Lightning Strike a Heart

It was a bad thunderstorm for the White Mountains and several times we had the hikers drop their packs, spread out and adopt the “lighting position” we’d taught and practiced at basecamp.  The kids were scared, and I was scared, so when the storm moved off we were relieved, but now we had a new issue, we were cold, wet, tired, and the storm had driven us off the trail.  I remember holding one of the kids as he cried, telling me he was too tired to go on as darkness covered us.  As we stood there, a faraway lightning strike lit up the sky and I saw a glimpse of our trail slowly winding 100 feet below.  Most of the Thanksgiving long weekend I rested, exhausted by my tooth extraction and starting back on both oral chemos.  We’ve all been there, tired, wet, and feeling lost.  Sunday, I spent time with my grandkids, and at the end of the day I caught a glimpse of the trail slowly winding down off the lonely places we all sometimes go.  Lightning strike someone’s heart this week and help them glow.  

Gratitude Bracelets

With George Winston’s “December” album playing in the background, my abscessed tooth finally out and the real feeling that healing has begun, I realize I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving eve.  Many of you have connected to the stories in my life blog and shared with me your stories, growing our understanding together about this awesome journey we call life.  Yesterday, a short piece I’d written about gratitude bracelets was published in Cancercerwise, an MD Anderson blog site written by cancer survivors and caregivers to provide support and inspiration for others along their cancer journey.  I wanted to share this piece with you as my Thanksgiving gift to all of you who have joined me in my journey.  You may decide to make gratitude bracelets a part of your Thanksgiving traditions.  Be Well – Be Grateful – bill  

Gratitude Bracelet Making

Gift of Gratitude

My dad visited several days before my back fusion in the mid-70’s, but couldn’t stay for the surgery.  However, it didn’t matter, for my mom who had died years before came to me during the surgery, and then sat with me for days after in the recovery room calming my fears as she shared the joy she’d experienced in our short life together.  I remember waking up in the recovery room expecting to see my mom sitting by the bed.  She wasn’t there, but her faith and gratitude in the goodness of life was, a gift I had watched her live through her cancer journey.  Exactly one month ago I started the pain, sinus infection saga with my abscessed tooth, and today MD Anderson dental will extract it.  Last night’s memories of my mom’s care during my back fusion underlined once again the gift of gratitude we all receive – all we have to do is accept it, and live it.  As you prepare for the holiday, may you live the gift of gratitude.    

Thanksgiving Meal Traditions

What are your favorite Thanksgiving meal traditions that ensure those around the table share the spirit of gratefulness and love?  You have a few days to prepare and I have a few suggestions. 

1.    Cut out rectangle scraps of paper and have each guest write one thing they are grateful for on the paper.  Make a gratitude chain that can grow each with each Thanksgiving and be hung at this time of the year in the kitchen as a reminder of past years thankfulness. 

2.    Put all the guest names in a hat and take turns drawing names and giving thanks for one thing about the person they picked.

3.    Have guest write one thing they are thankful for and put these in a hat.  Pull the notes out and see who can guess which guest wrote what.

4.    Use a tree branch with fall leaves to make a memory tree hung with pictures of memories that will bring smiles and good stories.

5.    There is no better way to show gratitude than by serving others.  Have each guest serve another their Thanksgiving plate.

6.    Place 5 kernels of corn at each place setting and before the meal tell how in the cold, harsh winter of 1621, sometimes only 5 kernels of corn were rationed out to eat.  But even the small size of the ration was viewed as a blessing.  It’s not the size of our blessings that matter, but being grateful for the small ordinary things in life that make life so very special. 

7.    Before the meal have guests that are interested write a Thanksgiving poem or pray to be used at the meal. 

I hope these ideas remind you of your own Thanksgiving meal traditions and get you thinking of new ways to honor the holiday by ensuring gratitude is at the center of the celebration.  

Mindful Breathing Spaces

The last few days I’ve been running around to meetings, coaching, and teaching.  However, I’ve gotten pretty good at snatching a few minutes throughout the day to grab “mindful breathing space”.  We all take structured and random breaks during the day for physiologic and psychological rest, but we need breaks where we give full attention to ourselves and our spirits.  Mindful breathing space refreshes us, reset our attitude, significantly reduces stress, and engages our spirit in a way that reenergizes our passion for being our best.  Are you taking mindful breathing spaces during your day?  Mindful breathing space = one minute of full awareness or checking in, a second minute focused only on your breathing, and the last minute taking your awareness into your thoughts and emotions expanding the possibilities of being your best!

Rainbow Bubble of Love

This morning a cab pulled up next to me at a stoplight with his windows down and radio blaring “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling.  As we drove off, we traded thumbs up and the music took me back to the Laughter Yoga class I taught yesterday.  It was a small class of four women, all cancer survivors, one was very weak and had trouble standing.  At the start of the class, I always ask what role humor or laughter plays in their lives.  I was somewhat taken back for all agreed that there was little humor or laughter in their lives or cancer journeys.  Laughter yoga is one of the toughest classes I teach because attitude, letting go, and being playful is hard when scared.  But this class worked and by the end of the class we all felt the rainbow bubble of love that surrounded us.  We were all standing by our chairs with big smiles, none of us wanted to stop, for we’d shared that “lovin’ feeling”, and didn’t want to let it go.  Surround yourself with a rainbow bubble of love today and THRIVE!   

Attitude of Gratitude

Yesterday, I taught about “joy” in a class with caregivers and cancer survivors.  As I listened to individuals describe the joy in their lives, I was reminded of my own cancer journey and the importance that gratitude plays in moving me away from the fear and anger into a place where ordinary moments become special.  A 23 year, 4^th stage breast cancer survivor talked about reading at night to her granddaughter and her gratitude for granddaughter snuggles.  A young mom with thyroid cancer talked about her fatigue, daily stress, and fear because she really doesn’t have the energy for work or being the mom she wants to be for her young kids. 

We all know these feelings for life has gotten way to complex, and most of us are facing constant change in our work and home lives.  What are the daily wellness practices that help you deal with these times?  Have you included gratitude in these practices?  If not, you must for an attitude of gratitude brings a peaceful calm that resets your well-being, strengthens your resilience and increases the opportunity for you to be the best you can be!

What are you grateful for at home?
What are you grateful for at work?
What are you grateful for in life?

Remember an attitude of gratitude gives you more moments of being who you want to be!