Tag Archives: gratitude

Too Late

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CalmUp® presents Lionel FisherI recently heard from a member of our CalmUp® community, Lionel Fisher. He shared about his health condition and not having much time left to live. Similar to the genuine conversations shared during his March and April 2013 interviews (Click here for Noteworthy Stories), this conversation was very real.

Lionel remarked that being near death made him realize what a “self-absorbed asshole” he had been and how he lost friends over the most stupid reasons. Needless to say, he doesn’t have the corner on stupid behavior.

“Lionel,” I said, “We’re all self-absorbed assholes. We’ve all done what you’re describing.”

While currently on hospice, Lionel is having important conversations. He discovered that the two most important words are too late. For instance, we say or do hurtful things and then it becomes

  • Too late to make amends
  • Too late to enjoy one another’s company
  • Too late to speak from the heart

I feel thankful that my dad introduced me to Lionel. Along with his genuineness, another trait I admire about Lionel is his ability to be keenly insightful. At 82-years-old, his wisdom transcends protocol, trends, and social mores.  Continue reading...

Wanting What We Don’t Have—Part II

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It’s early in the morning, and even the dogs are still asleep.

Even the Dogs are Asleep

Even the Dogs are Asleep

When I wrote Part I, I didn’t know there would be a Part II.

I’m excited to put my thoughts to paper and share more with you.

Today would be a great day to go on a fabulous Alaskan cruise, chill out at a comfortable beach house, or basically spend my time doing exactly what I want.

It’s fun to spell out what we want and to set goals. What happens when people can’t have what they want?

  • Because of loss of a loved one
  • Because of a serious health issue
  • Because of financial reasons

We cope.

We cope in a variety of ways, some of which are harmful.

Dr. Lorie serving Thanksgiving meals through the Salvation Army 2014

Dr. Lorie serving Thanksgiving meals through the Salvation Army 2014

One useful way to cope is to do unto others.  Continue reading...

  • Helping someone else—perhaps by helping in a way that is relevant to what you want
  • Volunteering your time—even when you believe you don’t have any
  • Giving what you can—no matter how minor it may seem

Muchas Gracias

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First Frost—Lakewood, Colorado 2013

First Frost—Lakewood, Colorado 2013

How can I express my gratitude?

Last month, I was challenged to speak my truth on the CalmUp® Facebook page. I’d been feeling cynical, and I posted about it.

I found I was feeling resentful about having to spend time on “business things,” when I’d rather be doing “mom things.”

Later, I read the following quotes by Marianne Williamson from her book, A Return to Love:

“It’s easy to be cynical. In fact, it’s an excuse for not helping the world.” (p. 275)

Ouch!

“Do what makes your heart sing. And never do it for the money.” (p. 192)

Marianne explained that it is emotionally self-destructive to make our goal anything other than peace. Deep down, I feel the same way.

In this time of Thanksgiving, I want to thank you for being a part of the CalmUp® community, and thank you for allowing me the privilege to speak my truth. As I believe that speaking one’s truth is at the heart of creating inner peace, thank you for helping me grow my own inner peace.

First Snow—Lakewood, Colorado 2013

First Snow—Lakewood, Colorado 2013

IT’S ABOUT YOU:  Continue reading...

Gratitude – A Wholeness Approach

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I was Skyping with my mom the other night. Actually, for her in India, it was morning. You know, I’m 50-years-old yet the lessons keep coming. Somehow, she and I got into a philosophical conversation, and my mother said, “It’s important to be grateful not only for the ‘good’ things that happen in our lives, but for the ‘bad’ occurrences too.”

Dark and Light CloudsI grokked that what I was hearing is an important Truth. For instance, in CalmUp® Journey: Your Daily Ascending Tool for Better Days, I teach that, “We need all parts of ourselves to create our wholeness.” In fact, this statement is written on the CalmUp® Journey map itself. When we accept that the darkness in our lives is not about “bad,” and the lightness is not about “good,” then it makes sense to open to gratitude for everything—that’s the wholeness approach.

I’ve been thinking about what my mom said all week. Although my head gets it, my heart is having a tough time. As I sit with an elderly woman with dementia who had her home stolen from her and as I scrutinize some of my own life experiences, how is one to be grateful? Night/Day. Dark/Light. How is it that a person’s tragedy can also be a blessing? Fortunately, I don’t need to figure it all out on my own.  Continue reading...

Thanksgiving 2011

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I’ve wanted to write a blog to capture some of my feelings of gratitude this Thanksgiving of 2011. Where do I start? How about my CalmUp® Journey question from this morning?

How can I write a meaningful “Thank You” blog?

I began to question if I’m thankful for just the “good stuff” or if I’m honestly thankful for the “yucky stuff” too. I teach acceptance of both the dark side and the light side in the Daily Ascending Tool™. Am I really thankful for the chaos I experienced during the publishing process? Am I really thankful for the challenges and the financial pressures that are part of a new business launch?

On this Thanksgiving holiday, it’s easy to be thankful for the “good stuff” related to the launching of CalmUp®. I’m thankful for the comments that people are posting on the website (www.Dr.LorieGose.com). I’m thankful for the emails I’m receiving offering congratulations. I’m thankful for my connections with people. These are, of course, just three of a much larger list of reasons I have for giving thanks.  Continue reading...