appreciation – Karen Purves

Gratitude is more than your 5 a day

5 November 20182 December 2018 by Karen, posted in Do something new, Gratitude, Spiritual health

Surely, there’s not much more to gratitude than writing five things, or even 3, you are grateful for each day. That seems to be the standard advice and activity on the net.

Keeping a gratitude journal will certainly do something and it will do more if you write out each statement like this:

I am grateful for ……..

Even better, take it a step further, list 5 different things each day for 90 days and then you really start seeing some benefits.

This is why there is a lot about gratitude bing powerful yet, there is a gap between this and experience.

Don’t get me wrong. the five entries per day is a great place to start. It is the beginning.

Gratitude, and I like to use appreciation as well, is more of an attitude or a lifestyle change than quickly filling in the 5 things before dropping off to sleep or start the morning rush.

As you already know, making these sort of changes require a bit more application.

Consider viewing every action through the lens of appreciation

To grasp gratitude, consider viewing every action through the lens of appreciation. This includes driving the car, being on social media, watching TV, spending time with family, dealing with customers, staff or even your boss.

There’s a lot of science to show how we approach a situation has an impact on its outcome.

As you go about your day, pause and look around for what you can be grateful for. These can include the furniture, car, food, drink, colleagues, family, how you overcome adversity, how your life experiences so far has led you to be here, nature, your hobbies… the list is endless.

There is so much more to gratitude than your 5 a day.

The benefits of practicing gratitude are that you become kinder, more generous, more favourable opportunities arrive and life becomes less of a struggle. We all want that, don’t we?

Savouring the first cup of coffee of the day

3 November 2018 by Karen, posted in 30 Day Challenge, Do something new, Gratitude, Spiritual health

I love the smell of just poured coffee. I love the froth on top even though it’s black. I love how it sits patiently waiting for me to take the first sip. Whilst, at the same time, it beckons me to indulge.

Ooh! I love how the first sip is a mix of froth and liquor, just enough to wet the lips and heighten anticipation for more.

Whilst preparing for the next sip, I take in my surroundings. I am comfortable on the sofa, the birds add their chorus to the morning airwaves, even the chooks (hens) play a part. I feel the sun on my skin and it feels so warm; a warm embrace. I breathe in the rays slowly. The day is full of promise. I am open to all it has to offer and it sure feels good.

Am I ready for the next sip?

This time it is two two sips and now the coffee wets mor of the inside of my mouth and it feels yum! The taste buds are engaged and excited to have more. How can i refuse?

As I reach for the cup, I appreciate my arm for its strength and scope of movement. I also appreciate the strength of my hand to pick up the cup even though the index finger is bandaged. How marvellous is our body?

Now, the coffee is a bit cooler, I am able to slurp two mouthfuls for the taste buds to savour. I love the cleanness of the the taste and the liquor not having any fat. I smile with each mouthful. The taste improves as the coffee cools.

As I sit here listening to the birds and the rumblings of human activity, my mouth is alive with plump taste buds urging me to take more slurps. I smile as I love witnessing micro movements, micro desires that I may have missed unless sitting in the now.

Ah! It feels good. The combination of the warmth of the sun on the outside with the warm of the brown nectar reaching my stomach. A warming glow starts. Just the thought brings more joy, more smiles. Wow! This is starting to be a heady combination of joy and physical warmth of both the inside and the skin.

Time for another sip, erm mouthful! Ah! The coffee is now only slightly higher than body temperature. It feels more at one with me as I savour each drop along with the feelings or euphoria. Now, to maintain this for the rest of the day.

There’s now an eagerness to finish the cup in order to make a second one to in someway force the extension of this beautiful feeling and to catch the remaining moments of the sun streaming into my room.

Let me know how you experience your first cup of coffee.

30 Day Challenge for boosting my vibration

2 November 2018 by Karen, posted in Do something new, Gratitude, Health and wellness, Spiritual health

Who wants to have 30 days with no TV, with no unnecessary human contact and really getting in touch with your higher self?

Well, this is what I am going during November.

I am on Day 3 and will be posting most days during the challenge.

So far, it has been an awesome time. I haven’t missed watching TV as I have access to high vibe books on aubible, conversations on podcasts and viedoe on Youtube. The big thing though is to increase your relationship with your higher self. This is easiest when left alone together.

I have a journal where I record the Positive Aspects of life. Over the next 30 days, I will be writing in there as if I am sharing with another person. Wait! I am sharing with another person – my higher self! Already there have been so many aha! Moments and it is only day 3. I am really looking forward to the next 28 days. It is really going to be awesome.

Here is one entry in the journal:

I love waking up with the sun. It is so magical to start the day basking in the early morning sunshine. I felt so good upon waking that I made some unleavened bread dough before making coffee. I noticed how different the bread dough was this morning with the strong white flour, I had run out the last time.

I bought coffee yesterday and made a cup. Ooh! It tasted great. It feels so good to be sitting in the lounge in dappled shade writing this as well as drinking my coffee.

I am looking forward to doing this challenge and writing about it. I see the value of withdrawing from the current reality to create a stronger connection with source. And, even when experiencing contrast (feeling less good), I see it as such and letting it go. Just like I did yesterday when asked about Evie. I want to be able to talk and write about her without falling into contrast.

I love sitting here in the sunshine. It feels so good. I can hear the lorikeets chatting in the plants. I can hear the whirr of the lift as people are starting their day. A new day. New possibilities.

If you would like to follow along, please leave a comment. Anyway, I’d love to know how you feel about this post.

Appreciation and Gratitude

24 October 2018 by Karen, posted in Gratitude, Spiritual health

No one likes being taken for granted. It feels as like being a doormat, an ATM machine or an unpaid taxi driver. Yet, the demands for your time, money and skills become a drain. I am sure there are times in your life, dear reader, when some or all of these things have happened either as a giver or as a receiver.

Taking people for granted can be a killer for the longevity of relationships whether at home or at work. There is a simple activity to reverse the trend. Simply, take a few minutes to show your appreciation.

Showing appreciation is delicious. Just thinking about it now fills me with joy. this is both showing and being shown appreciation.

First all be present, if you want to start from now, watch what the significant person/persons do. And where it connects, express your appreciation for how they conduct themselves, how they helped someone, that they gave you a drink before you asked.

Saying these things show you are present and like having them around.

Don’t under-estimate the small things. Actions taken like greasing the engine, they aren’t glamorous, they have to be done regularly otherwise the engine would seize. With appreciate, sure you can splash out and buy a gift, but this isn’t really necessary.

When you appreciate someone, or something in nature, you are, in effect, saying thank you to them for being them. Like kindness, it is two way with the giver of an appreciation filled with gratitude as well as when receiving the smile and thanked. If the receiver doesn’t, then there is still the time of giving.

I write about giving and receiving because there have been times in my life that being grateful for receiving a smile in recognition of my appreciation, act of kindness has really made a difference to me. It spurred me on when in a dark hole.

Your situation may not be so dark, I hope not, so getting the thank you smile may not be as helpful. It doesn’t matter. Take what you want from this material. Providing you count your blessings daily, the days will sparkly and shine.

I don’t want you to get the idea that you are only doing kindness and appreciation in order to receive a thanks. The thanks is a bonus.