Daily: Reflect on at least 5 things for which I'm grateful (Happiness Manifesto #2)

A sudden gush of optimism while taking a walk outside this morning. I was looking at a park covered in snow and ice and suddenly thought “it’s almost spring!”

Having my prayers answered. Slowly and so perfectly.

It’s becoming clearer and clearer to me how I truly want to live my life from now on. All it took was a simple shift in perception – I started seeing everything as Universal feedback. Ever since then everything and everyone’s become a valuable source of information.

Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I’m addicted. They’re synonomous with the holidays for me because it’s the only time of the year when my parents bought them. So now the holiday season isn’t official until I’ve finished my first box of these hazelnutty treats.

This feeling of absolute certainty that what I want is going to happen. I’ve been feeling like this a lot lately and it’s amazing.

Spending yesterday wrapping Christmas gifts for a charity that supports families in need. Each family is going to get lots of toys and clothes.

Rereading a letter sent to me from a year ago and understanding it in a new, more positive light.

My greatest gratitude for today and tomorrow is for the election of Barack Obama.

This means more to me than I realized. I shocked myself when joyful tears came pouring out of me as the first numbers came in last night, and I’m still crying. He’s the first politician that I trust and admire. Each time I hear him speak I’m inspired to be a better person and to do better. He stands as a powerful example that honesty and genuine integrity are stronger than deception and fear. This morning I woke up feeling the change he speaks about all the way up here in Canada. And, Yes we can.

I’m grateful for the bliss and lightness that comes from letting go of expectations and simply being with the moment.

I’m grateful for options.

That smiles and laughter are coming easier to me.

Seeing my life with new eyes.

Weaning myself off of an ‘addiction’ that I didn’t even know I had. I’m slowly beginning to walk down a different road.

Kindness from strangers.

I’m beginning to experience A New Earth. I understood the concepts in the book when I read it earlier this year, and now I’m starting to feel it. Today, as I was walking up and over a hilly road near where I live, I felt this amazing sense of simply being there without any other thoughts. It was powerful and peaceful at the same time. Everything felt like it was expanding outward, like a feeling of being limitless.

I made a lot of phone calls today that I’ve been putting off.

More yellows and greens added to my painting. When the sun started to set tonight, it cast a perfect spotlight on my wall where my painting lives, so I rushed to get my paints out and started brushing away.

Taking fewer and fewer things personally. Such a relief.

Happy to hear that C. is on a month long sojourn that’s taking her outside of internet access. I’ll find out where she’s gone when she gets back. I imagine her trekking across the Himalaya. Or is that something that I want to do?

All the glimmering dragonflies circling around in the park. There were dozens of them looping around the emerald patches of grass. I wonder what they were looking for? Maybe they were just enjoying their gift of flight.

A new, inviting book.

Moment of pure bliss in yoga.

A wonderful yoga instructor.

A delicious dinner.

The feeling of satisfaction after cleaning my entire home.

My painting is coming to life.

Being honest with my feelings. When my hairdresser asked me what was wrong, I didn’t paste a false smile on my face, but simply told her I was sad. And this was okay.

Surrendering to the Universe. Somethings are beyond me and I’m giving it over to the Universe.

A good haircut.

I’m slowly moving out of illusions and into reality. This is difficult because seeing some things a certain way kept me safe, but it’s no longer good for me – I’ve outgrown them. The truth is better.

A good workout.

Cocao butter. I love smelling like chocolate.

A wonderful walk last night through Yorkville. A group of friends and I went to take in the Toronto Film Festival atmosphere. The streets were filled with beautiful people, hot cars and hopeful stargazers. We saw a few celebrities, but the best part was experiencing the energy flowing through Yorkville. It was electrifying.

Letting myself sleep in as long as I felt like it this morning.

Giving up on finishing a book that I’m no longer interested in. Instead of forcing myself to finish it out of duty, I admitted to myself that I wasn’t interested and that was that.

Owning up to the truth about myself and what’s truly been happening and has happened. Very painful and necessary.

French fries. A simple pleasure.

I’m grateful for this time of great learning in my life. Though this is a difficult time for me, I’m learning immensely about myself and what I want out of life. Even my mistakes are becoming steps forward.

For the most fascinating dream last night. As lively and intense as an action movie. And filled with symbolism.

I’m grateful for the approaching fall weather and colours. I love the reds, golds and oranges.

I experimented with an eggplant dish and it came out fantastic. I will be making this again.

I’m grateful for my health. Becoming a vegetarian this spring made me even more conscious of what I eat and how I take care of myself.

A trimmer waist. One of the great side-effects of a healthier diet.

Having a park right across the street from me. On sunny days, I find a cool bench under the giant trees and read Rumi while listening to children playing on the playground.

An amazing realization on Wednesday that’s still reverberating through me. I can feel that this is going to change me. While sitting in the park I realized that I’ve been living with an assumption that wasn’t true anymore. I wonder if it can be as easy for me to let go of this assumption as it was to figure it out. It’ll probably take some time to settle and become a part of me. I’m very grateful for this moment.

I’ve been away for a month and everything looks different here. I hope everyone is happy and well.

I’m grateful for everyone that wrote to me. I’m doing fine and I’m taking time to savour the summer and sort out where I want to go with my life.

I’m grateful for a wonderful summer, filled with festivals and laughter.

I’ve started painting again. After such a long absence, I’m once again enjoying one of my greatest loves.

All the kind people surrounding me.

My new outlook on life. It’s actually more of a feeling – I feel a greater sense of purpose and energy. There’s something new and exciting about each day.

I’ve started to ask myself throughout the day: “What’s great about this moment?” Doing this always lures me into a good mood. This is probably the next step to keeping a gratitude log each day. It reminds me that miracles happen in every moment.

That said, I have an abundance of gratitudes since I last wrote here.

I’m grateful for the wonderful trip to Hawaii and Tokyo that I took with my mother. Travelling around the world together we laughed a lot and I’m grateful for the experience. This photo is me walking along Waikiki beach on one of our first days there. I love this picture for capturing the brilliant aqua colour of the ocean. Its brightness reflects how I felt walking on the sand that day.

Honalulu and Tokyo for being so open and gracious.

I wake to the sounds of birds singing every morning. Maybe they just moved into my neighbourhood or maybe my ears are more alive to nature these days. I adore the way they open my days.

The small miracles that happen to me every day, like finding the weekend paper in the lobby left by someone when I was on my way out to buy a copy. How amazing are these moment?!

My vision wall is alive with pictures and colour. It’s my version of the vision board, except it’s my hallway wall. I love looking at it – the smiling faces, the cheerful colours and light. They are my constant reminder to what’s possible.

My inexplicable sense that things are unfolding as they should for me. Even when my rational mind may be in red alert zone, my instincts tell me that I’m in the right place, doing the right thing.

I’m doing exactly what I want to do, and I love doing it.