Take a Gratitude Break

An old Joni Mitchell song reminds us, "don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." Stop what you're doing right now, look around and take a quick 30-second gratitude break. Take this moment to appreciate all the things you'd really miss if they were gone.

I'm writing about gratitude today because in the past couple of weeks, I've experienced some, shall we say "inconveniences" that have made me very grateful for the smallest things in my life...and also some of the largest. I'm really grateful for working indoor plumbing after the two weeks we spent having the floor in our master bath jackhammered; having to turn hot water on and off (at the water heater) each time we wanted to use it until we could locate and fix a leak in the plumbing.

Recently, on the hottest July 17 on record in Las Vegas (officially 116 degrees!), our power went out at 4 in the afternoon and remained off until midnight. Not only were we without air conditioning, lights and all the appliances we've come to rely on, but because our well is powered with electricity we had no water either! It has been a month that has tested my patience in many ways. But it has also strengthened my gratitude muscles significantly.

Today, my hot and cold water are running. The air conditioning is humming along keeping it a very comfortable 80 degrees in our home, and I'm sitting here as usual at my computer writing this message. Am I thankful? You bet! Oh and one more thing. On a trip back from Utah recently, a large blue tarp that had blown off of someone else's vehicle, blew directly into my car. Fortunately it wrapped itself around the front end of the car instead of my windshield...and I am definitely grateful for that.

Now, look around you again and take stock right this minute of all you can be grateful for. Your computer is obviously working, you're able to read, you're breathing, hopefully the air conditioning where you are is working. You have family and friends who love you, care about you and to whom you matter. I'm grateful that my husband knows how to get things fixed around our house, and that in the event of another power outage, we've always got the swimming pool!

There is no shortage of things to be thankful for right now. There is only the shortage of attention to all you really have to be grateful for. Join me in making this gratitude day. Stop several times today and complete this sentence: "Right now, I am grateful for...." It may not change any negative circumstances immediately into positive ones, but if it changes your mind, brings a smile to your face and allows you to pass that grateful attitude along to others, then it may yet change your world.

***********************
Quote of the Week
***********************

"Make the most of the best and the least of the worst." ~~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987. She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach.

To subscribe or learn more about Betty's coaching and training services, visit http://www.dynamic-coaching.com

best cleaning company Highland Park ..

In The News:

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

Take a Gratitude Break

Positive Attitude Tips