Daily Gratitude

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." (Doctrine and Covenants 78:19)

Thank you for this wondrous, beautiful day. Thank you for Linea, and the amazing joy and energy she brings to my life. Thank you for my life!!!! Thank you for the opportunity to relax and enjoy the morning. Thank you for the inspiration and magic that continues to come into my life. Thank you for Aisza and for "forcing" me to get out and buy my new books! Thank you for my talent and ability to write. Thank you for the inspiration and the joy. Thank you for these good vibrations!!! Thank you for my wonderful family. Thank you for the opportunity to produce the one-acts. Thank you for my beautiful children that bring so much job into my life. Thank you for the opportunity to be their mother. Thank you for the spring, and the reminder that despite what we may see, there is life and beauty all around us, just below the surface, that will one day blossom into glory. Thank you for the rennaisance, and the opportunity I have to live right here right now and experience it. Thank you for my body--my hair, my skin. Thank you for allowing me to live in time where there are so many wonderful modern conveniences and "toys." Thank you for Rome...thank you for Rome...thank you for Rome!!!

To Make an Apple Pie

THE STORY

When my husband and I were first dating, I decided to impress upon him my culinary skills and bake him an apple pie.

Though I had not made a lot of pies in my life--apple or otherwise--I was confident in my ability to pull it off. I got out my cookbook, carefully selected my ingredients, and set about the task of measuring, sifting, rolling, washing, slicing, mixing, and baking.

The finished product looked just like an apple pie was supposed to look. I had done it.

When my husband came in after our date, I proudly presented him with the pie. He was duly impressed that I had gone to such effort for him, and I remember clearly his asking, "Did you do this for me?"

No one had ever baked anything for him--let alone a pie.

I carefully cut the pie, served it, and waited eagerly for his response. He took one bite and said, "You should get my grandmother's recipe."

Now, if you are of the male persuasion and you are reading this, you might be thinking, "How nice that he would offer such great advice!"

If you are female, however, chances are you reacted the same way I did--shocked and appalled that he would dare say such a thing!

I mean, how rude! I had gone to all this work! I had slaved away in the kitchen for him!

How dare he infer that someone else could make a better pie than me!

Hmpf!

I tell this story frequently--when I feel the need to poke fun at the difference between men and women or make a jab at my husband's "cluelessness." It's a harmless little incident that I look back on and laugh.

But my husband is quick to point out that my pie was, in fact, not the best pie in the world, and that his grandmother did, in fact, make pies that were heavenly, and that it's always a good idea, in fact, to rely on someone else's expertise when trying to improve your own skill set.

Ugh. I hate it when he is right.

THE LESSON

No matter what you are trying to do in life, chances are someone has already done it or done something similar.

And, as the saying goes, "Success leaves clues." If someone else is doing what you want to do--whether it's making money, starting a business, being in a happy marriage, raising amazing kids, or baking a pie-what good is it to try and forge your own way? Just ask for the recipe.

Too many people look at the results of failures to judge whether or not they themselves can do something.

These are the people who look at Uncle Joe, who started a business and lost his shirt, or who look at divorce statistics and decide marriage is not for them.

This is nuts.

If Martha Stewart can bake a pie, I can, too. And a hundred or a thousand people could tell me that it's impossible to bake a pie, that "that pie baking stuff never works," and that I might as well quit before I begin, and it wouldn't matter. Why? Because Martha did it, and she gave me the recipe.

You see, you really can have what you want. But you must turn a deaf ear to the naysayers and turn all your attention to those who have gone before, who have laid the path, and have left clues.

TAKE ACTION

Are you frustrated with the results you are getting in some area of your life? Take action!

Today's action step: Actively seek out people who have done what you are trying to do. Listen to them, and only to them!

You wouldn't take medical advice from someone who has only been to the doctor. You wouldn't take career advice from someone who flips burgers at MacDonald's. Only take advice from people who are successful at what you want to be successful at. Period.

© 2008, Margie Remmers, http://www.YouCanHaveWhatYouWant.com/

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Daily Gratitude

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." (Doctrine and Covenants 78:19)

Thank you for the inspiration (and necessity) to buy new clothes for Rome. Now every time that I wear them I will think of my trip! Thank you for the Summit Conference. Thank you for all the life changing knowledge I received there, and thank you for the certainty that I will apply them now. Thank you for Liberty League and all of the amazing, wonderful, positive, inspiring people in the community. Thank you for all those I met and spent time with, and thank you for those whom I did not meet, but added their positive energy to the experience. Thank you for an amazing, wonderful, supportive husband who took care of everything while I was gone. Thank you for my delightful, smart, enjoyable children who make life such a joy--even when Mommy is gone. Thank you for my body. Thank you for the ability I have to see things and do things and experience all that I set out to do. Thank you for my hair, which grows thicker every day. Thank you for the inspiration to compete in a triathlon. Thank you for for Susan and Sabrina. Thank you for all of the athletes who have gone before me and who have provided the knowledge I need to do it, too. Thank you for all the swimming lessons. Thank you for my love of water and the joy I feel being near it. Thank you for the hot tub! Thank you for my amazing life, all my wonderful blessings, and all that is yet to be.