Gratitude and Grace

For the last couple of years at the beginning of the year, I have chosen a word to focus on. My word for 2024 was "abundance." In meditating on that word, I focused on abundance of good health, abundance of profitable projects at work, abundance of financial freedom, abundance of joy, abundance of love and abundance of great relationships.

However, amidst all of my meditating, the word and the immense feeling that came over me was "gratitude." The feeling of gratitude was so overwhelming at times that it brought me to tears.

I am grateful for good health, for profitable projects at work, for financial freedom, for joy, for love and for great relationships.

Throughout this year, the word and the immense soul-gripping emotion of gratitude has been with me.

So what's the lesson? I learned that gratitude must proceed everything. Be grateful for the opportunity to work, to share, to experience whatever is set before you, and other blessings that you could not have imagined would grace your table. If you lack the right mindset, an opportunity looks like more work, more stress and more pressure. With a grateful heart and an openness to receive, opportunities present themselves when you least expect them.

For example, I had no idea that I would co-author a book with the amazing transformational internationally known speaker Lisa Nichols this year and a cohort of other professionals who have shared their gifts and their connections with me freely.

I had no idea that the book would become a best seller and lead to me speaking in Paris, France, and share that experience with my two daughters.

I had no idea that 2024 would open doors to expand the work that I lead at Goodwill Industries of East Texas, allowing us to serve entrepreneurs in partnership with other Goodwill organizations outside of our region.

I had no idea that I would be able to join other Goodwill executives on an educational European tour as part of a textile recycling partnership.

So no matter the "word" that pops in my head next year, I will take each step with immense gratitude in my heart and grace in my spirit.

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