Gratitude is not always a theme. Usually I combine it into some form of theme in order to write this blog. Today there are two themes because this is real life and it doesn't always fit in one box. 

The first thing that is sparking my gratitude this morning is coconuts, specifically the uses of coconut oil. It is a great, healthy cooking oil. It makes brownies taste phenomenal! But it has a multitude of uses outside the kitchen as well. 

I use coconut oil for oil pulling; swishing oil in the mouth to draw out bacteria and toxins. It can be used as a moisturizer. And because of it's antibacterial properties can actually moisturize while fighting acne! Which is awesome for me because my skin can get very dry. 

It can be used as a natural hair conditioner to help tame frizz. And as a bonus it adds shine to your beautiful locks. I could go on and on but in all honesty I'm still just learning all the amazing things it can be used for. 

I'm grateful for learning more uses for coconut oil. I'm so grateful to have one thing on hand that has so many uses! I'm grateful to have a fresh, soft face this morning. And I'm grateful the scent mostly washed away so that I won't be craving brownies all day, haha! 

Now changing gears, I'm also very grateful this morning for silliness. The ability to say "oh coconuts" when things go wrong combined with being just plain playful. Laughter is good medicine! And between these two things my medicine cabinet is well stocked.

I'm grateful for silliness!!! I'm grateful for the way my dogs make me laugh. I'm grateful for my husband's silly jokes and funny voices. I'm grateful to know that laughter is more than just fun, it is healing. And most of all I'm grateful to let go of all the cognitive reasons why and just laugh because it feels good. 

When was the last time you laughed? When was the last time you tested out coconut oil for something other than cooking? What uses have you found for coconut oil that you could share?

Happy Friday! May laughter rejuvenate you today. May you find a simple solution to all of your needs and may it bring you joy. Have a beautiful day!

Almost everyone can say they are grateful for something. Most people recognize the love of their family or the blessing of being alive. Yet the true power of gratitude is in not conceptualizing it but in FEELING it. 

Feeling grateful, that strong emotional response, is what alters moods and uplifts lives. For me, when I am truly feeling grateful it makes me feel like my heart is expanding. It makes me feel like I'm floating. And sometimes it even makes me feel like I may cry at the beauty of the blessings around me. 

While I fully recommend finding new things to be grateful for each day, it is more important to truly FEEL the gratitude you are expressing. I can say I am grateful for this Tervis (cup) that comes with a straw to make it easier to drink and get my water intake throughout the day. Yet unless I truly feel that, unless that gratitude actually moves me, it will not bring about the larger change in your life. Now, if I can sit here and think about how far the invention of the cup has come from an animal hide to a tin cup to now a fully insulated, lidded container and that strikes a cord deep inside me of true feelings of gratitude, then great! But if, even after intellectualizing this I only feel that, "that's pretty cool and I should be grateful..." Sorry, it doesn't work that way. 

Emotion is the key to uplifting through gratitude. So today I invite you to let go of the idea of what you "should" be grateful for. I even invite you to let go of the rigid lines of not repeating and instead focus on what you truly feel. Take a deep breath. Now, what are you grateful for?

I am grateful for the look in my husband's eyes this morning when he saw me wearing the same lace headband from our wedding. I'm grateful for the passion I feel when we kiss and the ones that still give me butterflies in my stomach. I'm grateful for all he does each day to support my dreams as I continue to grow my business. 

I'm grateful for the love I share with my dogs. I'm grateful that they let me know when they are needing extra attention and even more grateful when I am able to take the time to give it to them. I'm grateful for the ways they make me laugh.

And as I write these I am moved. I feel the gratitude welling up in me and I feel great! And the more I feel this way the more things I realize I'm grateful for and the more I'm uplifted. This is how I start my day. This is how I can say, today will be a great day!

What are you grateful for? How does it feel? Take just a few moments to block out any of the stress and to do lists from your mind and just give in to feeling gratitude. 

May today bless you with floating in gratitude. May you find strength, love, and courage in the blessings you already have today. Have a beautiful day!


For more information of Gratitude and Empowerment Coaching Services please visit www.ReyofGratitude.com or email me at ReyofGratitude@gmail.com. Thank you!

From wishing upon a shooting star to hoping something happens and even setting intentions; we frequently ask for things to go our way. Perhaps we are praying to a higher power when we ask for support or opportunities. And yet, even with the amazing powers of the world and the heavens, many of the things we ask to happen are ultimately granted by our own actions.

I want a loving relationship where we support each other and spend time together. I want a relationship that is patient, kind, and loving. Do you know how I get this kind of relationship, that I'm happy to say I have today? It is by BEING the very person I am seeking. It is by taking the time to love, support, and nurture my relationship. It is by being patient and kind to my spouse. It is by going that extra step to understand each of our processes and honor that.

I want to make a difference in the world. I want to help people uplift their lives. I want to use the strengths I have to find opportunities to do this. And I do this by keeping my eyes open. I do this by setting the intention and then taking the actions necessary to create it. It means taking some risks and stepping outside my comfort zone sometimes to grab these opportunities. My intentions are heard, my wishes are granted, and opportunities are all around me but that only makes a difference if I act! 

Full Moon energy is still high and supportive. It is a great time to set intentions and an even better time to act on the ones I already set. The world can't do it for me. It is my wish, my intention, and only I can choose to pursue it. 

I'm so grateful for a supportive family. I'm grateful to use the inspiration of shooting stars and the power of intention to help manifest what I want. I'm grateful to recognize specific actions I can take to reach these goals. And I'm grateful for time to focus and gain clarity on the next step. 

I'm grateful for my husband, parents, and grandpa. I'm grateful to take time to spend with them, committing to those relationships. I'm grateful to see my own reflection in them. And I'm grateful to see the correlation between the relationships I want to have and the person I am. 

What do you want? What wishes and intentions have you been setting? What is the next step you can take toward those dreams today? 

May you be blessed by the knowledge in the mirror. May you see the opportunities before you and find the courage to take those steps. Have a beautiful day!

Today my husband and I both took off work for a whole day just to spend together. It is so nice knowing I have a whole day with him without the normal weekend to do list or the quick evening out. Today we get to celebrate each other and the rich city we live.

I'm so grateful to marry the man I love. I'm grateful to know that we balance each other. I'm grateful for his patience and his kindness. I'm grateful for his intelligence and ingenuity. I'm grateful for the balance I bring with my own kindness and creativity. And I'm grateful for our marriage that is teaching me so much. 

I'm grateful to take this day together. I'm grateful to know that we can celebrate each other without it needing to be a holiday or anniversary. I'm grateful to take the time to be together and explore our city.

When was the last time you took a day to yourself or a date day with the ones you love? What characteristics can you celebrate about those you love today? 

May you find gratitude in your relationships. May you find love and joy in the choices you make. Have a beautiful day!

We are all gifted with special talents and strengths. Some of these we have learned through the situations we have been through while others we seem to be blessed with at birth. 

These talents are not always the black and white of the simple terms of our language. Smart, for example can mean a huge variety of things. Creative is another attribute that comes in a variety of forms. Yet no matter which talents each person has, when brought to the group, the group is strengthened by this variety.

Last night my husband and I joined friends at a place called Escape Room. It is a live action game; locked in a room you have to find clues and solve puzzles to find the code that unlocks the door... in less than an hour. 

It was such a fun and mentally stimulating game! And it was neat to see which talents each of us brought to the table to help complete our task. (Which we did in fifty-three minutes, not bad for our first time.) 

My mind was searching patterns, what numbers were missing from random things around the room or what numbers might come next in a series. Several friends were better at the observation aspect of what was out of place while still others were better at seeking hidden places. And my husband, always the critical thinker and problem solver did an amazing job at thinking outside the box. 

I won't go into detail for those wanting to try this game themselves. But today my gratitude comes from seeing all the pieces of the puzzle, and I don't mean the game. I have always been aware that our different strengths are important and make us stronger but seeing it in action was truly empowering for me. 

I have struggled recently with feeling like I have lost some of my intelligence (and vocabulary!) from a combination of a concussion I suffered last year as well as lack of use I'm sure. Having grown up identifying with being "smart" I was missing that title even while I know I have more knowledge in other areas, such as psychology, now. 

Last night showed me that I am still "smart" just in a newly defined way but also that I haven't lost as much of that critical thinking as I thought I had. Yet what I was more grateful to see was that "smart" is a lacking label because we are all so smart in our own fields and talents. 

I'm grateful to have had a fun and mentally stimulating night out with friends. I'm grateful to regain confidence in my abilities. I'm grateful to see how each talents helps the team. I'm grateful to have such fun friends and to explore our combined talents together. I'm grateful for places like Escape Room that have unique entertainment. I'm grateful for the level of love and acceptance I found for myself last night. And I'm grateful to be married to a man that is so funny, smart, and kind that is willing to think outside the box in more ways than just the game.

What are some of your unique talents? What strengths do you bring to the team? I bet if you asked those around you, you bring even more than you realize.

May today show you just how important your talents are to this life. May you feel love in knowing you are part of the team. Have a beautiful day! 

The Royals play today. The city has banded together for a common cause in hopes we will be celebrating going to the World Series tonight. 

Sports have a strong ability to bring people together for a common cause; a common hope. It has the ability to build a sense of community and connection with people we may have otherwise never bumped into. 

Tonight we will gather and put our collective hopes and intentions behind our team. We will visualize the celebration we will have if or when they win. And our sense of community and camaraderie will be heightened.

Tomorrow is National Make a Difference Day. What if the community could band together with the same energy and excitement to make a difference as we do to celebrate our sports teams? Do we need a competition between communities to achieve this level of action and vision? 

Perhaps the Kansas City Care-Takers square off with the Los Angeles Love-Givers or the Houston Helping Hands. Which community can help the most people in a loving and sustainable way? 

Or maybe we don't need competition to motivate us. Perhaps the love in our hearts is strong enough to bring this level of support just by raising awareness of the many great causes in the area that could use assistance. Places like the Bishop Sullivan Center that help those in need keep their homes warm or serve food to the homeless and the Turner House Clinic that helps children get medical help that perhaps their parents can't afford are just the tip of a community full of great organizations.

I'm grateful to live in the Heartland. I'm grateful to live up to that label by sharing my big heart and trying to make a difference. I'm grateful for all the amazing organizations that work hard every day to keep this community healthy and moving forward. I'm grateful for all the support and love in this community. I'm grateful for the way this community pulls together for good causes. And yes, I'm grateful for the excitement of another chance for the Royals to make the World Series. 

What organizations do you know of in your area that are making a difference? How can people help? Please comment and share so we can help bring support to these great ways to support our communities. 

May today bless you with the power to envision a city of love and support. May you find ways to support your community and raise awareness for the organizations that mean the most to you. Have a beautiful day and weekend! Namasté.

Today I get to go to the eye doctor. It's been three years since my last visit so I'm sure there will be some changes to make. And today I get to embrace these changes with my new insurance. 

A good portion of my job is talking about perspective. I give talks about shifting your perspective to change your reality and create the life you want. But today I will be physically shifting my sight. I will be bringing life back into focus, or at least a clearer focus. 

With this change I can't help but wonder, will it bring more focus to my choices as well? What will I choose to use this clearer focus for? What has been blurred over time? 

I'm grateful to have insurance to help cover the costs of new eyewear. I'm grateful to take this step towards a clearer focus. I'm grateful to take this opportunity to care for myself. I'm grateful that each person has a unique set of skills and passions. I'm grateful for this opportunity to continue moving forward. And I'm grateful for all the cool technology that assists with this process.

How is your focus? What vision do you have for your life and future? May you find time to daydream today. May you find focus and joy in your passions. Have a beautiful day!

Knowledge, like so many other things in life seems to come in waves. What is best for someone right now may not be best for them in the future or best for someone else where they are at right now. 

Knowledge is like a drip into water. It ripples out touching the lives it is meant to touch. 

Today is Back to the Future Day. A great movie that portrayed this ripple effect and how transitional knowledge can be.

If you could change something in your past, erase some hurt or prevent something, it would ripple through to today. The result would shift everything. You would not be the same person you are today. You probably would not have met the people you have met since then and your beliefs about the world would probably be different. 

Everything that has happened to me has created the person I am today. For that reason, I honor the things of my past that gave me this perspective of life. And I try to remember that as new things happen in my life. 

I choose to use each event as a growing opportunity. And I choose to grow in positive ways.

I'm grateful for movies like Back to the Future that are fun to watch and share a great message. I'm grateful for creative minds that dream these movies up. I'm grateful for my own dreams and the movies I see within them. I'm grateful for the messages I see in dreams and in waking events. I'm grateful for water and the way it ripples out from a tiny drop. And I'm grateful to know I can make those ripples in my life as well.

What are you grateful for in this moment? What events have helped create who you are today? What movies have impacted your life in positive ways?

May today bless you with time to reflect on the ripples that have come through your life. May you find compassion for yourself and pride in who you have become. Have a beautiful day!

Today is my birthday!!! I know there are people that don't celebrate their birthdays or admit their age, but not me. I earned every one of my 33 years and I'm proud to celebrate my birth and the beginning of a new year of rebirth.

Every year is marked with a series of significant events. Every year we make a shift in who we are, whether large or small. Each year is another year blessed with possibilities.

The past year has been amazing. I married the man of my dreams, made new friends, took bold risks, and have grown my business. I am blessed with amazing family and friends that are so loving and supportive. I expanded my world both physically, by scuba diving in the Pacific ocean, and spiritually. And I met a new layer of myself.

I'm so grateful for all the amazing people in my life. I'm grateful for my husband and the way we grow together. I'm grateful to continue to learn more about each other and myself as we grow. I'm grateful for my sweet dogs and to share a birthday with my sweet Austin pup. I'm grateful to see just how very blessed my life is by the people in it.

I'm so grateful for all the beautiful (and even the stressful) things that happened in my life over the last year. I'm grateful to know there are even more great possibilities waiting for me in the coming year. I'm grateful to continue moving forward with my mission to help uplift the world, in whatever forms that may take. I'm grateful to all those who believe in me and have opened up new opportunities for me. 

Thank you to all of you who read along. Thank you for being the beautifully you-nique you that gives me constant inspiration. And thank you for celebrating with me.

What is the best thing that has happened to you this past year? Will you celebrate with me today by sharing love, with one random act of kindness? In this way, we spread the love and joy forward. 

May today bless you with love. May you share that love with those around you and feel wrapped in its warmth. Have a beautiful day! And thank you!

Real life isn't perfect. It's messy. Dogs don't always behave. Patience isn't always kept between loved ones. And not every day is a movie screen fairytale. Or, perhaps it is. 

I've often heard not to compare our lives to movies because real life isn't simple. Yet if you've watched the fairytales, princesses locked in castles or poisoned apples, turning people to ice if you touch them. Sounds like they don't have a picture perfect life either. For that matter, I think I'll take my little real life frustrations and even  heartbreak over that crap.

There has been some controversy over Facebook having a negative effect because some people use it to compare lives. Usually I remind clients that people try to put their best foot forward in public. Yet by reading Facebook posts it seems plenty of people air their dirt on there so then what is the controversy? What are you choosing to see there?

There is no one set of guidelines for perfect. Even if we tried to set guidelines we wouldn't agree. Perfection only exists in the unique form we each already hold it. That perfection is synonymous with imperfection because the only difference is how you choose to perceive it. We all have baggage! We all have things we are trying to shift about ourselves; things we want to heal. That is ok!

I cried today. I cry when I am frustrated. I cry when I feel I'm not holding myself to the level of patience I want to be at and I cry because I know this is a demand I hold only to myself. It is at times unreasonable and I recognize this strive for a perfection that is outside of my true, and already held, perfection. And I cry when I let it go. 

The ideas I share, and the tips I use to coach, are not to make you perfect. You already are! They do not make me perfect beyond the perfection that I inherently hold, that is messy and my own. I do not coach to be "better than" or to make you "better than". I coach so that you will find the tools you want, to create your life in a loving way. So that you may see the beautiful person that I see in you. And so I may be a constant reminder to myself of the tools to see myself as the beautiful person that I am to you. 

I'm grateful for the reminder to let go of a lofty ideal of perfection. I'm grateful to embrace who I am in my own unique perfection. I'm grateful for loved ones that help me see it when I forget. And I'm grateful to admit I do sometimes forget. I'm grateful to be hugged and spun by the love of my life. And I'm grateful to recover from a morning of struggle knowing today will be a great day. 

Welcome to real life. Welcome to the beauty of your own perfection, no matter what that may look like today or shift to tomorrow. How will you choose to see life today? How can you give yourself love for being the person you are in this moment? 

May today bless you with gentleness. May you be supported by the wonderful people around you. And may you know that everyone is speaking from their own experience. Have a beautiful day!