I'm grateful to wake today to contagious excitement. I'm grateful to be a part of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge first thing this morning. What better way to kick start your day than being with friends and having ice water dumped on your head for a great cause?! I'm grateful for fun, playful fundraisers that bring awareness and abundance to those trying to stop ALS. My grandfather passed away from ALS a long time ago, but for me; this is for him and his children that lost their dad too young. There is another thought I want to share today, also. It is about a choice we have each day. Throughout my day I get lots of feedback, comments, and information. Sometimes that comes from a stranger and sometimes it comes from someone close to me. Yesterday I got some feedback that wasn't so easy to hear. It would have been easy to take it as a criticism and blow it off or get upset about it. And I'll admit for a few minutes it did make me sad. But with everything that is heard I have a choice; a choice to hear it as a mean spirited criticism or as a well-meaning comment. It is my sincere belief that the majority of people, especially those dear to us, never intend the things they say to be ill-meaning or hurtful. It is also my belief that we always have the choice of how we hear and interpret what is said to us. Is it a comment or a criticism? When I remind myself that it is my choice and no one's "fault" but my own if I hear criticism it allows me to step back from what was said and try to find the core of what they were trying to tell me. Usually it was made to try to help. Sometimes that advice is unsolicited and other times I "ask" for it without realizing through comments I make or frustrations I air. Either way, what returns is mine to interpret. So often this plays a role with the ones we love the most. We may even get in a pattern of hearing only criticism from our loved ones, particularly our partner or parents, as they are usually the ones who give us the most feedback. But our loved ones are not around forever and it seems silly to allow these misinterpretations to hurt the relationship while we are sharing the same Earth. I'm grateful to take a breath and remind myself that I am loved. I'm grateful to remind myself that everything I hear is my choice to interpret. I'm grateful to strive to hear only comments with loving intentions no matter how it is delivered. I'm grateful to return love to those who love me. I'm grateful to be reminded that I choose what I see (and hear) in my world and I choose love. How can you let love color your world today? How can you choose to hear the love and well-meaning behind the words? May your day be blessed with love. May you have the opportunity to share forgiveness and love with the well-intentioned people in your life. Have a beautiful day!
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