Enjoy this article on how to practice an "Attitude of Gratitude" as learned by reading a Dog's Diary!

<Length: 8.52 minutes>

Prefer to read it? No problem, here ya go!

Back in 1992 (eons ago it now seems), I met a woman who set me on the path to my personal transformational journey. She began as my therapist, helping me work through the aftereffects of a divorce, and ended up being my coach, mentor, transformational catalyst, massage therapist, soul retrieval facilitator, past life regression facilitator and all around opener of my eyes to a whole new world. Until I looked back over my journey, I really hadn’t recognized how much she contributed to my life.

I’m forever in her debt and gratefully so.

During one particularly challenging session with her, she gave me an assignment…again. To be honest, I was ticked off.

I thought, “Not another assignment, doesn’t she realize I have more important things to do in my life than complete her **$$%% assignments? I mean really, I’m a single mom running a home-based business, dealing with divorce crap and relationship crap and all sorts of other crap. I have enough to do already!” (Starting to see a trend here?)

I whined (oh, not out loud, of course…I’m much too much of a “good girl” to do that!), determined I wasn’t going to listen, ‘cuz I knew, simply knew, it was going to be something too challenging for me to do and do perfectly.

Oh and yes, before you ask, I’m a recovering perfectionist…and this amazing teacher helped begin that recovery process too!

When I got over my bad ass self and started listening to her, the assignment wasn’t, on the surface at least, so hideous.

She said “Jer, I think it is time you practiced an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’. You are so focused on what ISN’T going well, that you can’t see the gifts right in front of you.”

How DARE she say that to me? I mean really. I was a good person, a good girl. I did nice things for people. I took care of my son and business. Whatever did she mean? Mutter, mutter, grumble, groan.

I asked a ton of questions (I always do) and did my darndest to make sure I understood how to do this assignment perfectly. Because that was ever so important…I desperately wanted her approval. Hell, I wanted EVERYONE’s approval, what am I saying? It didn’t matter if it was hers, my parents or the person I passed while walking down the streets of my hometown, Indianapolis, Indiana (USA) at that time.

So, again being the “good girl”, I said “Yes” to the assignment.

That assignment began a transformation that rocked my entire world and is now the basis of: how I see the world, what I teach, what I base my presentations on, how I work with coaching clients, what choices I make regarding my life, my business, my spiritual journey, how I look at people and situations. It is the basis of the quotes I choose to tweet (or retweet), what I respond to on Facebook. What I look for in others. What I put out on my blog (http://www.onemillionacts. com). How I treat others I meet, no matter where.

All of it.

The whole gamut of my life.

Why was it such a big thing for me? Because I had spent most of my life, to that point, being a grouch, seeing the glass as half full (or, more accurately, dang near empty). I couldn’t remember the good things that had happened, always running around with a HUGE V inscribed on my forehead, screaming to the world that I was a chronic victim of life’s woes (like I was the only one with them…geez).

Even my own mom said one day “Sweetie, can’t you remember ANYTHING good about your childhood? What about XYZ? Those were good things, right?”.

Dang, called out big time…again.

With that one assignment, accepted with a grudging nasty attitude, I started down the path that changed my life. And I know it can change or enhance yours. It works, it truly does.

Does it mean I’m always grateful? That I stay in that space 24/7? Nope. I forget and I forget lots of moments in the day. And I’ve wrapped myself in a cocoon of accountability partners…friends, partner, clients, family…that hold me to the standard of behavior started so many years ago.

OK, so I hear you saying “So what does this “Attitude of Gratitude” have to do with thinking like a dog to improve your mood?”

Take a look at the following excerpt from a dog’s diary (sent by my darlin’ friend Janice, thanks gurl!):

• 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!


• 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!


• 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!


• 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!


• 12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!


• 1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!


• 3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!


• 5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!


• 7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!


• 8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!


• 11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!