Are you ready to shake yourself up for a better life with one of the best tools ever?
Simply say, “thank you,” plain and simple. A lot. Really. Powerful.
Understanding this will never get old. Knowing how to use this tool will remedy some of the hardest times in life.
 
If you find yourself anxious, or worried, feeling down, or especially lacking, take a step back from your troubles and say “thank you.”
 
Thank the mailman.
Thank the street cleaner.
Thank the checkout clerk at the grocery store.
Thank someone in your family who has done or said something kind.
Thank your pharmacist, builder, web designer, jeweler, inspirational speaker, virtual assistant, friend, client, teacher, or student for showing up in your life. 
(This list is inspired by some of the people who get this ezine—you know who you are!)
Heck, go ahead and thank God or thank goodness too, what the heck.
 
Try saying thank you for what’s missing in your life, because it’s what’s missing that makes you strive and grow to become more.
 
Gratitude will open channels for you to receive more.
 
Be creative! Draw a “thank you” picture. Do a “thank you” dance. Sing a “thank you” song. Eat a Thanksgiving meal—with an all original menu (or not)—in June. Have a “thank you” party.
 
My mom (who is nearly 89 years young) learned from a friend of hers to say, “What would I do without you?” when someone has helped her with something. It gets a smile. When you’ve given someone else the gift of appreciation, you’ve lifted someone’s spirits. You can’t help but find yourself lifted up too.
 
Last month I found myself focusing in a pretty negative space. I asked my husband (who is a very good sport) to go back and forth with me sharing gratitude. Sounds corny but we took turns saying something we were grateful for. The results were brilliant and peaceful.
 
You’re allowed to be grateful for anything big or small, in fact, nothing is too big or too small to feel gratitude about.
 
I hope your results are brilliant too.
 
“I find that the more willing I am to be grateful for the small things in life, the bigger stuff just seems to show up from unexpected sources, and I am constantly looking forward to each day with all the surprises that keep coming my way!”
~Louise L. Hay
 
Thank you for sticking with me as I blunder my way though ezine experiments.
Love,
Aunt Laya

Thanks to mouguefile.com and lukeok for the great photo.

When you feel helpless and you feel like crying, that is a time to be very tender with yourself. Sometimes it's a time to be alone, and sometimes it's a time to reach out and ask for help.

Sometimes people feel helpless because someone has done something to hurt them, or sometimes we're just too hard on ourselves. Sometimes we're just in a down cycle, sometimes we're sick. There are lots of reasons.

Here's the main thing I want you to know:

You are not alone.
You are not alone.
You are not alone.
You can reach out and ask for help.
You can reach out and ask for a hug.

Ask for a hug.

It's okay to ask for help and hugs.

One thing I do when I feel overwhelmed is to pick just one small thing that I CAN do. Then I do it. Then I pick one more small thing. You can do that too.

Sometimes, you really just need to rest. No one can do it all and we all need to just be gentle sometimes. Be sure you've had enough good food to eat and water to drink. Or maybe you need chocolate? Or... hugs.

Ask for help when you need help.
Take a deep breath; take a step back from what ever is upsetting you. Talk it over with someone you trust, someone you know is wise.

Remember, YOU are the song the morning brings.

Love,
And hugs,
Aunt Laya

I found this quote and LOVE it.

"just when the caterpillar

thought the world was over,

it became a butterfly…" 

You know why.
Because it means that we are never done.
It means that we have another chance and another, and another to find the beauty within ourselves and each other. It means that there is something called "hope;" not something that is a maybe/maybe not kind of thing, but a potential that we can into moment by moment. And for the times when we fall down or fail or blunder-yet-again, we know that we can get up, brush ourselves off, and rise just a little bit higher than we were before.

With much love,
Aunt Laya