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

elite cleaning services Mundelein ..

In The News:

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

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.

Take a Gratitude Break

Positive Attitude Tips