Day 49: Safari Life

January 8,  2011

*All content has been taken from SImple Abundance. Some content has been shortened for the purpose of 365 Days of Gratitude. 

Safari Life

The heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill. ~ Fiona Macleod

Winter is the dry season in Africa, the time of safaris. We can learn from the dry seasons in life, and from life on safari. 


A safari of the self and spirit is at times lonely. But we know we are never alone. Someone is listening. Someone is talking to you, encouraging you to take that next step as you embrace your journey. 

Today's challenge:  Expect your hope to be rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. 

Today's exercise: Write down 10 things you are grateful for in this moment.

Day 48: Safari of Self and Spirit

January 7,  2011

*All content has been taken from SImple Abundance. Some content has been shortened for the purpose of 365 Days of Gratitude. 

Safari of Self and Spirit

The woods were made for the hunters of dreams

The brooks for the fisher of song

To the hunters who hunt for gunless game

The streams and the wood belong. ~ Sam Walter Foss

In Africa to go on a safari is to leave the comfort and safety of civilization to venture into the wilderness. Each time you listen to the woman within- your authentic self- you do the same. Remind yourself of this often. 

Today's challenge: "You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself." ~ Alan Alda

Today's exercise: Write down 10 things you are grateful for in this moment. 

Day 47: At the End of our Exploring

January 6,  2011

*All content has been taken from SImple Abundance. Some content has been shortened for the purpose of 365 Days of Gratitude. 

At the End of Our Exploring

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time. ~ T.S. Eliot

When we begin to live our lives authentically, we discover our place in the world for the very first time. But this self-knowledge is not easy. 

Our dragons are our fears: our day stalkers, our night sweats. 

Fear of the unknown. Fear of failing. Fear of starting something new and not finishing. Again. Or the real fear, the one that send shivers up our spines: the fear of succeeding, of becoming our authentic selves and facing the changes that will inevitably bring. We might not be happy with the way we are living now, but at least it's safely familiar. 

Not knowing where we are headed is very scary. 

Today's challenge: As women we have always known how to deal with dragons hiding under beds or lurking in closets. We turn on the light for reassurance. Slay your own dragons now.

Today's exercise: Write down 10 things you are grateful for in this moment. 

Day 46: Meeting Your Inner Explorer

January 5,  2011

*All content has been taken from SImple Abundance. Some content has been shortened for the purpose of 365 Days of Gratitude. 

Meeting the Inner Explorer

There is only one journey. Going inside yourself. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

How does a woman of today reconcile that dream of visiting far away lands with wonderfully interesting people? 

Dream. If you could go anywhere in the world, babysitter at your disposal, where would you go? Who would you be with? How long would you stay? What would you do? 

Today's challenge: Begin reading about the places you dream of; visit a travel agent and pick up some brochures highlighting that trip of your dreams. 

Today's exercise: Write down 10 things you are grateful for in this moment. 

Day 45: Buried Dreams

January 4,  2011

*All content has been taken from SImple Abundance. Some content has been shortened for the purpose of 365 Days of Gratitude. 

Buried Dreams

Where there is great love there are always miracles. ~Willa Cather

It takes great love and courage to excavate buried dreams. Today is the day set aside for going within and glancing back with affection and understanding at your real life journey so far. 

Remember when we once were going to set the world on fire? Today we all have a share of ashes, soot, rubble, good intentions, bitter failures, detours, disappointments, rejections, wrong choices, bad time, bungled efforts, stupid mistakes, unforeseen circumstances, whims of fate and missed opportunities. 

Don't "would-be-if-I-could-be" or "could-be-if-I-would-be."

Just be.

Today's challenge: Be with those you love, be kind to yourself. Be quiet and call forth the dream you buried long ago. . 

Today's exercise: Write down 10 things you are grateful for in this moment. 

"To catch up to the dream, to live for a moment in union with it, that was a miracle."