It’s My Birthday: A Time to Reflect

By MaryEllen Tribby

It’s amazing how differently people react to their birthdays.

Some want to party. Surround themselves with hordes of people and pay homage to themselves.

Others get depressed thinking they have not done enough with their lives.

I, like many, use my birthday as an opportunity to reflect on my life, to examine the ups and downs, and to remember the people, situations, and experiences in my life that I am so grateful for.

I attribute my success and happiness to many factors. However, gratitude is by far the largest contributor.

Because I take time to give thanks for all the good in my life, I recognize just how big a role things like family, mentors, and clients have played in my success. And this, in turn, helps me to be the very best wife, mother, friend and businesswoman I possibly can. I owe so much to the people and things that have helped push me forward. So I give as much as I can in return. And this has the happy result of helping me get even more out of life!

Gratitude goes beyond appreciation; it goes beyond the emotional state. When you learn how to become deeply aware of the feelings of gratitude, you’ll find that your body actually reflects the emotion in physical form.

If you would like to understand what I mean… And learn how to use gratitude to enhance your life… Try the following exercise:

Picture something or someone that you are sincerely grateful for. Close your eyes and fill in the picture with as much detail as possible. As you hold that object, person, event, or place in your mind, tune into what is going on with your body:

• Is there a tingling in your arms?
• Do you feel a little out of breath?
• Do you have butterflies in your stomach?
• Does your scalp tighten up slightly?
• Do you get a chill running up your back?

Whatever it is – I guarantee that something is there. Find it. Get comfortable with its presence.

You see, these sensations are your gateway to instant happiness. In fact, they’ll provide you with a never-ending supply of joy and motivation to fuel your success machine.

Recall the physical sensations you noticed while in a state of gratitude. Spend time paying close attention to what you are feeling. What are the physical sensations you experience while seeing those things in your mind? Write them down.

Next:

1)   Envision your ideal life. This is your “big vision.” Add in all the details of what you want your ideal life to look like. Picture the colors, the sounds, and the smells.

2)   Then casually return to your picture of gratitude. Anticipate the physical sensations you recorded earlier and welcome them as they come back. Feel them deeply.

3)   Once you’ve locked in the sensations, return to your big vision. See if the sensations of gratitude stay with you even as you return to your big vision.

4)   Go back and forth. Gratitude. Vision. Gratitude. Allow the two to blend together. Your goal is to feel the physical sensations of gratitude while holding the image of your big vision.

Practice this exercise daily. It only takes a few minutes and can become one of your favorite times of the day. It is for me!

Even though this is a very personal experience, don’t be afraid to share it with others. Because you now have a new tool that can help you take your life anywhere you choose. From now on, think of success as your default setting.

And this week, as I turn 29 (again), I am honored to share my gratitude list with you.

Here are the top 10 people/things that I am most grateful for:

1)   My husband Patrick. I never question his love, loyalty, and partnership. He is a rock I cherish (and his good looks don’t hurt!).

2)   My children: Mikaela, Connor, and Delanie. They gave me the gift of motherhood and unconditional love. The compassion and respect they show to all people fills me with pride.

3)   My father (who passed away 16 years ago). He taught me the value of honesty and hard work.

4)   My best friend Jen, who always tells me the truth even when it’s not what I want to hear.

5)   The mistakes I have made in business and in life. The lessons I have learned from these missteps have made me a better wife, mother, friend, and business leader.

6)   Having lived in New York City for 15 years and experienced its wealth of theatres, museums, fine dining, and dive bars.

7)   Living by the ocean and being able to walk on the beach every day.

8)   My business mentors and colleagues.

9)   Music – especially U2 – which allows my creativity to flourish.

And last, but certainly NOT least…

10) My Working Moms Only community. Your letters, emails, and comments touch my heart and soul every day and make me strive to continually find more resources and tools to empower you.

To show my gratitude, I cordially invite you to a FREE teleseminar with me and my friend and colleague PJ McClure next Tuesday evening - October 12.  During this 60-minute LIVE teleseminar, PJ and I will share seven easy steps to achieving a life of success and happiness.

Following the teleseminar, we’ll host a LIVE Q&A. That’s right! PJ and I will answer your most pressing questions about how you can reach any goal and fulfill your biggest dream.

Not only will you leave the teleseminar with a newfound feeling of determination and confidence… you will also understand what it takes to fulfill your dreams. We’ll give you specific, useful, and simple techniques that you can put to work right away. In fact, PJ taught me the exercise above! That’s the kind of easy and startlingly effective strategies we’ll reveal during the teleseminar.

Space is limited, so please reserve your spot here right now. We’ll send all the details – including call-in instructions – straight to your inbox.

One last thing… When you register, please share the number one thing in your life that you are grateful for.

I hope to see you there!