The Gratitude Mentor

Don't wait for a wake up call..

to see each day differently with awe..with wonder..with appreciation

to be aware and avoid wasting time on people's mistakes and judging them but rather to love, cherish,appreciate ,respect , help them

to stop , pause breathe, see , hear, smell...etc....taking in the miracles..to see how truly big the small things are

to exchange complaining for gratitude

to exchange resentment for forgiveness

to exchange anger for understanding

to with awareness let go of petty ego nonsense , never to be blinded by the results of a person's inner wars,to transcend and look past seeing the whole person in actuality and /or in potential , being open to their goodness and greatness no matter how ,camouflaged for you it may seem, because when you do, it comes from a place of goodness and greatness within you

In other words.. my usual motto- to see everything and everyone as an awesome gift...never a given

In the end it is also all for you ,that your life can go forward and the best version of yourself ( no matter who , where, or how you are)can shine your beautiful ,totally unique, Divinely forged light into the world

The Gratitude Mentor

If life is a symphony your concerto is integral and always heard

The Gratitude Mentor

If there is music in your heart there will be dance in your step

The Gratitude Mentor

The Majestic In The Mundane(The Providence We Often Miss)

Much of G-d's Providence is lost to many of us because we do not look for it , we look for it selectively, our sight is blinded by complaints, issues, "why me","why them and not me", shoulds , musts,what has gone wrong etc
But maybe if we considered and took into to our hearts the Providence that surrounds us even in the smallest of things we would get to see them as the biggest of things and thus see a lot more

A small example:
I had let a huge pile of previously paid bills documents etc build up on my desk over the past months and as I walked passed the desk this morning a particular thought came into my head, clean the pile.

Well I had not done it for months but today I decided to do it and lo and behold I found a bill that I was more than a month overdue and if I had not found it, I would have some needless extremely bothersome trouble
Today of all days I got the thought and decided to clean the pile and actually pay detailed attention to what was on the pile

I had the free choice to go and do it but at the same time I realized it was not me at all but only G-d

Thank You Hashem

The Gratitude Mentor

Many today have ADTD?(Addicted to distraction)
Thus missing out on 
all they could do and become 
living and feeling on a totally different meaningful grateful level reclaiming an enduring wow factor 
waking up to blessing and miracles
cherishing the little things which are indeed the biggest things

The Gratitude Mentor

Don't wait for a near death experience( G-d Forbid)

To smell the roses
To pause and take in a sunset
To go from criticizing to cherishing you loved ones
To open yourself up to appreciate ,enjoy the smallest of pleasures
To see the blessing and miracles all around us

Choose Life - Act F.O.R.R. life

Fluid
keep things moving don't let the siren's song of your comfort zone pull you back into regression..always look with gratitude to take it higher, better, further.

Open
Never lock yourself into what has to be, stay open always to what can be.Seeing challenges etc as on the way and not in the way

Reevaluate
When you reevaluate with brutal honesty you will always give yourself the opportunity to choose to know where you are, what you need to change,add ,where you need to invest more etc

Reframe
Reframe the negative, the complaining,that which drains you etc in to positive empowering , learning ,inspiring growth experiences . Find some light in the dark , some joy in the challenges ,the blessing in the curse..and in learning to reframe you will ensure that your life will positively and meaningfully never be the same

The Gratitude Mentor

Never A Given Always A Gift

Wherever you find yourself any second of the day you are at the nexus of your life...make it count ..it can disappear ( G-d forbid) within the blink of an eye
Let go of negative ego and get living

The Gratitude Mentor

Dr John Demartini

December 7 at 4:00pm · 

Before you go to bed tonight, remember everyone who helped you today.

Call up their image in your mind’s eye and thank them for their support or challenge, niceness or meanness or simply their presence in your life.

Continue until you feel great gratitude for your day, until you see that both sides are perfectly balanced and both are love.

Going to sleep with a grateful, open heart is a very powerful healing practice.

Your dreams will become more inspiring, and you will awaken in the morning with a lighter state of mind.

The Gratitude Mentor

 Tenets for Miracle Class Gratitude

If G-D is reality then every second of life is a gift

Nothing is a given

Things can change in an instant

When you are occupied with gratitude you have no time for attitude

Things do not have to be this way, they could have been different

True gratitude opens your eyes to miracles

Unconditional gratitude builds bridges

Gratitude shows you that you are never alone and part of something bigger than yourself

Gratitude is the secret to abundance

Gratitude is a powerful form of validation and self esteem enhancement

Gratitude finds the meaning in your past ,is in your actions in the present and invigorates hope for the future

Gratitude reveals the majestic in the mundane

Gratitude is a constant regeneration of WOW

Gratitude exposes the awesome potential in everyone and everything

Wholehearted gratitude is the bane of Complacency

Gratitude finds the smallest light even in darkest night

"Thank you" should be two of your most common words

Gratitude brings inner peace to those who embrace the joy ,the appreciation for what they have

Gratitude creates stamina when/if challenges arise

Gratitude shows order and debunks chaos

The Gratitude Mentor

Chodesh Tov..today is the start of a new month in the Jewish Calender.
A month in hebrew is a chodesh(חודש) which has the word chadash(חדש) ,new in it
There are many messages in the connection but one could be
Never get used to life..always endeavor to see everything with the wonder and appreciation of something joyously new,never a given always a gift.

It is work...but worthwhile and achievable for when you do you will frolick enthusiastically in the miracle wonderland that is an enduring gratitude filled life no matter your age or circumstance.

The Gratitude Mentor

It can be really scary to think that things could change in a second.
, here today gone tomorrow( G-d forbid)
But that could also mean that if we are blessed to be here today ,the day is packed with endless epic possibilities, miracles , blessings etc within our reach especially because they could be gone tomorrow or in a second( G-d forbid)

So hug your day ,embrace your day stay open and fluid to all that could be and dont be afraid to fly out of your comfort zone and engage all the treasures G-d left there for the next empowered version of you no matter your age or circumstance.

The Gratitude Mentor

When you learn to celebrate the small victories( keeping your definitions fluid) your moments become great and eventually join up into days, years, life.

The Gratitude Mentor

Before you scream just consider that for many your life ,no matter how mundane you may think it is , is a dream

The Gratitude Mentor - Subscribe to the PAUSE Manifesto

PAUSE MANIFESTO

I will make the time to pause and enjoy a fresh breeze

I will make the time to pause and say WOW

I will make the time to pause and count my blessings

I will make the time to pause and see the roses despite the thorns

I will make the time to pause and smile

I will make the time to pause and say Thank you to G-D

I will make the time to pause and thank a person for even the smallest gesture

I will make the time to pause and give an honest complement

I will make the time to pause and consider how much those in my life mean to me

I will make the time to pause and say " I love you"

I will make the time to pause and ask"what do you want/need?"

I will make the time to pause and give unconditionally

I will make the time to pause and say" I am sorry"

I will make the time to pause and forgive

I will make the time to pause and see if I am walking on the spot or moving forward

I will make the time to pause and be silent

I will make the time to pause and appreciate people for who they are

I will make the time to pause and put things in perspective

Time is a gift from G-D and what we make of it determines if we lose time,kill time or ensure that even when it passes it is not lost but with us forever

The Gratitude Mentor

There is never a point in being bitter, you just actively prevent yourself from feeling better and doing even better
Power up your Gratitude for it is a bitterness battering ram

The Gratitude Mentor

Rabbi David Aaron said:
"G-d becomes believable only when life becomes unbelievable"
Find many reasons to say W.O.W every day as there is a W.orld O.f Wonder inside you as well as outside

The Gratitude Mentor - Never A Given Always A Gift

Midrash Tanchuma(Shemot,16:4)
מכאן היה רבי אלעזר המודעי אומר: 
כל מי שיש לו מה יאכל היום ואומר מה אוכל למחר, הרי זה מחוסר אמנה
anyone that has what to eat today and says what will I eat
tomorrow,he is without Emuna
There is much to be learnt here and obviously the point is not to ignore what is going on,to plan, make constant effort etc.
However one important point is that we should not let tomorrow destroy to today , we should live in appreciation for whatever we have no matter how long we have it and through focusing on what we do have we open ourselves up to receiving all that G-d sends our way whenever G-d deems fit that we see it and get it

The Gratitude Mentor - Never A Given Always A Gift

The value with which you view G-d's gift of life is commensurate with your addiction to distraction.The more the value the less the distraction.

Your Gratitude Mentor

Ivdu Et Hashem Be Simcha(Serve Hashem With Joy)

This is one of the most transformational verses in Tehillim(Psalms)

The Masters Of Life Mastery In The Secular World Talk About The Importance Of Our State Of Mind, Our Emotional State
King David knew this as did many other of our timeless icons millennia before today's gurus

If we all think of times when we were angry, sad, depressed, hurt, insulted,frustrated, disappointed , greedy etc we were not at our best. Our relationships suffered, our performance at work,our behavior, our language,actions, how we felt , we lacked clarity ,our thoughts ran rampant, our mind chatter took over etc.

Our State Of Mind directly impacts the thoughts we think ,the actions we do, the words we speak,the way we feel mentally and physiologically etc in other words our State Of Our Mind Impacts The State of Our Lives.

To be BeSimcha(with meaningful ,enduring ,non fleeting happiness, joy) is not a nice habit but critical to clarity and to a meaningful ,fulfilling,successful life.

Grateful People are Happy People-- start working on unentitled gratitude and when that takes hold travelling from your intellect to your heart ...the ripple effect will reach every area of your life,body and soul upgrading your life no matter your age or circumstance to a new level of living with miracle sight putting in the effort knowing that you are always worth the fight

Your Gratitude Mentor

Trade Your Expectations For Appreciation And Your Whole Life Becomes A Miracle- Tony Robbins 
I would add:
When you realize that your life has always been a miracle and never a given you will find joyous appreciation in what you have and where you are which will open you up to getting a lot more than you expect because you are more ready to see it.

Going from pain to giving gain

Avraham was an aged man and had been circumcised.On the third day after his circumcision, the day of the most excruciating pain Avraham sat by the opening of his tent looking for guests.
Avraham, instead of resting taking care of himself until the pain subsides and he feels better ,was actually distressed that no guests came by his tent,so distressed in fact that G-d sent three angels in the form of people his way to be guests etc.
So what does this teach us, what do we learn from Avraham's pain?

One lesson is that we learn that our life is not about our comfort, it is about understanding and living that life is so much more than just about us and thus we are so much more than our bodies and our own personal needs.

Life is about giving, helping others, empowering others etc in the understanding that when we do this for others we are growing and the flow of goodness ,of blessing in the world increases, that is power of being self...less because you make space for others and become so much more.
As we are told in Tehillim " Olam Chessed Yibaneh"( The World Will Be Built On Chessed(kindness, giving etc)

Your Gratitude Mentor - Never A Given Always A Gift

Build A Gratitude Empowerment Week

Daily Gratitude Focus
Sunday

Thank Hashem as much as you can throughout the day for everything and everyone in detail.Every success, ability,progress, feeling etc.

Monday

Thank People throughout the day for everything they do for you, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant.

Tuesday

Sit down with your loved ones and tell them in detail why you are so grateful to Hashem for them.

Wednesday

Resolve not to criticize, point out ,judge,blame etc anyone at all today especially your loved ones.Let them be themselves, experience, enjoy, desire to understand them with no strings attached...and be amazed atwhat will be revealed to you

Thursday

Take the time each day to Pause and take in all the little things,some people after a near death experience( G-d forbid) see the world in a new paradise like fashion appreciating every little thing ability etc.No reason to wait for that ( G-d forbid)....Pause Today

Friday

Any blessing you make today....stop.... take in the miracle...and make the blessing with full Kavannah(Intention, direction) with your heart overflowing with gratitude.

Shabbat

Make an extra effort not to complain at all throughout the day, clearing your mind of the toxic negativity of complaints and opening the flood gates letting the gratitude flow right in and envelop you

Your Gratitude Mentor - Never A Given Always A Gift

What you choose to fill yourself with and allow yourself to be filled with is what you pour out in the world on a daily basis( Inspired by Rachamim Bitton)

Your Gratitude Mentor

Never A Given Always A Gift
Do you have the use of your hand?
silly question?...well many do not but those who do , many take it for granted.
Can anyone guarantee that they will have the use of their hand in an hour , in a day, in a minute?
Most thinking people know that noone can guarantee that, there are so many cases where things change in seconds

I am not mentioning this to be morbid , I am mentioning this for us to celebrate everything and more, that we have taken for granted and do take for granted.
When we celebrate the smallest things,and know they could change in a second they become the biggest of things and we start to get used to saying Wow, seeing the majestic in the mundane and saying thank you Hashem
I have the use of my hands today, this minute etc
I can hear today
I can smell a beautiful flower, delectable cuisine etc
I can walk today
for every moment without pain
for allowing the muscles in my face to function so I can smile
the list is endless

and when things do not go our way we do not lose sight of all the things that do and have gone our way

Your Gratitude Mentor

When you rewire you mind to focus on ,no matter how small ,what to be thankful for amazingly you don't find much time to complain and so color starts filling your life and maybe a little bounce returns to your step and you start to feel better about life and even at times excited about what the rest of the day may bring.

Your Gratitude Mentor

Subscribe to the PAUSE Manifesto
PAUSE MANIFESTO

I will make the time to pause and enjoy a fresh breeze

I will make the time to pause and say WOW

I will make the time to pause and count my blessings

I will make the time to pause and see the roses despite the thorns

I will make the time to pause and smile

I will make the time to pause and say Thank you to G-D

I will make the time to pause and thank a person for even the smallest gesture

I will make the time to pause and give an honest complement

I will make the time to pause and consider how much those in my life mean to me

I will make the time to pause and say " I love you"

I will make the time to pause and ask"what do you want/need?"

I will make the time to pause and give unconditionally

I will make the time to pause and say" I am sorry"

I will make the time to pause and forgive

I will make the time to pause and see if I am walking on the spot or moving forward

I will make the time to pause and be silent

I will make the time to pause and appreciate people for who they are

I will make the time to pause and put things in perspective

Time is a gift from G-D and what we make of it determines if we lose time,kill time or ensure that even when it passes it is not lost but with us forever

Your Gratitude Mentor

It is quite amazing the more powerful a feeling of gratitude you awaken in yourself the more energy you have.

Never A Given Always A Gift

Thank you Hashem for granting me entry into a new day

Thank you Hashem for allowing me to be able to get out of bed.
Thank you Hashem the ability to dress myself
Thank you Hashem for everything going well in the lavatory
Thank you Hashem for the gift of being able to see today
Thank you Hashem for the gift of being able to hear today
Thank you Hashem for the gift of being able to taste today
Thank you Hashem for the gift of being able to smell to day
Thank you Hashem for the gift of being able to touch today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with the ability to see my loved ones today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with the ability hear my loved ones today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with the ability to hug my loved ones today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with the gift of speech today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with the ability to walk today
Thank you Hashem for each second without any pain today
Thank you Hashem for awesome gift of being able to think today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with food on my table today
Thank you Hashem for the blessing of being able to chew today
Thank you Hashem blessing of being able to swallow today
Thank you Hashem for letting my food digest today
Thank you Hashem for letting me able to drink today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with a roof over my head today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with furniture in my home today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with a fridge in my home today
Thank you Hashem blessing me with for a shower and bath in working order to day.
Thank you Hashem that my phone still works today
Thank you Hashem that the electricity is working today
Thank you Hashem that the water flows from the faucets today
Thank you Hashem for allowing my car to start today
Thank you Hashem for a safe journey to my destination
Thank you Hashem for every time I drove to day without incident and arrived safely at my destination
Thank you Hashem for every time that I walk without slipping or tripping.
Thank you Hashem for the washing machine working without incident
Thank you Hashem for giving me the time and ability to wash the dishes today
Thank you Hashem for allowing the washing to dry today
Thank you Hashem for allowing me to talk when I needed to today.
Thank you Hashem for all the chairs I sat in today that were sturdy and did not break.
Thank you Hashem for each and every breath today
Thank you Hashem for each and every unimpeded breathe today.
Thank you Hashem for allowing to climb the stairs
Thank Hashem for allowing the elevator to work and getting me to my floor safely ..............................................................................................................................................

I could go and on and on ..if everything is never a given and always a gift we should have thousands of thank yous a day.
So many thank yous will not give you much time to complain and rewire your mind for gratitude and grateful people are happy people

Never A Given Always A Gift

Life In Perspective

Many of the things and people we constantly complain about in our lives would mortify us if we lost them(G-d Forbid)

Never A Given Always A Gift

When you stop expecting and start appreciating eventually you land getting a lot more than you expected

Never A Given Always A Gift

Every meal we have should be a Seudat Hodaya(Meal of Thanksgiving) as nothing is a foregone conclusion ,never a given always a gift

Never A Given Always A Gift

If you make the active choice to see every second of life,everyone and everything never as a given but always as a gift you will be thunderstruck at the magnitude and majesty of Hashem's constant Hashgacha(Providence)-Your life will change

Never A Given Always A Gift

Gratitude in hebrew is Hakarat HaTov(to recognize,acknowledge,get to know the good)
This would suggest that maybe seeing the real good might not be so obvious at first glance,it may take time ,effort to see.
This also suggests that we have to engage our whole selves to find,see,get to know the meaningful good in our lives,ourselves all around us and in others.
Once we do all this a Tsunami of gratitude washes over us,never leaving us as long as we continually make an effort to get know the meaningful good in our lives thus changing our lenses adding light and color to a life we realize was in many areas lived in the shade

Never A Given Always A Gift

Gratitude Ritual
Every morning take 5 minutes to do a Gratitude Inventory.
Write down as many things that you are wholeheartedly grateful for in 5 minutes as you can.
Start your day energized with gratitude

Never A Given Always A Gift

Do you want to overcome negative pride and arrogance?
Here is one way:
When you truly let into your heart and live that it is always and only G-d then pride and arrogance are washed away by a never ending tsunami of gratitude.

Never A Given Always A Gift

Things can change in a moment- 
Be grateful for each moment
treasure your moments
fill them with all of you
make them with your loved ones
dont clog them up with ego
don't make just memories make them imprints in eternity
May Hashem bless us all with millions and millions of moments

Never A Given Always A Gift

Gratitude Ritual

Take time out each week to learn about and consider how Jews lived in previous generations, centuries etc even during the brief periods, between the horrendous cruelty most countries in the world showed us, that we flourished , the abundance we have today is unmatched.
The freedom we have today is unparalleled etc etc.
The luxury that even the low income bracket today has outshines many of the supposed wealthy in some of the previous generations.
The technology we have today would make us seem like wizards just 150 years ago

Be filled with gratitude , readjust your attitude and take your life to a new altitude.

Never A Given Always A Gift

Losing a loved one,G-d forbid ,is an unspeakable tragedy that never really heals but over time one learns to manage.

Have you ever had a dream where you ,G-d forbid, lost a loved one and it felt so terribly real?
You are overcome with intense sadness,helplessness, loss and then you wake up, get your bearings and tears of relief ,gratitude, love come charging forth.
Remember the feeling and cherish every second with your loved ones ,kicking ego out of the park,letting go of all the petty nonsense with the understanding that everyone and everything is truly a blessing,a miracle,a gift and never a given.

Never A Given Always A Gift

Every moment is a defining moment in your life if you see everything and everyone never as a given but always as a gift .

Never A Given Always A Gift

My uncle Colin died erev Rosh Hashana 5 years ago.
He was,as I understand,the world's longest surviving MSA(multi systems atrophy) patient of the train of MSA that he hadi
An extremely physically active man got the horrific diagnosis about 17 years ago.
The journey that started that day was both tragic and amazing.I could write volumes just from my perspective.
Let me leave you with this:
Initially when Colin found out and felt what was happening to him he did not want to be put on a respirator however when the disease had progressed to the stage where he would soon need one,this previously very physically active man now almost totally physically inactive ,changed his mind and chose to live..and live
he did for more than a decade and with the help of his superstar family,especially his wife Shona
In so choosing he merited:
Going to the Kotel with the amazing wish ambulance and being at his son's barmitzvah
Being at another two of his children's weddings
Being at the Bris of a grandson etc
Colin and his family chose...not a life they would have picked but being in it Colin and Shona chose to live..on a different level but living life nevertheless
So much so that I remember during the shiva sitting with my aunt and her reaction to people saying "he is in a better place" was anger and why?
She said that it was an honor and privilege to take care of him
This coming from a woman who took care of my uncle every minute of the day..not sleeping much..not knowing when and if the alarm would go off because of issues with the respirator etc etc

Clearly our essence is not our bodies and when we get that we can find a way to live and grab on to life and still find some blessing and see the gift
My beautiful amazing family who went through hell and still found some Heaven ..continues to inspire
May Hashem grant that Colin's holy soul know constant aliyot

Never A Given Always A Gift

When you remember with honesty
when you have fallen
Why you fell
How you fell
How many times you fell
What it took for you to get up
How long you stayed down
The wind of arrogance is knocked out of you and you find yourself feeling small enough to make the space to stop feeling what you deserve but rather how you can give ,how you can serve for the gratitude for the gift of life ...fills you with Wow...in the now for each new day and the many blessings within

Never A Given Always A Gift

The World you see is the one you believe in.
That does not mean you ignore or stop fighting against all the tragedies, horrors etc in the world it is the context, perspective and frame that you put them in and not allowing them to snuff out the light that is all around us. 
When life is not a given but always a gift you will find a context , perspective and frame that builds and nurtures life

Never A Given Always A Gift

Are you able to walk?..yes...!!! .Is it something you expect to do?
Many around the world dream of what you expect,yearn about what they were once able to do etc.
Put some bounce into each step for each one every is never a given but always a gift.

Never A Given Always A Gift

I truly hope you are feeling special,privileged and valued.
You have been blessed with another day.

Never A Given Always A Gift

There are so many today who do not have the luxury and/or ability of being able to eat regular food and /or food regularly.

So when you are about to take a bite ,before the blessing on the food consider saying with utter joy consumed by Wow
"Thank you Hashem for this ___ never a given always a gift"

Never A Given Always A Gift

Anything that you think is a given , is a gift and never a foregone conclusion.
What is assumed by you today is prayed for by many others, dreamed about and hoped for.

Live Gratefully