Amy Collette

Welcome to the shift! That’s how I see the Mayan calendar “end of the world” moment we’re in now. It’s not the end of everything, but a chance to examine what we’ve learned and what that means. We’ve learned that violence breeds more violence, and what we want is peace and compassion.
This time is like a turning point in your life, but it has global implications. It’s a shift in the energy of the planet, and we’re all important in making that shift to the positive. This shift has been happening for decades. Some of the visible signs are things like:

• Meditation, acupuncture, energy work and other alternative healing practices becoming mainstream and even promoted by the medical establishment as powerful healing modalities.
• The outpouring of generosity after Hurricane Sandy earlier this year.
• Inspirational viral movements such as the 26 acts of kindness, started to honor the 26 people killed in the tragedy at Newton, Connecticut. (See the #26acts hash tag on Twitter.)
• Acceptance of the basic rights of humans, regardless of color, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation

The shift happening because there are more of us listening to the call of our inner light, adding enough positive power to reach the tipping point.

So, how do we shine our light? 

• Practice gratitude
• Turn off the news and focus on the good
• Hug people we love
• Love ourselves, others, and our planet
• Reach out to people in need
• Stay healthy
• Play, dance, and sing
• Whatever makes us feel happy and strong

May we all continue to share our light and help this shift continue and grow. Where there is light, darkness cannot penetrate.

One of my favorite TED speakers is Shawn Achor. He’s brilliant, and his talk is funny, engaging, and inspirational. I like it especially because first on his list of how to be happier: Gratitude.

Shawn Achor: The Happy Secret to Better Work

Wouldn’t it be great to bring the feeling of Thanksgiving into your life every day?

Around the table this year on Thanksgiving, we took turns talking about what we were grateful for. I was touched by what people shared – especially the children. Their total honesty and innocence inspired the adults to be open, too.

So, let’s keep it going. Just spend a little time every day, by yourself or with people you love, to think about and deeply feel what you feel lucky or grateful about.

What can you celebrate today?

I think I’m an alright guy
I think I’m an alright guy
I just wanna live unitll I gotta die
I know I ain’t perfect but God knows I try
I think I’m an alright guy
I think I’m alright

         Todd Snider – Alright Guy

You know how babies just learning to walk go for a few steps and fall down? Do you think of that as a mistake? As failure? No – it’s just a process of learning what works and what doesn’t. You just say, “you’re alright – try it again!” And she does. Usually no crying, just a determination to get back on her feet and go another few steps.

So – what if you could look on your own failures like that? Just a boo-boo that you learn from and get better at with each bump?

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

- Melodie Beattie

“Love your shoes!” “Thanks!” Women regularly start this conversation with other women they don’t know. Sometimes it’s just a quick conversation in an elevator, and it makes both people smile as they go their separate ways. Other times it’s a way to start to know each other.

Guys do the same thing with cars or sports. A Chicago shirt always leads to the “Cubs or Sox?” question. It usually sparks a story and a couple of laughs.

These tiny connections can make a huge difference in your day. They say, “I’m interested in you. I want to reach out and make contact. I’m glad you’re on the planet – you matter.”

It’s one of the easiest gifts you can give, and a great way to practice gratitude.

When someone thanks you for something, you reply…. (Please choose the best answer)
A. It was nothing
B. Just doin’ my job
C. Aww, shucks, anybody would have done the same thing
D. Forget about it!
E. Don’t mention it
F. You’re welcome

Okay, the obvious answer is “you’re welcome.” But how many times do we answer with one of the others?
“Thank you” is a gift. Not accepting it is like throwing that gift back in the giver’s face or stomping it under your heel. Maybe you really feel that you did nothing, and you don’t deserve a thank you. But the person who is giving you thanks feels differently and wants to connect with you through gratitude. Accepting it graciously invites more grace into your life.

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.
~ Shunryu Suzuki

Today I am blessed and inspired by Louie Schwartzberg’s gratitude message:

“So if you love somebody better tell them so
‘Cause you never ever, ever know when they gonna go
If they love you back, just give thanks
Can’t keep love like money in the bank”

~Michael Franti and Spearhead “Life in the City”

Songwriters: Jason Patrick Bowman, Michael Franti, Carl Rogers Young