365 Grateful

A grateful year in review by Colleen McMillan

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:52:00 GMT

I have for some time wanted to share here on the blog some of the amazing grateful projects other people have done. So if you have a grateful project you would like to share please do email me.

Today here is Colleen sharing a few thoughts on her year with a 365 grateful project. Hope you enjoy! - hailey

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Not quite 12 months ago, I sent you an email informing my friends and family that I was embarking on an ambitious project – ‘365 grateful’. Well, that was 363 days ago if you can believe and I will soon finish this amazing journey. So much has happened in that relatively short time. I have shared so much with you all. So many joys. And one profound sadness.

I now find myself looking back on all those days and am stunned by the year’s events –my baby has grown into a little boy and crawled, and walked and talked, we have travelled overseas for four months and visited 10 different countries, we have shared significant milestones with friends and family. It even encompassed the news of the beautiful new addition that will grace our family. Mostly, it is a record of all the things and people I care about the most that come together in a beautiful, eclectic pattern to make up my life. It is a filled with many moments that I will always treasure and I thank everyone for being a part of making the memories.

I won’t lie to you – the project is a real commitment and there were times when I wondered if I could keep it up. Most recently this happened when I was floored with fatigue and nausea due to morning sickness and the simple act of turning on my computer proved to be a big effort! Of course, the hardest moments were when I lost my dear brother, Ross. When I started the project and dedicated it to him to help cheer myself up from being so down about his diagnosis, not even in my worst dreams could I imagine that we would lose him only a few months later. What I came to realise was that I had to continue on with the project and make the most of my life in honour of his shortened one.

I have been amazed by the many other people I know who have taken on their own grateful project and also harnessed the power of gratitude. It is an absolute joy to witness your posts and your beautiful imagery.

And so now I must again thank you again for your comments and words of encouragement along the way which have been so appreciated. Truly. I will miss the project in many ways but it has instilled a deep sense of appreciation in me that I know will never leave. It has been so therapeutic. I won’t ever stop feeling grateful for all my blessings – a wonderful son and husband whom I absolutely adore, a loving family, faithful friends, perfect health, a beautiful home. And of course, knowing Ross and all his cheekiness and generosity for 30 brilliant years. He would be 43 tomorrow.

Inspired by love for a brother…

Dedicated to his amazing fight…

Continued in his honour…

Grateful that he lived.

Ross Hargreaves
10 June 1969 – 9 October 2011

Yours in gratitude,
Colzy xx

What are you grateful for?

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 02:07:00 GMT

Hello. Just in case you missed our latest newsletter here it is. Hope you enjoy.

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We do hope you are having a great year. It certainly is rocketing by very fast!

We have a special request this month that you may be interested in hearing!

We are putting together a book entitled '365 Gratefuls'. The book is set to be published next year, but we need your help to complete it! What we're looking for are your stories and pictures of what YOU are grateful for - big or small! While there is no guarantee your contribution will be selected for inclusion in the final manuscript, we will read and consider every entry that comes in. And who knows, your story could end up in print, inspiring thousands of people all over the world! Please send your contribution to stories@365grateful.com.

Please note that while we love nature, pets and children, we have an abundance of these stories in the book already! We'd specifically love to include quirky or creative entries. What are you grateful for this very day? We would love to hear all about it! Thank you!

We've been busy over the last few months!

I would love to point you over to Lori Portka's blog to see a little behind the scenes of what we were filming in June... So many wonderful memories!!

A little inspiration;
I needed this little reminder this week... a quote by my favorite poet... Rumi
"Remember, the entrance door to the sanctuary is inside you."
And lastly...

Did you catch the article in the Queensland Sunday Mail? It was really cool to share about launching our kids book in the last month. It's something we have been working toward for some time. The desire to create this book and DVD started with wanting to share with our own small kids how important it is to not get too caught up wishing to be like other people and to have what they have... You can read more about it here: www.iliketobeme.com

Thank you!
Thanks so much for your interest in our newsletter and for being part of our little community. We love to hear from you, so if you have grateful's to share, don't be shy!
Once again, please send your stories and pictures to stories@365grateful.com.
warmest
Hailey and Andrew

And the winner's are!

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Drum roll please....

So very excited to be announcing the winners to this competition! ;)

The winner of the Fuji x100pro is the lovely Erin Wells!

She shares her grateful below:

I am grateful for my father's life and our wonderful friendship. After unexpectedly being airlifted to the hospital in December 2010, I was told my father suffered from a blown valve, anuerysm, and torn arota of the heart. They would attempt surgery, but had never done a surgery like this and he would most likely die. Being told at 16 that I should start preparing my father's funeral arrangements was the worst thing I had ever been told. Even worse than when my mother left us. My dad has always been my very best friend. Not many people get to experience such a close, genuine relationship, and being told it would probably come to an end, was a terrible experience. But I believe that due to a whole lot of prayer, my daddy survived and came home 2 days before Christmas (when he should've been in the hospital for another month), and we got to spend Christmas morning together, when this photo was taken. I realize every day how grateful I am for his presence in my life and everything he has done for me.

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The beautiful 3Annies leather handbag goes to this gorgeous entry by Kortni Miller.

My sons, Eli (4) and Oliver (1 month).

When I see my reflection looking back at me through the beautiful dark eyes of my son, I am reminded of the greatest hardship of my life and I am filled with gratitude. The way his eyes are shaped, the curve of his lashes and the way they lay perfectly on his cheeks did not come from any gene I have. And yet somehow they are mine all the same. It turns out that the disappointment of only seeing one line on the pregnancy stick month after endless month can be the most beautiful thing you've ever seen when you are holding your three day old baby who would've never been in your arms if the stick had read positive. It's true that I may not ever know what it feels like to have those first minutes when my baby is ushered into the world all to myself. To have the first feel of his skin on mine or soothe his first cry. I wasn't the first to breath in the scent of my sons and it wasn't my heart beat they heard when they laid their sweet heads down. And the first whisper of the words "I love you" into their tiny perfect ears were not mine. All of those moments are deservedly reserved for the first person to ever love them. And for that moment, of witnessing my babies coming into the world, I will always feel a little bit envious. But another type of Mama needed that moment all to herself. And if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't change it. I would, every time, let her keep those first moments of my child's life to herself in return for what she has given me for the rest of mine. I am so very grateful for these amazing women who made me a mother. I can honestly say that I am grateful for the hard road of infertility I have traveled down. The same road that helped me realize that sometimes what you think is the worst thing imaginable, can actually end up being the best thing that has ever happened to you. And the best thing that ever happened to me is this love right here. This heart throbbing, soul-satisfying, hurts so good kind of love I have for my children.

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And the lovely winners of the 2 Peppermint subscriptions are:

Aimee Claire:

I am, and always will be, grateful for my husband. Maybe it's an obvious choice, but sometimes I lose sight of how wonderful he is. While I may be discouraging at times, he is always encouraging, uplifting and tells me something beautiful every day.

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Bethany Walter:

This picture sums up a lot of what I am grateful for. The chalk makes me grateful for fun creativity; the brown grass reminds me to be grateful for hot, sunny days, but also for rainy ones so all things can grow; The little girl, my daughter, makes me the most grateful. For life, for love, for the pure happiness that I could never have imagined feeling until I laid eyes on her. I am so grateful for this life I have been given!

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We are so thrilled and excited by the wonderful entries we received!! I love reading all the gratefuls and I am excited to showcase some of them here on the blog soon! ;)

Until next time. Thank you so much to over 600 people who entered this competition and for taking the time to share with us what you are grateful for. Also huge thanks to our lovely partners in this competition!!

Fuji Australia

3 Annies

and the most lovely magazine Peppermint.

warmest Hailey

What are you grateful for? A fantastic grateful competition!

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:01:00 GMT

We are thrilled to announce the newest photo competition on 365 grateful!

We have 4 great prizes to offer.

First prize is the beautiful FujiFilm x100 black collectors item camera. This camera is valued at $1799 (RRP AUD$) and is a stunning camera! Kindly donated by FUJIFILM Australia. You can see their FB page here.

Second prize is this beautiful leather camera bag (Valued at $249 AUD). By 3 Annies. Check out their FB page here!

And we have 1 International subscription to Peppermint magazine and 1 Australian subscription to Peppermint magazine to give away. Check them out here.

What do I have to do to enter?
All you have to do is email stories@365grateful.com a photo of what you are GRATEFUL for and a short description of your 'grateful'.
The competition ends on July 6th and you are welcome to enter up to 3 times!!
We will draw the winners from a hat and post them on the 365grateful blog on the 20th of July!!
Some of the entries may feature on the Fujifilm FB page and 365grateful FB page during the entry period.

TERMS and Conditions:
Entries close 6th JULY 2012 AEST 12pm.
All entries must be original work and include entrant's full name, address and description
By entering the competition, each entrant must grant '365 Grateful' and 'Fuji Film' the right to use the entry in promotions including online and print.
Where a photograph entered in the competition includes a person other than the photographer, the photographer must guarantee that he or she has obtained all necessary permissions from that other person (or in the case of a child, that child’s parents or lawful guardian) for the image to be used in accordance with these terms and conditions. An entrant indemnifies '365 Grateful' against all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by '365 Grateful' arising directly or indirectly out of any failure by you to obtain the permissions mentioned above.
The judges will short-list favourite Gratefuls and then draw the final winner from a hat. The judges' decision is final and binding. As such, no correspondence will be entered into.

YIPPEEE!!

THE WINNER IS!!!.....

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:39:00 GMT

This Fuji Instax grateful competition has been a complete delight.

My inbox has been filling up with amazing and beautiful 'gratefuls' that have inspired and moved me. I don't want it to end! If you just feel like sending in gratefuls to our email (stories@365grateful.com) please do! We might need to do a regular grateful feature here I think!

I can't thank you enough for entering and sharing with us your stories!!

I am very glad that this competition was not really judged because it would have been way too tricky to pick a winner. So many gratefuls and each one so beautiful!! Here are a few pics of us drawing the winner out of a hat!!

Also here is our dog eating it!! ;)

Probably the most moving was this video below! Special thanks to Kirsteen for letting us share this here:

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"I am grateful my husband made it through!

Here is our story (my message to him)

And although he has lost his short term memory I am SO incredibly grateful he kept the moments that really mattered in our lives together. I am now on a life long mission of documenting our day to day life so that he can have a way to retain the memories of the life that will slip by him."

Kirsteen James

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Very special thanks to FUJI for making this whole competition possible. Please do go and like their FB page to show them we are so grateful!! Fuji Instax FB

Now time to announce the lovely winner of this competition!!

(DRUM ROLL please... The winner is... FIONA FITZPATRICK!

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"I’m grateful for the gift of creativity…the opportunity to make art about my life and to be able to share that wonderful process with others. I am blessed."

Fiona Fitzpatrick,
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Once again many thanks to the many people who entered and shared with us. We are so grateful and look forward to running some more competitions and fun things in the months ahead.

warmest

Hailey

Win an instant camera and film for your own 365 grateful project!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

I am super excited to announce this fun prize that will really help someone along in documenting a year of grateful moments!

Fuji Film has donated a fabulous Instax 210 camera and a stack of film to give away to a lucky person exclusively on our 365 Grateful Facebook page and 365 Grateful website.

This is a great instant photo camera that produces an amazing wide photograph in seconds. Take it with you everywhere so you never miss a special moment!

To be in the running for this fun prize, all we want you to do is email us what you are grateful for!

We are looking for heartfelt grateful moments... these might be everyday simple things like clean sheets or maybe deep thoughts and experiences that have formed you... or maybe something about yourself you have just realised. Whatever you're grateful for we want to hear!

Your entry must be email-able, but can be scanned art, a painting, photograph, collage, or a story. Please include your name and contact details with your entry and be sure to read the terms and conditions below.

Please email your entry to stories@365grateful.com by April 29th, 2012!

Good luck!

Terms and conditions

For those interested in Fujifilm's Instax product, you can become friends and like them on Facebook.com/FujifilmInstaxAustralia Entries close 29th April 2012, 12pm AEST
All entries must be original work and include entrant's full name, address and description
The prize is 1 Fuji Instax 210 Wide camera and 38 packets of Fuji instant film. Also one leather-bound album to be posted to the winner after June 20th, 2012.
By entering the competition, each entrant must grant '365 Grateful' and 'Fuji Film' the right to use the entry in promotions including online and print.
Where a photograph entered in the competition includes a person other than the photographer, the photographer must guarantee that he or she has obtained all necessary permissions from that other person (or in the case of a child, that child’s parents or lawful guardian) for the image to be used in accordance with these terms and conditions. An entrant indemnifies '365 Grateful' against all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by '365 Grateful' arising directly or indirectly out of any failure by you to obtain the permissions mentioned above.
The judges will short-list favourite Gratefuls and then draw the final winner from a hat. The judges' decision is final and binding. As such, no correspondence will be entered into.

Guest Post - Sarah Davies

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:02:00 GMT

Another lovely post from Sarah as she embraces her new life in Tasmania. Thanks Sarah!

Okay, so I must confess that I have been withholding on writing another entry because frankly I’ve been a little gloomy.

We moved to Tasmania on the 17^th of November. Dan’s new job on “The farm” came with a house on 63acres, overlooking the cherry trees. When we arrived at the house however we found that it had been left in slight disarray after its previous tenants. It wasn’t anything major, just surface stuff but when you move interstate for a new job and dream of a house on a farm overlooking the trees it feels so idyllic.

To arrive and find it filthy and overgrown was a shock to the system. I spent a few days living out of suitcases adamant to move as soon as we could. Then I resigned myself to holding out for a better place. Now finally, I have dug deep and accepted the farmhouse to be our home and have quit my complaining and have been attempting to make it feel that way.

Surface by surface, I have cleaned and scrubbed. We have trimmed hedges and bushes and rearranged furniture countless times and finally I am beginning to feel at peace in this space. Not without a lot of complaining and grizzling and turning my nose up in disgust. Not without getting cranky at the kids or saying to the hubby “It’s okay for you, you get to go to work and don’t have to be stuck here in this place!”

I must admit that in the move I have misplaced my grateful journal and then in my grumpiness I have not given an adequate attempt to find it. It can be so much easier to be grumpy at times.

I wanted to be able to write some fabulously heart warming and inspiring entry on beauty and another lesson in the gloriousness that is being grateful. I wanted it to be motivating and uplifting and make everyone think “Yeah, that’s so true. How nice to be reminded of that.”

I didn’t want to waft on about little things like beautiful sunsets over the mountains of Tassie right outside my kitchen window. About my kids playing on the blue beach and the four of us spending the entire day exploring the clear rock pools for treasures. I didn’t want to write about the day we spent baking when I finally got past the layers of grease in the oven. My little boys face covered in chocolate ganache and his mouth swollen with cake as he tried to squeeze out the words “More Cake Peese Mum”. Our pretty dog Milly bounding over the tall grasses of the field beyond our gate, with a smile so huge I thought her ears might lift her off the ground. My husband heading out on an errand Sunday, only to return with a huge pot with a large lavender plant in it, “To cheer up your kitchen”, he said behind a crooked grin. I thought these little things would be boring. However in sweeping up more cake crumbs this morning I realised that it is the little things in life that make us all happy.

Too often we all try to sit back and hold straight faces and look “all together”. Too often we gather in the company of friends and hide that we’ve been narky with the hubby and short fused with the kids. Too often life is about seeking some grand bigger picture, when in fact we are all living snaps shots of tiny moments linked together to create each unique journey.

It’s how we behave in the cruddy moments that make us worthy of holding our heads high. It’s how we notice the sunshine on the grass in between rain showers. How we laugh with our children. How we show love to our spouse. How we dance in our P.J’s.

It is the little things that make life beautiful no matter where we live, how we live or how tough things might feel at times.

The little things in fact need to be mentioned, for they are my saving graces.

For these I am grateful….

Baked Delights,

Bumble Bee on our raspberry bush,

Running on the beach,

Laughing Baby on the Trampoline,

Lovely Lavender!

Grateful. Xo

MERRY CHRISTMAS - our December Newsletter for those who didn't get it.

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:34:00 GMT

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope it is a truly special time of year for each of you. Summer has just begun here in Australia and I am so happy - I love the heat and the beach.

To celebrate Christmas I thought you may like to watch this beautiful TED TALK on gratitude (surprise!) by master image maker Louie Schwartzberg. It is 10 minutes long and reminds me of how wonderful the world truly is.

The words & voice of the older man are those of Brother David Steindl-Rast - a Benedictine monk who has incredible insight on the subject of gratitude. In 2000 Br David founded A Network for Grateful Living, a place where you will find some interesting writing on the subject of gratitude like this little Christmas message.

DE-STRESS WITH GRATITUDE

Although we want Christmas time to be a happy time of family connection, for many people it is anything but.

It isn’t only the practicalities of the shopping, the parking or trying to fit in as many things as you can in such a short period of time (for some reason everyone seems to want everything done by Christmas) it is also the social side. There are families to deal with, work parties, invites from every corner or no family to be with and no invites at all – top that off with overindulgence and too much spending then Christmas can be a recipe for significant stress.

Professor Bruce McEwan (Rockerfeller Uni) has done research that shows stress can be linked to almost every disease there is and causes no end of chaos in the physical body. It even effects the way our brains work.

There is a lot of research around – especially in the new world of neuroplasticity - that shows stress can be significantly reduced by the daily practice of gratitude. According to the book Thanks by Prof Robert Emmons the stress hormone cortisol was reduced by 23% in only 30 days by a group of people simply thinking appreciative thoughts for 15 min a day.

Reducing stress is yet another of the extraordinary effects of gratitude and one great reason why we feel it is so important that the world knows more about this simple, easy and free practice of gratitude.

30 DAY GRATITUDE CHALLENGE

The main project I (Toni) have been working on lately is called the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge. Over the last year I have been doing lots of research into gratitude and also into how the brain/mind works. It has been eye opening to say the least. What I found - scientific reasons why gratitude has such a profound impact on how life is experienced - excited me so much that I wrote a workshop (with a follow up of 30 email activities) about my discoveries.

In September the very first 30 Day Gratitude Challenge was run in a corporate setting and my very first customer was BMC / BHP Billiton (yeah I know! amazing! talk about grateful.). The response to that workshop was better than I had hoped and all the workshops I have presented since have met with great feedback. It is profoundly moving to be involved with these groups of people and see them make very simple changes that can positively impact the remainder of their lives. Many people have commented that they are leaving the workshop with hope - I love that - imagine a world full of hope.

Attendees have been keen to have an avenue for their friends and family to experience the workshop so I have also developed a 30 Day Gratitude Life Class that I am presenting publicly. To find out more about the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge and upcoming Life Classes (Brisbane and Sunshine Coast) ….. feel free to visit the rather newish website here.

If you like this idea maybe you would LIKE my new Facebook page.

FROM THE BLOG

This month Amy Gill sent in a great blog about the Christmas Season called Tis the Season to be Thankful. Enjoy.

THE FILM

So, where are we up to on the film? There is not much to report except to say that the film is on the shelf temporarily while other projects demand our attention. Hailey has been to India a few times recently working on some exciting projects - check out the photos and more photos and she is also developing what will be a wonderful book. That girl is amazing!

We anticipate some changes to our original plans for the film will need to be made and will let you know in the New Year when we know what is happening with all of it.

In the meantime, you have a wonderful New Year filled with special moments! Toni.

Guest Post - Amy Gill - Tis the season to be thankful...

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:05:00 GMT

We welcome in the Christmas season with some wonderful wisdom from Amy.

TIS THE SEASON TO BE THANKFUL

‘Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la….

Really already?

I am not sure where the year has gone or how it is possibly the start of December this week, but it is, and so the most crazy, busy, stressful, financially draining and exhausting weeks of the year begin.

But to be honest, I don’t see it like that at all. Let me start again….

I am not sure where the year has gone or how it is possibly the start of December this week, but it is, and so the most wonderful, joyful, family-centered, season of giving begins. Bring it on!

I love Christmas. I love the parties; the way people get together and rejoice in each other’s company. I love the atmosphere out and about – carolers, decorations and excitement in the air. I love the smell of pine throughout my house and the giggling of my girls at the slightest thought of anything christmassy.

But most of all, I love the traditions that come with Christmas. I am grateful for the traditions my parents established for us as we grew up – fresh Christmas trees every year; setting up the nativity set without baby Jesus who would magically appear on Christmas day; reading ‘The Night before Christmas’ after mass on Christmas eve before we would set out food for Santa and his reindeer. My girls now follow the same traditions and have some new ones to call their own. We now make a point of travelling to the city to see the Christmas windows; our advent calendar brings gifts from Christmas angels; and our Santa photo experiences are traditionally a disaster! All these things add to the season and they make me happy.

This year I also wanted to start two new traditions with my girls. The first stems from something my mum did when I was younger. Mum would often make up a hamper of food and presents at Christmas time for a family in need. It was a different family every year. Mum would find a way each time to anonymously deliver the hamper to this family. One year the hamper went to a family of a lady mum worked with. The lady didn’t know me so mum dressed me up as an elf and sent me off to deliver the hamper. I will never forget the look of gratitude in her husband’s eyes as I gave him the hamper. “Who is this from?” He asked. “Santa,” I replied. “Thank you. Thank you.” Hopefully, our new tradition will teach my girls that it is more important to give than receive.

The second tradition I want to start is centered around gratitude. Each day when we mark off a day on our advent calendar I want us to write down something we are grateful for as a family. I want to string these pieces of gratitude together and hang them around our tree. This is what I want Christmas to be about for our family – gratitude. Gratitude for all that we have had throughout the year; gratitude that we have our health and each other; gratitude that we have a house over our head, food on our table, presents under the tree.

Christmas should be a time to celebrate each other and give thanks for all that is good in our lives. Maybe it is time to start a new tradition in your house too?

And while you are thinking about what that tradition might be, spare a thought for poor mothers everywhere, trying to get the perfect Santa photo to place on the mantelpiece

Guest Post - Lori Portka - A Tuscan Villa

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:51:00 GMT

Great to have another post from Lori - one that is very easy to relate to! I usually freak out when I miss out on something so this is a great reminder to me to view those times differently. Thanks Lori!

The Tuscan Villa

In the United States, this is Thanksgiving week. It is a big holiday in this country filled with family and feasting, thanks and giving. I will be spending this Thanksgiving at home alone with my two dogs. I know that sounds like a sad story. At first I was sad and I actually didn’t handle it very well (many meltdowns, lots of crying.) See, my Italian husband is in Italy this week with his entire Italian family (I refer lovingly to them as, The Italians.)

For various reasons, I decided not to join them. I felt so sorry for myself that I was missing out on all of the fun. I even felt left-out, although it was my choice not to go. It’s interesting how my mind can make up stories out of things that aren’t true and the story leads to misery. I spun around in that unfortunate mess for a few days.

But again, like so many times in my life, gratitude has come to the rescue. I asked for a change in perspective- a new way to view this holiday and situation with love and gratitude instead of anger and envy. Later that day, as I was washing the dishes, I began to feel gratitude pouring over me. I felt happy for my husband and the rest of The Italians, giddy almost, that they were going. I felt grateful for the time to myself. Having quiet time with my dogs to do whatever I want? Fabulous! This is an incredibly busy time of year with my art business and more than once this season I have felt overwhelmed. This would be a week of quiet, to package and mail orders, paint, have lunch with friends, read, and eat my favorite soups. Delightful! I also felt grateful that my art business continues to grow, making it really hard for me to travel at all this time of year. The kindest thing to do for myself is to stay home. I felt so grateful for the choices that I have. I felt so grateful for the family I adore so much.

It’s true, I will probably tear up a bit on Thanksgiving Day when they will all be in Tuscany staying at the villa my husband and I stayed in on our honeymoon. I loved everything about that place so much that I actually cried when we left. I made a painting for the B&B owner for my Hundred Thank Yous project (part of which you will see below).

I imagine myself going back there one day. Maybe I will get to give her the painting in person! For now, I will send love to all my people who are laughing, feasting, taking in the beauty and enjoying each other. I will send love to myself this week by doing what I want to do and showering myself with kindness. All is well.

Guest Blog - Amy Gill - Coming home

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:07:00 GMT

I think I am with Amy on this one. Just about to head off there now. Thanks, Amy, for sharing your life with us.

Coming Home

“I need to go,” I say.

“Why?” he replies.

He just doesn’t get it! I NEED to go. I am homesick.

“But you are at home…” he says.

Did I mention he doesn’t get it? He is used to it though. It is not the first time this has happened and he knows it won’t be the last.

“Well, get packing”, he says smiling.

“GIRLS… We are going! “

Annabelle and Penny do a happy dance in the lounge room as we begin to pack supplies for the days outing. Already my heart is singing.

Ten minutes later we are ready to go. Two-year-old Penny looks ridiculous. She has her swimmers on, her hat, her goggles over her eyes and her inflatable swim ring pulled up around her middle. Annabelle doesn’t look much different, but she has chosen a boogie board instead of the ring and is surfing down the patio stairs. I smile. I think they have my genes.

We pile in the car and begin the drive to the beach. It is only a forty minute drive from our house to the beach, but as I have spent most of my life only five minutes away, forty minutes seems like forever.

I grew up on the Central Coast of NSW. I was surrounded by the beach and beach culture. The beach was a place my family connected after a day of work and school. It was the place where I reflected on my life and found clarity when I needed it. When I was older, my brother and I used to walk on the beach together a few times a week and I loved the conversations we would share. I spent hours on the beach with my friends laughing, swimming, sharing stories and creating new ones. For me the beach, any beach, feels like home and sometimes I am over-whelmed by a need to be there and only there.

Finally, after approximately one hundred and eleven ‘Are we there yet?‘s”, we arrive. I open the door, step outside and breathe.

Oh salt air, how I love you.

I give thanks to the sun for its beams, to the waves for the beautiful music that rings in my ears, and to the sand for the way it shifts to accommodate the shape of my feet.

The kids are already building sand castles. I walk to the shore and dive into euphoria. I am home and I am grateful.

Guest Post - Sarah Davies - Nanna

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:55:00 GMT

This week we have a blog from our newest guest blogger Sarah Davies. Enjoy!

Nanna:

I’ve been reflecting deeply this week just gone and thought it would be an apt time to share these thoughts. Possibly because, sometimes things weigh too heavy on the heart that they are better shared, but also possibly because some lessons are so beautifully learnt that they are best not kept to oneself. This week just gone has been a ying and yang of both beautiful lessons and heavy loads.

On Monday my Nanna passed away. She was 90 years, six months and 16 days old when she left us and she was a real treat. She raised 7 children on her own, in poverty, with her kitchen table always open to any extra’s in need of a feed. She was always cheeky and funny and laughing and singing and smiling. I can’t count the times I’d turn her way as a child and she would quickly and randomly pop out her false teeth and give me a larrikins gummy smile, just to see me fall into a fit of laughter.

She always smelt of sunlight soap and lavender talc and soft skin. She always kissed on the lips and held us there just long enough to show us how deeply we were loved by her. When I came to be a teenager I got a little self conscious of the “Nanna pash” and would pull away at a peck. If I could go back, I’d tell my younger self not to be silly, for now these tender kisses will be deeply missed.

On Friday, we left for the funeral in a rush, three kids under four, make us always late. I sat up the back with my baby and watched my uncles and aunts jump out of their seats and dance around like absolute fools to happy music, with huge smiles and even bigger tears running down everyone’s cheeks. They clapped and hooted and swirled together, as it was Nanna’s wish that we celebrate and have a party, so they gave her just that. I could almost feel her beside me, rolling her thumbs over and over in interwoven hands, chuckling…feet tapping. She would have loved it.

I realised this week that life is only a number of days. Nanna’s days were 33’073 in total. It doesn’t seem so long when I look at it that way. I realised that worrying about dishes doesn’t matter. That no one remembers you for your clean floors. I realised that my sense of humour will get me through any burden life tries to lump on me. So instead of getting grumpy or frustrated, or even bogged down in the housework, I’m going to try to laugh it off more. I realised that tender kisses can never be too long, so I will kiss my boys more and let them feel my skin and smell me, as they’ll remember me. For life really is so very short even if I’m lucky enough to live it long and fully.

I am grateful for my grief for it makes me feel my feet on the earth and know that I am planted in a life that must be lived and flourished. I am grateful for so many tears reminding me that I am loved and worthy of love. I am grateful to be reminded that one day I will be grieved by those I leave behind. My hope, with all that I am, is that on that day, my children will jump from their seats and dance like crazy people, drunk on sorrow and joy combined, knowing I am happy and at peace with the love and legacy I leave behind. I’m so very grateful for this lesson, thanks to Nanna!

This was her laugh,

This was her humour,

GRATEFUL!

Guest Post - Amy Gill - 100 Hits of Happiness

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:24:00 GMT

I am so sorry the blog has been a little unattended. My computer went to computer hospital to have surgery and I was not smart enough to write down all my log ins before it went away. I couldn't access anything !! Here is another great blog from Amy Gill.

A Hundred Hits of Happiness

“When you realise how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. “ ~Buddha

As a sequel to my 365 Grateful Project I decided to start something new – A Hundred Hits of Happiness. The aim was to take a photo a day for a 100 days of something that makes me HAPPY.

This didn’t quite work out as planned… I currently have about 249 photos!

Seems I can’t stop!!!

So I thought today I would share with you some of the things that make me HAPPY…

* Running barefoot in the sand.

* 100’s and 1000’s.

* Morning swims.

* Beautiful bright flowers.

* Sweet dreams.

* Mucking around with my brother.

* Dinner at the park.

* Hands to hold.

* Hot chocolate in the rain.

* Coming home to my crazy girls.

* Packages.

* Watching my children grow and learn.

* Cups of tea in my favourite cup.

* Bubbles.

* Fresh air and sunshine.

* My mum.

* Portuguese tarts.

* Flying kites.

* Backyard ballet.

* Cuddles.

* Creativity.

* My pink princesses.

* Roller-skates.

* Music.

* Watching Annabelle eat spaghetti.

* Gorgeous girls dinners – gorgeous food, gorgeous wine, gorgeous company.

* Quiet moments with my baby.

* Being part of a community.

* Feeding ducks.

* COFFEE.

* Sunday lunch with friends.

* Annabelle’s infectious smile.

* Pony rides.

* Sailing.

* Rosie Cheeks.

* Watching elephants play.

* Friendship.

* Water dancing.

* My connection with my husband.

* Playing with the girls after a stressful day at work.

* Forgiveness.

* Rainy Sunday afternoons.

* My macaroon bouquets.

* Being a teacher.

* Playing crocodiles.

* Fairy floss.

* The little things Andrew does for me – Like mop the floors!

* Umbrella fairies.

* Bubbly toes.

* Cloud watching.

* Seeing things from a different perspective.

* Laughing.

* Cheesy grins.

* Pussycat kisses.

* Time with friends old and new.

* Sandcastles.

* The feel of grass under your bare feet after being stuck in the car for forever!

* Hanging out, eating and talking with my dad.

* Relaxing in my big claw-footed bath.

* Autumn.

* Picking daisies.

* Weddings.

* Peek-a-boo.

* Climbing tress.

* Candlelit evenings.

* Tuesdays.

* Old school movies.

* Baby bike bowling. (Don’t ask!)

* Butterflies and memories of my Rosie.

* Easter hat parades.

* Colour.

* “I love you’s”

* Baking cupcakes.

* Daydreaming.

I could go on for pages, but what I am really interested in is …

What makes you HAPPY?????

Guest Post - Lori - Practicing Gratitude

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:37:00 GMT

Lori has been doing the most amazing paintings as a grateful project. You can like her Facebook and check out more of her work.

Practicing Gratitude

Wow, all my paintings for my gratitude project are on my art table right now! I decided to get myself organized since I am three-quarters of the way through it.

When I look at this pile of goodness, I want to jump up and down and clap my hands and laugh endlessly. I CANNOT WAIT to give them all away! I want to start flapping my arms and spinning in circles around the table. Maybe even do cartwheels. This is a joy pile. A love montage.

I have never done anything in my life that has made me as happy as working on these paintings.

This project places gratitude front and center- in my mind, in my heart. This is where I want gratitude to stay. I have learned that being grateful is a practice. I need to keep it in my mind at all times or I can easily slide into ungrateful complaining about the little irritations in life.

I’ve also noticed a surprising connection between gratitude and fear. When I’m aligned with gratitude the fear often disappears.

In fact, it happened today. I checked our bank account on-line and noticed that there was only $64.00 in checking…$64.00! That was WAY less than I was expecting. Minor meltdown. Deep breath. Oh, okay, this makes sense. Lots of extra expenses I had forgotten about. Okay, now let’s transfer PayPal money over to checking. Thank goodness for the money I have in PayPal. Thank goodness someone created PayPal so people can conveniently buy my work from afar and have it delivered to their doorstep. It opens my market as big as the universe! Thank you PayPal. Okay, I also have two checks from my local cooperative art gallery. I’ll go to the bank today and deposit them. Thank you Cazenovia Artisans! I already went grocery shopping, kitchen is stocked. I am so grateful. Gas tanks are filled. Thank you.

One minute, “Oh my God, there is NO money!” Next minute, “I am so grateful for all that I have.” My fear turned to gratitude and appreciation. Thank goodness!

I have already decided that once this project is over and I hold the exhibition and have given all 100 paintings away, I will still continue this active gratitude practice in some way.

I want to keep my grateful heart.

Introducing Sarah Davies - new guest blogger!

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 07:31:00 GMT

I have known Sarah's husband Dan for a few years and I have just started enjoying getting to know Sarah. What a world changer! Sarah's boys are also some of the loveliest little people you will meet. Enjoy this introduction - it is inspiring. Hopefully we will hear from Sarah now and then. Toni

Introducing Sarah

I’m pleased to share with you this entry of gratitude. I am Sarah Davies, Mum to three little boys and wife to an absolute legend

I’d like to tell you my grateful story. Therefore I have to start by telling you how I first came to be so ungrateful. I was always positive once. I grew up living in “Fairy land” as mum would say, in love with the simple beauty of life and nature. I loved grass and flowers and the smell of clover and was always deep inside my head lost in a world I can only describe as “happily humming.” I loved to laugh and talk to people and see others laugh. I loved being spontaneous and free and float against the current of what the world decided was normal. I loved to paint and write and sing and when I think of that person I think of a girl who was never knocked by life’s blows, for she never gave them enough attention to even feel them hit. That was me, that was the young woman my husband met, the woman he married and for a good while that was who everyone around us knew me to be.

In 2008, 3 days after our firstborn’s first birthday and 5 days after our 5^th wedding anniversary I lost our second baby at only 10 weeks pregnant. When it happened I was partly not surprised, that motherly intuition told me something was not right all along. However I was surprised by the sting of death and the realization that I was not immune to pain or heartache as I thought I was. With the loss of our baby, I lost my passion for romance, my enthusiasm for spontaneity and my belief in the power of beauty. I lost a baby and somehow I also lost me.

We had our second son a year later yet I was living a little numb. It was like the very ground in which I walked on my entire life had fallen away and instead I was floating through, never really touching anything. Part of me was hateful. I’ll confess that I found my ability to yell in situations where once I’d laugh, I found my ability to use cuss words…. frequently and I found an ability to complain a lot where once I would have said “ It doesn’t matter”. Instead of being a girl who used to unknowingly deflect negativity, I became the breeder of it in my own home. I was like a festering piece of fruit that just got stinkier with every day. We still lived and made plans and had hopes for the future. Only it was like I held everything and everyone at arms length in order not to let anything fully touch me, in case it broke and broke me with it.

Then one day not too long ago, my husband came home after chatting with Toni. He told me about Haley and her Grateful story and I thought to myself “I should try that, it couldn’t hurt me!”

So I picked up a journal and I began my first entry of gratitude and it was like a Lilly bulb that lay dormant inside of me began to stretch a thin green stem toward sunlight. With each day I began looking forward to my entry of gratitude. I began to smile more. I began to laugh again and strangest of all, people starting saying I had a bright face! Only a few weeks into my grateful journey I had four people in one week say what a bright face I had, or “you just seems so bright”. And with that I knew I was on my way to that girl I once was. It was like I was on drugs! J Grateful drugs.

Like any vitamin supplement…. the longer you take it the better it benefits your body. My first entry was on the 19^th of May 2011. That’s 134 journal entries to date, although I haven’t written my entry today.

We now have three beautiful boys and we are about to pack up our house and head off on a crazy adventure to Tasmania, fighting for others against modern day slavery. I’m sitting here and in reflection and today I am grateful for Haley. I am grateful, someone whispered in her ear to be GRATEFUL. I Grateful she listened and began whispering in the ears of others. I am grateful that message reached me and help me shed my skin.

In sorrow and Fear I tucked myself inside a shell, thinking it would save me, only to realise that I was withering beneath it. I am grateful, to be grateful, to realise that this world has so much beauty in it. It just longs to be named and honored. I am so glad to be here. Shedding my skin and starting again.

I realised in the writing of this blog that I have not painted since we lost our baby. Three and a half years and I haven’t picked up a paintbrush. That’s nuts considering I used to sit at my easel whenever I had a moment. I know I’m not quite there yet. I’m still healing. I’m so glad though for the chance to start again and the realisation that healing is within my own hands and easy, if only I let the world be, and simply be grateful within it. Maybe I need to find my paints….

This is me,

Glad to be Grateful!

365 Grateful - a documentary about the extraordinary power of gratitude.