Blog #586: Breathing a Little…Indiana

Have an all-time
favorite book, movie or TV character?

This week…
A reader’s email inspires me to share mine.

______

Shawn,

I love your Thursday newsletter! Your topics seem to be written specifically for me. How do you do that? I also love your weekly sign off – With gratitude. It’s a reminder to keep looking for gratitude no matter what’s happening with me.

Most, you have a gift for seeing stories and adventure in simple events. I would love to be like that. Do you think that skill can be developed? If so, can you please consider sharing that in a future newsletter?

Thank you for being a consistent I count on.

With gratitude,

Your Thursday Fan

______

Dear “Thursday Fan”…

Thank you for reading.
Thank you for responding.

I’m lucky you did both.

Two thoughts in your email stand extra TALL.
Both are ideas I keep doing my best to grow TALLER in.

#1. Gratitude.

I call it the “Fabric Softener of the Heart.” The more I think and feel “gratitude,” the more it softens me. In my hardest hours…the more I sincerely whisper “Thank you”…the quicker the hardest hours pass. Signing off my emails “With gratitude…” just reminds me to be the person I choose to BE.

#2. Adventure

I LOVE that you see that in my blog. I playfully admit that Indiana Jones is my favorite character of all time. (College friends called me “Indy” because I was never shy about creating adventures.) Today, I’m pushin’ “nerdy” in that I own two Indy-like fedoras.

I purposefully add positive triggers to my life.

1. The “With gratitude…” sign off.
2. The Indy fedora.

There’s two.

I believe…

We can consciously add positive triggers in our lives to feel what we want to feel. AND…what we continually trigger is the person we become.

And although I love to create adventures beyond the norm…

I absolutely know that I don’t have to be hiking in the jungles of Japan looking for a 500-year-old temple or navigating my way off a storm-pounding mountain in northern Spain to FIND adventure.

Adventure beckons daily.

It’s as easy as…

Trying a new food.
Reading a new genre.
Going on a new walk.
Meeting a new person.

We live adventures…
the moment we start thinking adventurous.

“Today is a great day for an adventure!”

It’s a good philosophy…don’t you think?
It definitely, positively triggers my mindset.

Again…

Thank you for your kind email.
Your spirit is deeply appreciated.

And as a reminder to us both…

Every day we breathe…
Is a day to breathe a little like…Indiana.

With gratitude (and an adventurous heart)…

S.