Latest Scoutie Girl Post + The Gratitude Project

Wow! I put the word out that I was ready to receive, and receive I did!​

​An entire weekend of 40th birthday celebrations with friends and family; an abundance of birthday wishes, flowers and other generous gifts from loved ones; and if that wasn't enough, a verbal acceptance on a house offer we made later this week! (We're anxiously waiting for a written confirmation as I type.)

​40th birthday disco ball goodness

It's been a full week folks, full to the brim.​

There's a new Four Weeks of 40 list in the works, until then I offer you a few tidbits to tide you over...

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Latest Scoutie Girl ​Post

This week's contribution to Scoutie Girl is an expression of overwhelming gratitude for all that's going on in my life, and a heartfelt reminder to heed and sit with that blessed feeling.

birthday tulips basking in the morning sun​

The Gratitude Project

On a very related note, this month my sister kicked off a gratitude project for 2013, a "social engagement experiment that seeks to engage people in a conversation around gratitude."

Triggered by her personal desire to celebrate the many blessings in her life in concert with others, she invites us to reflect on the things for which we are grateful and join in the conversation.

Of course I'm biased, but in my book, a conversation about gratitude can bring nothing but good. Check it out for yourself: the gratitude project: dare to be grateful.​

​~~~

That's it for now. Stay tuned for another Four Weeks of 40 list, coming soon!​

On Expecting Good + My Word for 2013

our list of dream house features, posted on the kitchen magnet board

" We are allowed to have the courage to desire our good and the expectations of our good being fulfilled."

~ Julia Cameron​

I saw this quote this week and it stopped me in my tracks.​

You see, I've been trying to evade my word of the year. I've danced around it, tried coupling it with something else so it wouldn't stand out as much, I've even toyed with other words altogether.​

But this quote... this quote is telling me

"Are you going to CLAIM that word once & for all, or NOT?!​"

Ahem. So, I offer you my word for 2013: Receive.

It was hard for me to even type it, I kid you not; it felt physically uncomfortable.​ Which is probably exactly why it's time for me to claim it.

"It's selfish and ungrateful! I'm already blessed, who am I to ask for more?"

"What if I added 'expand' in front of it, then at least I have to work a little bit for what I receive."​

"Seriously? Receive??? Pfft!"​

Yes, receive.​

Receive love. Receive beauty. Receive good, expect good. Receive money. Receive JOY. Receive friendship. Receive connection. Receive a dream house with oodles of natural sunlight AND a perfect man cave. Receive new experiences and insights. Receive health. Receive success and recognition. Receive opportunity. Receive meaningful work. Receive compliments. Receive peace. Receive silence. Receive the Divine. Open myself to more good things than I could ever imagine - just because. ​

Though one would think this would be an easy enough task, for some of us, it's harder than it looks.

It's not about being ungrateful or feeling there's not enough, far from it. It's about feeling worthy of receiving good - even material goods and dreams come true.

It's about saying "Hell yeah, I want this!", then feeling at the core that it could actually ​happen.

Ms Cameron speaks of "the courage to desire our good and the expectations of our good being fulfilled." I'm pretty good at the desire part; it's that second part that gives me trouble.

But I'm ready to give it a shot. Though it still makes me squirm and I'm terrified of being judged for it, I hereby declare that I am ready to receive good and expect it.

Declaration complete. Now, I put it into practice...