Me & Miss Karly (my brother's puppy)

Bringing in the New Year for me was crazy, wild, hectic, a blast and … well… upsetting.

The crazy, hectic, fun part was the party that we had for my son and all of his friends that lasted the entire night and into the next day, today. They are a great group of teens with really good hearts who I enjoy having over so that was all good.

So what was upsetting?

Based on the title of this post, yes, I was robbed! Don’t ask me how but I had left my purse at Borders Bookstore the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. It did not show up in the hands of the manager until today, New Year’s Day.

I was relieved to find my new camera that I had gotten for Christmas, all of my debit and credit cards, drivers license, etc. Even the little bit of cash that was readily available was there. But what was missing was the $110 stashed away that I was to give to my mom.

At first it felt like a kick in the gut. I had to work through the feelings of disappointment and such. I kept thinking that I need to be grateful because our bank accounts could have been robbed and more, but they were not.

I also could have gone victim thinking and feeling … “Oh boy! The New Year is starting out lousy already, etc., etc.” But NO! I have been working through that since last night, New Year’s Eve, and finally after it was all said done my thoughts and energy began to shift.

What if whoever took the money really needed that money? What if they needed to buy food for their children? What if they needed the money to keep them out of trouble? What if?

And so I truly have entered into an attitude of gratitude for being robbed that some how I was able to bless someone in one way or another, that I otherwise would not have done. I know that may sound strange to some of you, but I would rather be in this place of gratitude for what was saved and for blessing someone (whether they needed the money or not) rather than being in a place of anger, resentment, and upset.

I do not believe in coincidences. I believe that everything happens for a reason and purpose. So, once again, I am believing and trusting that the money released from me will go to good use and be returned to me ten fold!

Today I am thankful for the flow of abundance and for how God takes care of us all!

By the way, my first blog post of the New Year was going to be on joy-filled focus and joy-filled weight loss! It’s a good one and it is coming so stay tuned!

Here’s to a more joy-filled, grace-filled, peace-filled, abundance-filled, love-filled New Year!

Part of becoming a “women of wonder” is cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Why is that so important?

“When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance. You are appreciating what you do have instead of focusing on and complaining about what you don’t have. Your focus is on what you have received, and you always get more of what you focus on. And because the law of attraction states that like attracts like, you will attract more abundance – more to be thankful for – to you. (The more you are in a state of gratitude, the more you will attract to be grateful for.) It becomes an upward-spiraling process of ever-increasing abundance that just keeps getting better and better.” ~~ “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield

Negative life stuff happens to all of us. It’s what we do with it that counts. What good does it do to whine and complain and stay in a mode of worry, upset and defeat? It does us no good at all as it will only keep us on a downward-spiraling path attracting more of the same. Who wants that?? I certainly don’t.

The Bible tells us to be thankful in all things for good reason. It also says the following for equally good reason:

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4:8,9 The Message

Attracting and creating more abundance in our lives is all about changing our mindset. Start by cultivating an attitude of gratitude and let it begin right here.

I invite you to use this post as a place to express your gratitude at any time as many times as you want. Let this be a journal to God and His universe as it creates an “upward-spiraling process of ever-increasing abundance that just keeps getting better and better.” And the glory will be all His!