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Gratitude is a Super Power!

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I am grateful to be looking at gratitude yet again this blog!
Gratitude is an awesome superpower. I read recently that one of the most powerful statements you can make, feel or think is ‘thank you’. Thank you to others and yourself too.
 
It is so helpful to remember to be thankful to all those people in our lives who have been motherly, kind and caring toward us, including of course our own maternal mothers, to whom we owe so much, including our lives. Remembering to be thankful to friends, family and strangers too for the kindness they show us in all sorts of ways is powerful to promote our happiness and peace of mind. We'll talk more about gratitude for mothering kindness next blog, as it will be Mother's Day weekend. I'll be on board travelling from Canberra to Sydney!
 
It is also great to be thankful to others who give us the opportunity to be kind to them. This includes, friends, family, pets, strangers and of course our children or anyone we care for.

It's great to remember to tune into our wise selves to be kind and thankful to ourselves too. Seeing ourselves be a positive force in the world, being kind and grateful creates a happy perception. We can reinforce this goodness by being thankful to ourselves. We can be grateful to ourselves for doing our best to be a kind, positive force in the world. Remembering also to forgive ourselves and others for all those so called ‘mistakes’, more helpfully known as learning opportunities. 
 
The opportunities to extend kindness do not always come in the ways we expect and sometimes these kind acts are received without thanks. I find it helpful to thank myself, especially during those times like when I have spent a lot of time and effort doing something like making a family meal which is received with 'I don't like this!' Resting in my intention to have prepared a healthy meal and thanking myself helps to prevent resentment. A space I  have known very well. 

Sometimes extending kindness, especially as parents, can be in the form of a strong boundary like ‘please, don’t speak to me like that’, or ‘no, you can’t do that’. Such Kindness always has the intention to protect others from harm.

I can remember the need for such a strong kind boundary many years ago when I needed to enforce the ‘no sleeping with phone rule’ with my then thirteen-year-old. As I was saying goodnight to them, I discovered the phone under their bedclothes. I removed the phone and there was much subsequent protesting.  I needed to check in with my wise self to remember that my intention was to prevent harm and for them to get a good night’s sleep. I was then able to thank myself for being courageously kind, as the protests continued.  
 
More about gratitude and its awesome benefits next blog.
With love, appreciation and very best well wishes to us all 


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Why Not Wear Lipstick and Mascara?

8/11/2017

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​Do you ever get a little slapdash with taking care of your appearance? I often do, and don't take the time or care to spruce myself up. At times I can have a somewhat prideful attitude around wearing makeup or taking extra time to look my best! It is the same prideful attitude I have when I hear myself say 'I don't get sick'.

As I have said before, pride, or feeling better than others, and conversely feeling worse than others (what I like to call 'reverse pride' ) are two sides of the same coin. Both undermine confidence and happiness, and feel yucky too! 

When it comes to taking care of our appearance, how can we can balance out those unhelpful ideas that firstly, we need to look 'better than others' or that secondly, we do not need to take care of our appearance. The balancing attitude is sprucing up for others. I am often reminded of how nice it is to appreciate and compliment others who have made an effort to present well. And how I appreciate compliments from others too. So it may be time to get over ..
  • that unhelpful pride - feeling we have to look better than others
  • that unhelpful reverse pride - feeling that we are worse than others, can't be bothered lazy or are not good enough 
And instead rebalance things with doing my best to look good for others.  It is respectful to others and myself and makes me feel better and allows others the opportunity for appreciation. Though of course it is best for my own mind not to expect such appreciation, or for them even to notice. I can only work with my own mind and intention. 

Many years ago I read 'Almost French' by Sarah Tunrbull. Sarah tells her story as an Australian woman, backpacking around Europe, meeting a french man, named Frederic and living with him in Paris. One thing that really struck me was when Sarah tries to leave the apartment to visit the baker wearing 'tracky dacks', or jogging pants, Frederic objects, telling her it wouldn’t be nice for the baker to see her like that. So again that better for others, in this case the baker, balancing to overcome our pride or reverse pride. 

Inspired by those around me who take care of their appearance, those who give me the opportunity to appreciate, admire and compliment, I have decided to make efforts to lift my game. I have been wearing lipstick and mascara and taking extra care of my appearance, much to the surprise of those who know me well. Of course there is still a time for lounging around home in the tracky dacks, but I have decided to make more of an effort in how I present for others. It makes me feel better too. Even if others do not notice I know I have made an effort to be better for others.


The other day I went looking for my friend Sheryl's birthday on FB. Sorry I missed it Sheryl! I read with interest on Sheryl's FB profile page, under religious views a quote from Abraham Lincoln. It read ..
  • When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion. - Abe Lincoln
So out of respect for myself and others I am doing a 'better for others' rebalance with some lipstick and mascara. And it feels good! I must admit to finding the lipstick a little challenging as I have inherited my Nan's thin lips and if I am not careful can end up with the older Nan lipstick look! Have gone with a natural colour, which helps, when I miss my lips!   

Make-up may not be your thing, but maybe a haircut, wash, beard trim or shave, some new clothes or a shoe clean may be the spruce up that is for you, for others. 


Have a great week. Thank you all  
Kind Regards and Best Wishes 
Maree xx ​
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