This month we celebrate Thanksgiving and here at The Wonder Woman Challenge we are actively cultivating an attitude of gratitude.  Gratitude certainly comes easier to some than others, but regardless, when we are under high levels of stress it is harder to focus on gratitude.  Whatever we are stressing over becomes our focus and I know for me I can go into an obsession mode in my thoughts.

Having said that I believe, though, that we can control our thoughts.  It may not always be easy but, yes, we do have the ability to take control over our minds and our thoughts.

Today I am feeling stressed and I am having a hard time focusing on anything but my stress.  I decided to take my mind captive and in doing say I needed to set the atmosphere for my mind to make the change so that I could work.

I immediately tidied up my work space, made a cup of tea using a pretty tea cup, lit candles, and put on soft music.  Why?

First of all the candles and soft music relax me inside and out.  Secondly, this type of atmosphere is beautiful to me and beauty is a core value that touches my spirit.  It is like a sweet balm to my spirit.  And third, I pulled out Rescue Remedy, a flower essence that I take internally to calm me down.

Just as I have challenged the followers here at The Wonder Woman Challenge to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in a fun creative way,  I am cultivating my own attitude of gratitude by keeping a journal, at least at this point. I do have some other ideas floating in my mind that are not fully developed yet, but for now journaling is what I need.

So after setting the scene, I then got out my gratitude journal and began to jot down things that I am thankful for.  Do you remember the quote by Joe Vitale about gratitude in the last post,” Add Gratitude & Stir”?  Take a look if you don’t remember, but know that gratitude can be a very powerful tool in our lives!

Are you feeling stressed out today?  Are you having trouble focusing on the tasks at hand?  Take a few minutes to bring calmness to your spirit and enter an attitude of gratitude.  It doesn’t have to be anything grand … just something simple.  And, I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Remember, 15 minutes a day in a self-nurture activity is all it takes to begin to fill your cup with joy, which is exactly what I did today.

God/faith  family   security
love   beauty   creativity
joy   peace   serve/service
wealth   order   freedom

The more we know and understand the beauty of core values in our lives and actually live by them, the more fulfilled we live.  And sometimes when we’re faced with a big goal and/or task it is imperative that we link our core values to the project.  Otherwise when the tough gets going we will have a tendency to give up.  We need to know our why – even – the why behind the why.

One of my core values is beauty.  I have learned the importance of having and creating beauty in my life.  Without it life becomes blah and I can become depressed.  Beauty motivates me and inspires me.  It can certainly make me move and groove.  Something beautiful can instantly bring me to tears as it touches my soul, that inner part that makes me me.

I never used to be a tea drinker.  Why do I bring that up?  Because years ago I discovered the beauty of drinking tea.  There’s a real art behind tea time and tea parties … and oh my gosh how I love that art.  It’s so beautiful to me as it appeals to all five of my senses.  It nurtures my soul and brings me incredible joy.

Taking it a step further, when sharing the experience of tea time with others it becomes an act of kindness, an act of service, which is another core value of mine.  A person doesn’t have to like tea to be nurtured by the whole experience.  And don’t think for a minute that the guys don’t enjoy it because they do even if they don’t want to admit it. =)

If you haven’t done something that feeds and nurtures your soul for a while and/or if you’re finding yourself  in a state of low energy maybe even depressed, pick a core value that’s important to you and act on it.  Have fun with it.  And if you want to do something but don’t know what?  Just choose a core value and become playful like a child.  I promise that your spirit will soar – it will leap with joy!

“Playfulness feeds the spirit and soul allowing for awesome moments of inspiration.”

In what ways are you feeding your soul, your spirit?  Learn the beauty of core values!