Bottled Appreciation

Mom got her Mother's Day present yesterday. She called me when the box arrived and I was on the phone with her when she openned it. She loves it. It's on her kitchen counter where she sits to drink her coffee throughout the day.

She said something very interesting. She thought it would be hard for me to give it away. In truth, I couldn't wait for her to get it, but at the same time, I do miss being able to look through it. When it was here, I couldn't keep my hands off it. I looked at it a lot. I told her I could always see it when I visit her.

It was so nice to have a moment where someone was showering me with appreciation. I made a consious effort to soak it all in and save that feeling for myself. There are plenty of places and times in my daily living where I know I'm doing good or doing the right thing, but I don't get that kind of feedback. By capturing that feeling when it was fresh, I can replay that feeling for myself any time I want it.

Recently, I've starting incorporating into my personal growth work the idea that rather than tell my story the way it is, I need to be telling my story the way I want it to be. It's a way to keep the vision of what I want next in my sights and on my mind in the small moments of life, the times when I have the most power to create. The big moments are when choices are made, and the little moments are when progress is made towards goals.

This isn't about living in a fantasy, it's about framing the events in my life so they support the direction I want to go. It's about saying things like: I'm figuring this out as I go, instead of saying: I'm not sure what I'm doing, or I'm confused about what to do next. By making a positive statement, I help myself to figure it out (in this example), and I give myself credit for wanting to do the best thing, even if I'm not sure what the best thing is right now.

By openning the bottle of appreciation, not only can I feel happy (which is the true goal of my personal growth efforts), but I open myself up to actually being appreciated more often by others. I want to be the kind of woman who has the grace to do all things with joy, in spite of my surroundings and the reactions of the people around me. I want to tune into my own source of joy within so my happiness doesn't depend on the circumstances of my world or the reactions of the people in my world. It's a big goal, but I believe I am becoming that woman more every day. In fact, I'm sure it is happening.