100 Days of Gratitude – Day 100!!!

I’m grateful for the journey of this past 100 Days, and grateful for those who have shared the journey.  I’m grateful to Glenda for our conversation in Orange which kicked off this discipline, which has been good for me, and has impacted others.  I’m grateful that I can develop in my skills (adding photos and links to blogs) and in my discipline of committing to this every single day for 100 Days. Making a difference to others has been a bonus I didn’t fully anticipate.  I’ve had many emails from people who have shifted their own focus to being more positive, and they’ve shared the idea with others who have taken it further.  I have seen a ripple effect which is beautiful, and a privilege.

Rather than list of 100 things, which might be a great way to complete, I’ll list 10 people who’ve been a great encouragement to me as I’ve blogged a thought or 2 each day.

1. Darren Ramsey

2. Sue Owen

3. Lyndon Phipps

4. Teonie Hoyes

5. Shelley Taylor-Smith

6. Charyn Youngson

7. Sherry Davies-Selak

8. Annette Ferguson

9. Courtney Powell

10. Allan Sentance

And how did I celebrate my Day 100?  Friends came for afternoon tea, which led into a lovely dinner and conversations until after 10pm, as they do with fabulous people.  Allan and Carolyn Powell came over with their youngest 5 (of 10 gorgeous kids) and we celebrated the blog, the book, (which is being typeset for printing) and the book I’m now writing for.

People have been asking me what’s next after these 100 Days, and the answer is that I have a couple of things in mind.  I have a few themed “100 Days” to come, but for a few weeks at least, I will return to a less frequent blogging habit, (but more frequent than prior to this 100 Days commitment) and when I’m ready I will launch with another 100 Days project.  As always, I hope to bring inspired, and inspiring thoughts and encouragement.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below, I appreciate the feedback, and learn from it.

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 90

I’m grateful for wonderful books.  I came across this one, Everyday Greatness, (Stephen R Covey, David K Hatch) at the library last week when Ethan was stocking up.  It has heaps of great quotes, and some short stories that are incredibly inspiring. I learned more about Abraham Lincoln’s early days, in the chapter titled Humility. His attitude in the face of opposition and outright scorn was amazing.

I don’t have time to read the whole book now, as mine’s getting ready for printing, but taking breaks from the computer I’ve walked around reading a few quotes here and there.

After speaking with Pam Hardgrave from Lillydale, QLD, who is one of the inspiring entrepreneurs in my new book, I found this quote – relevant to Pam who has a great sense of humour, even in challenging times.

“If you’re going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now. – Marie Osmond

I have another great book called the pocket book of positives, which my dear friend Sandra Groom gave me last year when she visited us.  It’s useful to have a book like these within reach for when you want a break from the detail of editing, or are doing anything else that drains your energy.

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 82

I’m grateful for the school my son attends.  I’m so thankful for the staff and school community who make the school what it is.  I just attended the School Association meeting and was delighted to hear all the progress since the last one I attended (Term One I believe). The school has been granted the maximum five years registration and accreditation with the Board of Studies.  This is a strong endorsement of the quality of the school, across all areas.  The new school website will be launched soon and many other exciting projects are taking place.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to go “behind the scenes” and see the commitment of those involved, and the level of skill and professionalism brought to the team.  I have seen this before in private schools where I’ve coached teachers individually and as a team on staff development days, and Dubbo Christian School which I’m involved in as a parent, absolutely excels in these areas too.

When Ethan began at the school I didn’t see myself being very involved, it being more “Lyndon’s thing” as he loves being there for the children to read to him, or going on excursions with the class.  I see now how I can be involved and tonight I actually agreed, wholeheartedly to join the development committee!  Lyndon’s wondering who it was who just came home from that meeting, but I know what it is to be in the right place at the right time, and contribute in the right way.

Ethan asked me on the way home today what I was grateful for, and we discussed a long list of things – he wanted me to blog about being grateful for our very reliable car, which I am of course – but I didn’t expect to be coming home from the meeting so inspired and grateful.  Fortunately I had my iPhone and asked someone to take a photo of the principal, Warren Melville and me after the meeting, so I could blog about tonight with a pic. I’m grateful that Warren has come to the school (I can’t remember how many years ago) from New Zealand, where I discovered tonight he published a book!  Can’t wait to see it.

I’m also grateful for a friends specific feedback on a final draft of my book.  It’s being organised for layout with photos and quotes etc, so it’s off to print very soon.

Thanks for sharing the journey of gratitude,

Love Kerrie

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 80

It seems that on a day like Day 80, I should be writing something really profound, but today was one of those days where you just do your work and chose to be grateful in the moment.  I’m facing a few challenges at the moment, so I’m grateful for supportive friends, grateful that this week I can go to the beach and feel the sand between my toes, and let the (cold) water wash all my concerns away.

Since it’s our last night here, we stayed at the beach here until dark, so we walked through the bush between the beach and our apartment, enjoying the fireflies flashing their tiny, bright lights on and off.  We also celebrated our last night here by going to Coffs, (about 20 minutes drive) to the Thai restaurant where I met my beautiful friends from Germany, Miriam and Karoline, several years ago.

The food was amazing, and well worth the wait (which was a challenge for a hungry 9 year old).

I also had more feedback about this Gratitude blog – people are being more grateful! Or grateful more often.  It’s all good.

What are you grateful for?  Who are you grateful for? Have you told them lately?

Cheering you on,
Love Kerrie

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 77

My gratitude today is for the feedback I’ve been getting about this 100 Days of Gratitude blog.  It was just an idea that emerged with a facebook friend who I met for coffee in a nearby town, and I jumped at the idea, thinking it would be a useful exercise for me to actually commit to blogging each day!  I journal most days, and write about what I’m grateful for, but there’s nothing like making yourself accountable to others by sharing it publicly.  I also thought it would be useful to develop my computer and internet skills, which needed a little work.

As a result of simply sharing one or two things (it’s hard to stick with one thing…) I’m grateful for, others have been impacted.

The email that made my day this morning was from a friend who has been keeping up with my gratitude each day, and recording and sharing her own.  She wrote this morning about a client of hers that she shared the concept with, and her client has now taken it to her classroom of young children, in a creative way.  In my friends email she wrote “and it was all brought to mind by being involved with your 100 days of gratitude. I’m guessing the impact will be HUGE. so I again wanted to thank you for the 100 Days of Gratitude, it’s catching 🙂

I then received a beautiful note tonight from a friend in the UK who wrote “hey kerrie! happy friday.. i am just so grateful for your gratitude.. it is making me think more positively about my days… you are truly an inspiration…”

So I’m grateful for the feedback, as it’s teaching me that building a little habit can have an amazing ripple effect.  Thank you for sharing the journey.

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 74

Kids movies are certainly more than meets the eye (often)… I’m grateful today for a few thoughts from Finding Nemo, which Ethan watched this afternoon as I worked on my new (almost complete) book.  I absolutely love Dory’s philosophy when it comes to uncertainty or challenge – “just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”  (and it’s a good idea to sing “just keep swimming” as you go).

It’s also a great story of passion, commitment, friendship and adventure. If you haven’t seen it – get a copy and sit down ready for an enjoyable and uplifting movie that can encourage you in challenging moments, as a quote or two comes to mind randomly – even a long time after seeing it!

That was only a snippet of a day that contains many moments to be grateful for – but I know that a few today worth commenting on will also come up in the next few days, so I’ll keep my camera handy.

Cheering you on,

Just keep swimming (or writing, or loving, or whatever it is you put your hand to)

Love Kerrie