of Good in this Universe is only limited by what you are willing to receive. This begs the question, how much Good are you willing to accept in your life? If you went to the beach and imagined the ocean as a vast expanse of Good, what would you bring to carry this Good? Would you bring a teaspoon? Maybe a cup? Perhaps a big bowl? What metaphor comes to mind that reflects your greatest capacity to allow and accept Good in your life? You see, there’s an infinite amount of Good available to you. How open are you to receiving it? For your coaching assignment this week, let’s play with expanding your experience of Good. If someone offers you something Good, see if you can graciously accept it. It could be someone opening the door for you. Or maybe someone will offer to buy you lunch. When I had one of my clients from my Re-Write Your Money Story class do this assignment, one of his neighbors "magically" offered him a hot tub for his backyard! (And of course, he said yes!) And here's the kicker. When someone offers to give you something Good, offer no arguments or refusals. Plus, you don't need to feel obligated to reciprocate by giving something back. Simply a thank you would suffice. Try it for a week and let me know how it works out for you. This is how you create a bigger container to bring to the ocean of Good…by saying Yes to the Good that is already making itself available to you. Here is my prayer for you: May this week bring you a greater Yes to the delights and surprises of Good that is always and already present. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. I'd love to hear your thoughts about today’s post. Please leave a comment below. Also, if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here. Finally, if you're interested in receiving these weekly inspiring articles, feel free to sign up by clicking here. |
About JoselitoJoselito is a spiritual life coach helping people create a purposeful, spiritual path to career and financial freedom. Sign me up to receive the free newsletterPopular Blog Articles Beware (Be Aware of) these 5 Unhelpful Money Stories How my body told me to quit my job How I was offered an all-expenses paid cruise after making my Vision Board Today I choose to live my GREATNESS You are not your stories. You are the story-teller. Your job is not your Source. |
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