by Elaine Marie Carnegie Padgett
Hello everyone! My writer was unable to meet the deadline this week, so I thought it might be a perfect time to do this article that has been growing in my heart.
I am so proud of our new Anthology!
Sometimes when I think of how my life has changed since I began practicing a more mindful lifestyle, I am just amazed! It’s not that I don’t have the same problems or that I don’t have days I just want to pull my hair out… because I do, but they seem to be fewer and when they come they do not have the same impact on me, my life or in my heart. I am grateful for those times. No black holes into which I sink for days or weeks. No prolonged unhappy days. It’s so different than it was before.
My muse comes easier these days, and I must be in an upswing because it seems whatever I put my hand to works out in the end as well as or better than I intended. By far the greatest difference is my gratitude. I feel so honestly grateful for the people and experiences in my life.
Such as all of you who submitted such wonderful stories and Kerri Jesmer, who worked her tail off for long hours to meet the goal deadlines.
I am wrapping you all in a virtual hug! Thank you!
Being grateful for all things in your life will change your life in substantial ways. It wasn’t really that difficult a practice for me because I am a pragmatic soul and was mostly always a “half-full glass” kind of person, anyway. I read a self-help book once a long time ago and I am ashamed to say I don’t even remember the author or the name of the work, but they said,
“If a door closes… open it! That’s how doors work. If the glass is half full, then fill it up!
Easy peasy!”
It made me laugh at myself for all the imagined barriers I had put into my life. It’s crazy how we do that to ourselves… or at least I did it to myself. I always thought… Oh I could never do that! Until I had the courage to walk through that wall and do it!
There are lots of things I haven’t done yet, but I never tell myself I can’t do them. If I want to do something I gather the knowledge and do it! If not, I seek help.
Every moment I am grateful for the challenges, for the hurdles I have leaped and the ones I have tripped over for there is always a lesson…
Much Love to all of you!
Click the covers below for links to both Journeys Anthologies! Hope to see you next year. If you have any ideas about a theme for next year, PM me on Facebook and I’ll announce the theme early so everyone can be thinking of their submissions.
Thank you all again!
Elaine
