 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.  Many years ago, I had a student in my Vision Board workshop who was struggling with figuring out her career path. “You say it’s possible to make money doing what I love,” she questioned. “Well, I love watching the Real Housewives on tv. How can I make money doing that?” I felt for her and her conundrum. She posed what seemed a very logical question, and yet she grasped for an answer that didn’t seem to resonate with her underlying need. Because she was a friend of mine and I had known her for some time, I knew that underneath her question was a crying need to feel greater meaning and purpose in her life. (Of course, she also had a need to be richly compensated.) You see, there are many ways to ask a question. However, the quality of the question you ask determines the depth of the answer you receive. One of the most powerful questions that reaches into the realm of meaning and purpose is one I’ve learned from Reverend Deborah Johnson, founder of Inner Light Ministries. She asks simply: “What is your deepest intent?” Behind every action, behind every challenge, behind the scenes of all of life itself, your deepest intent is the creative force at work. “Your intent arrives at the door before you do,” Rev. Deborah explains. "The energy is so strong that no matter how you try to hide or camouflage it, it will always shine, even in the dark." The more that you are aware of and in touch with your deepest intent, the more you live your life in alignment with the core of your being. I encourage you to explore asking this question for yourself. Before you engage in an activity, ask yourself, “What is my deepest intent?” For example, here’s a conversation I have with myself when I’m about to meet with a coaching client:
As you might see, the more I engage with this question, the greater I align with a Truth that gives me a feeling of greater meaning and purpose. You can also bring this question to any problem you might be experiencing. For example, with my friend who felt confused about her career path, she might have this conversation with herself:
 For your coaching assignment this week, see if you can take a moment to ask yourself this question.
At the heart of today’s teaching is this spiritual truth: Your truest and deepest intent is the creative force behind all you do. When you connect with your deepest intent, you unleash the power of the truth of who you are. 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. Popular 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. Archives
December 2018
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