On this 25th day of November, 2010, the citizens of The United States of America are celebrating Thanksgiving.  We’re gathering with loved ones to remininise about holidays past and create new memories over food, football, and fun!

The main purpose of this special day is to give thanks for our many blessings.  A few things that top my list are those who had the courage to venture out and discover this fine land and those that serve to protect it, my family and friends, my health and home, and the opportunity to start anew, which I did last year by creating Gratitude Boot Camp.

In honor of this celebration, I’d like to share 25 of my favorite quotes about thankfulness and gratitude (with a few created by me)…

1.  “When you become truly aware of your current blessings and are filled with genuine gratitude, your life will change in profound ways” ~ Sandy Harper

2. ”If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.”  ~ Meister Eckhart

3.  “The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.” ~ John E. Southard

4. ‎”If you want to feel rich, just count the things you have that money can’t buy.” ~ Unknown.

5.  “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” ~ Epictetus

6.  “If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.  It will change your life mightily.” ~ Gerald Good

7.  “When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them.” ~  Chinese Proverb

8.  “When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” ~ Tony Robbins

9.  “Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.”  ~ Kahlil Gibran

10. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Unknown

11. “It’s important to make gratitude a habit because your habits create your life.” ~ Sandy Harper

12. “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” ~ Brian Tracy

13. ”Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.” ~ Eileen Caddy

14. “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ” ~ Thornton Wilder

15. “Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.” ~ Seneca

16. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie

17. “Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.” ~ Zig Ziglar

18. “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.”  ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

19. “Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, it’s important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have, on every level. We need to literally “count our blessings,” give thanks for them, allow ourselves to enjoy them, and relish the experience of prosperity we already have.”  ~ Shakti Gawain

20. “If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

21. “Gratitude is a powerful force that opens the door to God’s blessing. Having constant gratitude proves your faith in God because not only do you thank Him for what He has done in the past, you thank Him for what He will do in the future.” ~ Joel Osteen

22. “Gratitude should not be just a reaction to getting what you want, but an all-the-time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good, even in unpleasant situations. Start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful.” ~ Marelisa Fábrega

23. “No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.” ~ Alfred North Whitehead

24. “Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much.  For on the smiles, the thanks we give, out little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build their philosophy of life.” ~ A. J. Cronin

25.  “Gratitude possesses magical power.  When you live in gratitude, you will walk in peace… no matter what circumstances arise.” ~ Sandy Harper

I’m grateful that you took the time to visit my blog.  What are you thankful for today?

In November of 2007, I got into a discussion with my dear friend, Dana, about how hard it is to have a sick child and how it must be even more difficult during the holidays.  We quickly decided to create a charity event to benefit the local Ronald McDonald House^® (RMH) program, since both of our families had been helped by them.

When he was 10 months old my nephew, Beau, was rushed by helicopter to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida where he under-went emergency brain surgery and endured months of recovery.  During those months, my brother & sister-in-law stayed at the Ronald McDonald House instead of having to drive hours each day to see their baby.

Dana’s niece, Tara, who was diagnosed with a rare disease, had to undergo a bone marrow transplant at All Children’s Hospital, when she was a toddler. Tara’s parents were able to reside at the Ronald McDonald House for months while waiting for Tara to recover.  The RMH allowed them to stay in the house at no charge without the worrying of driving back and forth to their home, which was hours away.

That year, we founded The Vino Ball of Central Florida.  Over the past three years, we’ve raised thousands of dollars and gift cards for the Ronald McDonald House in Orlando, Florida.  This year’s event is going to be extra-special as we honor the memory of Dana’s niece, Tara.  She passed away on October 28th and was laid to rest, close to her Grandpa Matthews, on October 30, 2010.

After being diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome as a toddler, Tara underwent a bone marrow transplant in 1988.  She was three years old and the donor was her Mother, Rhonda.  She flourished for a few years – dancing, singing, and laughing her way into the hearts of everyone who met her.  In typical Southern Girl fashion, she took a liking to hunting, fishing, and most especially, horseback riding on her pony, Red.

One day, at the ripe old age of two, she saddled up to take Red for a ride.  When she didn’t return within a few minutes, her Mama went off in search of her – only to find that she’d ridden him into the house and positioned him in front of the TV to watch cartoons with her!

In 1992, the rare blood disorder returned to her little body and she became mentally and physically disabled.

Because of the deep abiding love of her family and the support of the teachers and staff at Doris A. Sanders Learning Center, Tara lived much longer than was expected.  Her family had been told that the average life-span of those afflicted with Sanfilippo is 8 to 12 years.  Tara turned 25 on October 3rd.  She had graduated from Doris A. Sanders two years before, where she was even able to attend the prom!

The Matthews family remembers, with gratitude, the special care they received at The Ronald McDonald House they lived in during Tara’s bone marrow operation.  Please join us as we raise money for this worthy cause.  This year’s event will be dedicated to the memory of a very special girl – Tara Matthews.

I invite you to join us on January 28, 2011 at The Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration, Florida for the 4th Annual Vino Ball of Central Florida.  For more information, please visit http://VinoBallofCentralFlorida.com.

Well… it’s been exactly one month since my last blog posting.  So much for my goal of writing something on here at least once per week!

My first reaction when I realized it had been so long was to feel guilty.  Just like my first thought when I woke up after sleeping in last Saturday was “How dare I stay in bed until 9:00 whenever I have SO much to do?”

Why do we allow guilt to consume us?  I chatted with a friend who didn’t fully enjoy her (much-deserved) vacation recently because she felt guilty about leaving work and her child.

I’m always saying that life is too short and too precious to feel sorry for ourselves or to hold grudges or to not give gratitude for our blessings.  Yet, I somehow have kept guilt around as a regular house guest.

That stops NOW!  Today – September 17, 2010… I am declaring my home (and my brain) as a “Guilt Free Zone!”  Won’t you join me?  The next time that a guilty thought starts to form in your head or come out of your mouth, stop it with a power word!  A power word is one that you use to stop immediately so you can refocus your thoughts and/or words.  As soon as the guilt starts, shout “Love” (even if it’s only in your head) and then say – “I feel great.  I am grateful for this very moment and embrace it fully.”

(Photo by Michal Marcol – http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=371)

Do you ever feel that just as you take one step forward, you’re pushed two steps back?  When that happens, you often want to get out of the game, don’t you?

DON’T!!!

In 1993, the score was 35 -3 at the beginning of the third quarter of the Buffo Bills vs Houston Oilers game.  Instead of giving up, Quarterback Frank Reich rallied his team and beat the Oilers 41-38… one of the biggest comeback victories ever in NFL history!  I’m sure that even the fans sitting in the seats for the opposing team couldn’t help but feel the excitement in such a miraculous recovery.

I have found that when I take a deep breathe and call upon my faith when I’m pushed two steps back, things still work out… often in a way that is miraculous and memorable.

The next time you’re feeling defeated, take a look around.  Who are the fans sitting on your side? Gather them around you and allow their cheers of encouragement to propel you forward.  Rally your team and strategize on how you can gain back those steps and more.  And, dig deep within yourself to muster the strength to keep moving!

Harriet Beecher Stowe said:

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

To this day, there are football fans reminiscing about the great comeback of ’93.  Never give up… you could be the next “Frank Reich Story”, with people talking about your amazing achievement for years to come!
(Photo by Michal Marcol http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=371)

I was having dinner with a friend and we laughed over his latest adventure.  Of course, we were able to laugh about it because he had the wisdom and strength not to immediately react to a situation, that could have proven deadly.

He was in a cage with a 500 lb female tiger that he had recently started to sponsor.  Her trainer was in there and told him to remain calm whenever he could see that she was becoming extremely territorial with her “new toy”!  As she placed her enormous arm around his body and took his arm into her mouth, his first instinct was to yank it away and run for his life.  Just pulling back a little, caused her to clamp down her teeth and give him a constant reminder of the importance of being slow to react.  He now sports two small scars on his arm.  It could have been so much worse.

Though most of us will have few, if any, life-or-death situations; we will all experience circumstances that cause our heart to race and make us want to react immediately.  Perhaps someone just sent you a nasty or threatening email.  Perhaps you just found out that someone is spreading gossip.  Perhaps you lost a business contract even though you did all the work.   Reacting immediately to these types of events is actually the worst response.  While it may not kill us, it could potentially tarnish our reputation; cause us to say things that we later regret; or end a relationship that could have been salvaged.

Unless your house is on fire or your child is about to dart into traffic, there are very few times when you must react immediately.  When you experience an upsetting or unsettling occurrence, always stop before you do anything.  Take some deep breathes.  Count your blessings.  Stretch.  Go for a walk.  Listen to some music.  When you are in a more calm state of mind, sit down with a pen and paper & ask yourself these questions…

1.  Why am I upset?

2.  What is the most professional/spiritual way to handle this?

3.  What steps do I need to take to address this so that it does not escalate or happen again?  Would it be best to just ignore it so as not to antagonize?

4.  Do I need to sever ties with this person?  If so, how do I do that and remain “on the high road”?

5.  Do I need to seek help from someone trustworthy and qualified?

6.  What is the lesson for me to learn?

7.  What is the humor in this?

The next time you find yourself feeling like a toy in the jaws of one of life’s ‘tigers’, simply STOP before acting.  That way, the scars that you get, if any, will be small and you will feel as proud as a lion.

(Photo by Arvind Balaraman ~ http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1058)

I was out of town Tuesday night when I received the text from my room-mate/manny, just before midnight.  He was contacting me with the news that my air conditioner had died…completely.  We live in Central Florida, where we have been experiencing temperatures in the 90′s, and even in the low 100′s some days!

My immediate reaction was an expletive spoken under my breath (which I quickly asked forgiveness for).  But, then I started “practicing what I preach” in my Gratitude Boot Camp sessions.  I took some deep, cleansing breaths and started counting all of my blessings.  Then, I said my prayers and drifted off to sleep soundly (instead of tossing and turning and worrying, as I would have done in days past).

The next day, I did not allow myself to get upset at all about the broken air conditioner, even though it was happening at an inopportune time.  Instead, I focused on my blessings; remembered that I grew up in a house with no air in Florida and survived; and took action to find ways to live with the situation for a while, by getting my hands on some oscillating fans to use temporarily.  I went about my day in a calm way, knowing that “this too shall pass”.

As I was driving home last night, I kept my thoughts on all of the good things going on in my life, not allowing any negative statements to enter my brain, not even for a minute!  When we arrived home, I explained to my almost-four year old son, Jake, that he was only gonna sleep in a light shirt, instead of his jammies and socks, for a while.  I started walking towards the stairs to put him to bed.  I felt completely at ease with our situation and was ready to let the hot night take me back to happy, childhood memories.

As I was passing by the closet that holds the breaker box for my house, I stopped to check it even though David had already done so.  The breaker for the air conditioner appeared to be lined up with all of the rest, but I flipped it off and back on any way.  It was music to my ears when I heard the air conditioner kick on and Jake squealed with delight when his Mommy started doing a very up-beat happy dance!  We danced around and sang our new “Mommy and Jake are Grateful for Air Conditioning” song for quite a while before we went up to his bedroom.  It was fun!!!

I woke up feeling extra grateful and happy today.  David is perplexed.  Jake is well-rested.  And, I am feeling the powerful sense of accomplishment that comes with remaining calm during a crises.

Resolve, right now, that you will remain calm the next time an unexpected challenge arises in your life.  It is powerful.

Have you ever been hit by an emotion so suddenly that your immediate reaction almost knocked you down?

The realization that my new baby was going to grow up too quickly was the day that he no longer fit into his newborn diapers.  I burst into tears and sobbed while trying to hold him still while searching for the Size 1 diapers!  ”Oh my word”, I said to myself between tears, “So, this is why people kept saying ‘they grow up soooo fast’ while I was pregnant” (something that I find myself doing to every expectant woman I see now).

This week, almost four years later, it hit me again whenever I placed the call to enroll my son, Jake, into pre-kindergarten.  When I hung up, I started sobbing…almost uncontrollably!  ”How in the world did the last four years go by so quickly?” I wondered, as I felt a big sense of nostalgia and a small sense of panic.  Am I spending enough quality time with him?  Am I focusing on what is most important to create a life of prosperity, safety, and happiness for him?  Am I teaching him everything he needs to know to be a good student and, most importantly, a good person?

Later that day, I overheard him say to one of his toys “My Mommy is grateful.”  I relaxed and thought “Well…I am off to a good start!”

(picture courtesy of http://freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=989)

Every once in a while, Opportunity knocks and you know that not only do you need to open the door wide…you need to grab her, give her a welcoming hug, invite her to dinner and use your best china!

I was sitting at my desk at the end of March and, at the exact moment that I thought to myself,  ”I must get my book written NOW”, I received an email from a friend that invited Authors and Aspiring Authors to take part in “The Next Top Spiritual Author” competition.  Wow…another serendipitous moment that sent chill bumps all over my body!

Ever since I created Gratitude Boot Camp last year and started sharing it as a coaching program, I have been led to put it into book form so that millions can benefit from learning how to make gratitude a daily habit.  During the first Gratitude Boot Camp session I watched, in awe, as people’s lives were transformed, personally and professionally.  After speaking at a Law of Attraction Meetup, I was approached by a woman who told me that I had given her the strength to continue after losing her son 8 months before.  My story had inspired her to be grateful for the time that she had him and to focus on her current blessings.  That is when I decided to include some of my personal story, in my book, along with the steps needed to create a life filled with happiness, love, peace, success, and abundance.

The Next Top Author Competition started on March 29th.  It is comprised of four rounds where Authors share their books with a panel of publishing experts and with the public.  In the final round, the Grand Prize Winner will receive a publishing contract with Hampton Roads Publishing.  I am excited to present my upcoming book, Gratitude Habit, as an entry.  Please visit http://sn.im/TopAuthor to watch the video pitch of my book; read the book proposal and read Chapter 1.  While you are there, be sure and vote!

There were 2800 Authors who competed in Round 1 and 271 advanced to Round 2.  I am so honored to be one of them and am grateful for everyone’s support.  I finished uploading my book proposal and Chapter 1 last night, just as the Season Finale’ of American Idol was ending.  I thought to myself “How exciting!  I feel like I am involved in ‘The American Idol for Authors’!!

Welcome Home, Opportunity!  I’ve been waiting for you my entire life!!

I hosted a baby shower at my house last week for a small group of women who, like me, have 3 year old children.  We recounted stories of things that our children recently said or did.

One Mom talked about how her daughter called a friend a “dumb ass”; another lamented because her child wouldn’t bow or curtsy during a school play because he didn’t want her to think he was acting silly; another described how her daughter was pretending to be ‘the Mommy’ and slapped her hand on her forehead in exasperation; another spoke about how her daughter pointed to a man wearing an earring and proclaimed loudly “boys aren’t supposed to wear earrings…only girls”; and I shared that, when my friend watched Jake the other day, he said “Have you seen Sandy Harper’s Gratitude Boot Camp on Facebook?”

We all laughed because kids say the darndest things!  We also pointed out all of the wonderful things that we do as Mothers and didn’t allow each other to feel badly about anything our children say or do that might cause us to feel guilt…after all, there is no such thing as a perfect Mother.  

Later, I thought about how our children are such mirrors of us!  I thought about what my child said and realized that I’ve been working too much lately!  So…I am committing right now to spend a minimum of one hour of uninterrupted time with him per work day (even if it is in 5 – 15 minute increments)…no phone and no computer allowed!  We are going to sit down right now and play a board game…as. soon. as. I. finish. posting. on. Facebook, that is!!!

(Image: Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Begin and end your day with these affirmations. 

Take some deep breaths and get into a relaxed state. As you read each one, feel the emotion it invokes.

Do this daily, for your words create your reality.

♥ I am filled with Gratitude for all of my blessings today!

♥ I have great self-management skills!

♥ I am surrounded by positive people who add value to my life!

♥ I am massively organized!

♥ I have a joyful spirit!

♥ I am financially free and am Grateful for my riches!

♥ Today, I will concentrate on taking one step forward, however small!

♥ I do whatever it takes!

♥ I act in spite of my fears!

♥ My loved ones are happy, healthy, and prospering!

♥ I schedule my priorities every day!

♥ I am laser-focused on my priorities!

♥ I am a self-reliant and successful person!

♥ I forgive quickly and move on!

♥ I resolve issues quickly and with a calmness of spirit!

♥ I live a healthy lifestyle!

♥ I learn from every experience!

♥ I eliminate all negativity out of my life!

♥ My thoughts are creative and I am now creating the reality that I desire!

♥ I will take at least 1 action today in the direction of my long term plans!

♥ I am always receiving money making ideas and acting upon them!

♥ I only attract loving people in my world for they are a mirror of what I am!

♥ Today, I choose to find the good in myself and others!

♥ I see past old limitations and envision new opportunities!

♥ I love myself. And I love how I feel when I love myself!

♥ I am an extreme action taker!

♥ I am more enthusiastic today and am improving this trait daily!

♥ I am prosperous and abundant. I gain income from unexpected sources!

♥ Divine love is working through me now!

♥ I add value to other people’s lives!

♥ I let go of any burdens that are not mine to carry!

♥ I give generously and from my heart!

♥ I am decisive and follow through!

♥ I am positive and optimistic!

♥ I commit to being rich in every way!

♥ I always awaken completely refreshed!

♥ Today, I am energetic and enthusiastic!

♥ I live with purpose and passion!

♥ I have compassion for all living things!

♥ I release judgment and criticism of myself and others!

♥ Every breath I take brings me greater health and vitality!

♥ I love my life!

♥ Money is flowing into my life, quickly and easily!

♥ Every day and in every way, I’m getting better and better!

♥ I am grateful for today and for all of my blessings!