Day 28

This morning I was grateful that the snow storm had finished and my flight wasn't cancelled. There was a mechanical and de-icing delay so I missed my connecting flight in Halifax. Unfortunately all the remaining flights were full so I had two options: stay the night in Halifax and get a flight out in the morning, or take a taxi to PEI. I chose the taxi, and four of us travelled home together this afternoon.

My colleague Steven was on that flight as well as two other public servants from Ottawa. We had great conversations and the 4 hour drive flew by so fast, nice to catch up with Steven and get to know the other two people. It was their first time in Atlantic Canada so this taxi road trip allowed them to visit three provinces (NS, NB and PEI) in one afternoon. It was wonderful to hear their comments as they looked at the surroundings with fresh eyes. The sun started shining as soon as we reached PEI :) It is always nice to travel, but there is no place quite like home.

It is hard to believe today is the last day of my “28 days of gratitude” blog, the month flew by at lightning speed. This was a very fun little project for me, and I received some nice comments and feedback from friends, and a few even started their own gratitude journals as a result. I will continue to be grateful for the little things (and of course the big things) and not take a moment of life for granted.  I will miss this blog project, but I will continue with my daily hand written gratitude journal. My journal is one of the most favourite parts of my day – having the opportunity to reflect on all the great things that I have had the opportunity to experience. I also may start a gratitude jar, I saw this neat idea on pinterest:

For all of you that are reading this, I am grateful that you took the time to follow along on my "28 days of gratitude" journey. Your support and encouragement means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for your kindness.

~~~~~

I found Danielle LaPorte’s  “How-To's of Small, Specific, Genuine (and Publicly Declared) Gratitude” very inspiring so I wanted to share it as part of my final post:

1. Post as the spirit moves you, but definitely post before you go to bed. (I'm sure it's scientifically proven that appreciation before you sleep is good for your neurons. And stuff.)

2. Only express gratitude if it's genuine. Do NOT post "just to get something on Facebook" or for recognition.

3. See the obvious gifts of the day. And then...

4. Look for what you might be taking for granted. So many of us have systems of love and consciousness, governance and privilege that underpin our everyday lives. What and who keeps your life running?

5. The profound and the seemingly trivial live side by side in the day to day. Put it all in the mix.

6. Personally, I use "Life" as a term to cover God, Goddess, The Cosmos, Nature -- all of it. Thank whatever greater force you most relate to.

7. Even if your day, your week, your year has sucked, dig to find something to appreciate. Did you have to walk to get clean water today? Do you have a telephone? Does one person on the planet love you just a little bit? Are you still here? Muster it if you have to. You'll feel better. You will inspire someone.

When you specify what you're grateful for it becomes more real and sensual. And from that sincere feeling you will become more emotive -- and what you emote, you attract.

Envision this: For every piece of negative news that is broadcast, for every snarky-critical tweet and gossipy-link ... a hundred instances of Small, Specific, Genuine (and Publicly Declared) Gratitude.

Here's to a revolution. -- Danielle LaPorte

Day 27

This morning I had breakfast with a great friend, it was so nice to catch up as I hadn’t seen him in a long while - I also had one of the most delicious smoothies I have ever tasted.  Then I had a day of incredibly productive meetings. Whenever I come to Ottawa it seems like the days are stock full of awesomeness, getting the opportunity to work with such engaged individuals, where their energy and enthusiasm is beyond contagious. I just love it.

 Tonight was the w2p (web 2.0 practioners) mixer at Aulde Dubliner. Despite the stormy weather there was a great turnout. It was so nice to see everyone and also get to meet some new faces I had not had the pleasure of meeting before.  Jess, Erin and I have been chatting about getting together for cupcakes and champagne. Tonight Jess made the most amazing neapolitan cupcakes with tricolour icing, what a fantastic baker, extremely talented. We then had some champagne, what a perfect combination - so much fun.  I love w2p mixers, and getting caught up with everyone, I always leave at the end of the night so inspired by everyone I’ve spoken to. I am grateful to be part of such an amazing community of dynamic individuals. They all have such a sparkplug of energy and passion, and are doing such incredible things to improve the Public Service. 

Day 26

Today was a very productive morning of meetings, and a wonderful sushi lunch with a great friend. I spent the afternoon at the Champions Official Languages session, it was very interesting and Nick did a great job presenting.

I glanced out the window a few times throughout the day and saw these workers repairing a roof. It was neat to watch them work as they each had their own little job and worked together as a team. I am sure it must be very rewarding for them to take a roof, remove the shingles, place the new tar, roll out the new shingles and see the efforts of their labour come together in a neatly, completed project. They seemed very at ease and relaxed as they worked, almost like artists painting a canvas. I was grateful to watch them work at various times throughout the day and see the pride they took in each phase of their project.

Tonight we went to Vetta Osteria – a new Italian restaurant on Bank Street that opened in November. Such a wonderful evening of deep conversations, lots of laughs, expresso cup traditions, and wine toasts :) It was a really enjoyable, grateful for such a fun evening.

I received a surprise thank you from a friend today, very thoughtful and of course delicious.  A little hand written note and a batch of cookies was really appreciated, it was such a kind gesture.

Tonight as we were leaving our meetings I looked up in the sky and saw three Canada flags moving in the breeze, it felt like a fresh spring day and the sky was so blue. A sense of pride washed over me, realizing how lucky I was to work for the government serving my country, and being a Canadian.  I never want to take this for granted, I think being in the NCR makes it even more surreal.

Grateful for my sweet Mom calling me tonight at 1130 to make sure I made it to the hotel safely. It is nice that she worries so much about me, it really shows how much she cares. I am so very lucky.

Day 25

Today I attended Career Boot Camp at the Ottawa Convention Centre. There were over 500 people in attendance, I really enjoyed the day and learned a lot from the sessions.

The “Engaging our Stakeholders” panel in which I was a presenter went well; it was in an ignite style format where panelists are given five minutes to speak about experiences with stakeholder engagement, accompanied by 20 slides. Each slide is displayed for 15 seconds, and slides are automatically advanced. The Ignite format is similar to Pecha Kucha, which features 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each. The presentations are meant to "ignite" and generate awareness and to stimulate thought and action on the subjects presented. It definitely can be challenging as you would like to elaborate further on topics but the 15 seconds only provides you a glimpse in time – like a mini elevator pitch. They then had a questions and answers session with the audience and webcast participants following the presentations.

I met so many engaged, dynamic and enthusiastic public servants today. I wish I had have been able to meet them all but sadly it would have taken a full day of networking breaks to meet all 500. We had lunch at the Exchange Pub, it was nice to be able to eat a “hamburger” with the group, the whole time I kept thinking I was eating meat instead of a veggie burger. It was the most realistic looking burger I ever had, and after 4 years vegetarian, I completely forget how a hamburger tastes.

Tonight we went out for an Italian supper with our FYN group and our Champion Graham Flack. It was a really great evening, lots of stimulating conversations and it was so nice to meet everyone face-to- face as we are so used to connecting via teleconference and email. Sadly we missed the Career Boot Camp post-event as it was all wrapped up by the time we finished supper.

Grateful for such an incredible day of learning, networking and fun!  I took tons of notes and can’t wait to read through the golden nuggets of information and various quotes from our speakers today. The stories were very inspirational. A huge thanks to the fabulous @ CBC_CDC organizers and volunteers who made today a tremendous success.

Check out Robert Emmons: The Power of Gratitude video:

Day 24

Today was a perfect day for flying - sunshine, clear skies and spring-like temperatures. Jerry and Deuce drove me to the airport, Deuce always acts sad when he sees my suitcase as he never knows where I go when I travel, so this time we decided to show him by taking him to the airport. I'm not sure he fully understands but at least we tried :)

My 27 minute flight to Halifax arrived 15 minutes early as we caught a jet stream. I had my favourite treat when I arrived at the airport - a matcha monsoon smoothie at Booster Juice. I look forward to this every time I travel, since PEI does not have a Booster Juice shop. My friend Jaclyn and I just ordered a bunch of different matchas, can’t wait to try all the flavours when I get back – I made a matcha mint coconut latte before I left, and it was beyond my expectations - so delicious.

I arrived in Ottawa around noon and had a great afternoon of shopping and skating on the canal. I haven’t skated on the canal in a few years. It was a warm afternoon and lightly snowing; I felt so free gliding along the ice.  I did a three month assignment in Ottawa a few years ago, and for the month of February I skated on the canal twice a day - such fond memories.  Tonight I had the most delicious sushi I ever tasted, the wasabi was incredible.

Just finished up my presentation prep for my Career Boot Camp ignite session and caught on some reading, grateful for a very relaxing and fun day in the Nation’s capital :)

Here is a "moving poetry" video called "Gratitude is..." 

Day 23

Today was a lovely spring day with lots of sunshine. We had the windows open all day and it was so fresh and breezy.  Grateful for Deuce who let me sleep in a little bit this morning, grateful for Jerry who cooked me a nice supper, and grateful to be back to PEI to see the beautiful sunset, I can never get tired of watching those images of beauty from my window.

Tonight I decided to do a little random act of kindness, I went up to shoppers and bought the homeless man who looked so chilly, some water and a box of granola bars. He was very grateful, and didn’t even ask me for any money. On my way there I saw the lady that makes and sells coat hangers, she said she was trying to make enough money so she could buy a McDonald’s pop tomorrow, as they have free refills. I told her I had to go to Shopper’s first as I didn’t have cash but that I would come find her. I almost wish I had have been able to buy her a winter coat but none of the stores were open, she wasn’t dressed very warm :( They didn’t have the cash-back feature so I decided to buy her a big bottle of pop and a bar instead. The first thing she said was "you didn’t have to buy me two things", but the smile on her face showed how grateful she was :) I sure love doing the little things that make people smile. I can hardly wait for my 31 Random Acts of Kindness blog that I will be starting in May, now that is going to be so much fun.

Hanging out with Jerry tonight, watching Sens and excited for the Rousey v Carmouche UFC 157 main event :)

I love this starfish story, a simple act of kindness can make a difference.

Day 22

Today was my first day back to work after vacation. I was surprised at how energized and refreshed I was from only a week off. I was able to focus on my work and get through all my action items by the end of the day. I am leaving for Ottawa Sunday so I really only had today to catch up on everything, so I was thankful to have utilized the full day.

I received some very sad news today. Lexie, my colleague's guide dog was diagnosed with lymphoma, there were a lot of tears shed as she is loved by everyone. Kathy indicated that the vet said she had about 3 weeks to live. I was at a meeting this morning and Lexie was under the table by my feet, I wanted to reach down and pet her, but didn’t want to bother her. I was hoping I would have more time to give her my love throughout the day but didn’t get the opportunity. My manager texted me tonight to tell me that Lexie was gone :(  Beyond heartbreaking. It feels like I lost a co-worker as she was so special to us all, and brightened each day at work.  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have had special moments with her over the past couple of years.

Today I am also grateful for friendships, friends that are there for us through good times and bad, who embrace our uniqueness, our idiosyncrasies; who love us for just being who we are. Sometimes friendships come and go, but I am grateful for all of them, as they have impacted my life and made me who I am today. I received a really nice note today from a wonderful friend, she has been following my blog and she said although we don't get to see each other often, we always pick up where we left off. I will always love her, she holds a very special place in my heart.

This is a beautiful video where a dog is reunited with her "Mom", a soldier who has been in Afghanistan. Brings tears to my eyes every time, that pure unconditional love the dog feels for her.

Day 21

Today was our last day of vacation. We woke up early this morning as we had to be at the bus for 620am, I captured my last glimpse of the sunrise and tried to take in some mental photos so I would be able to remember how much I loved this trip and the beautiful surroundings. We got to go outside to board our plane and I was grateful for the lineup as we had the opportunity to take in a bit more sunshine and warm air.

Good food on the plane, vegetarian pasta, and they even served wine with lunch, a very nice touch. I slept for the majority of the 5 ½ hour flight, and was very well rested when we arrived in Halifax. So happy that the beautiful wood masks I bought made it through customs without an issue, they will be a very nice memory of the trip. The roads were very icy tonight and lots of drifting and whiteouts, so it was a scary four hour drive to PEI. Grateful to have made it home safely, there could have been a few close calls but we were very careful and took our time. 

Thankful tonight to be home to Jerry and Deuce and my own bed. Also, grateful to be able to brush my teeth without having to use bottled water, the little things we sometimes take for granted.

Here is a brief Deepak Chopra video on Gratitude:

Day 20

Today Lenka and I went to Dolphinaris, I have been wanting to swim with dolphins since my very first time at Sea World, however the opportunity had not come up until today. It was very exciting, the dolphin trainer Luis made the experience very fun, he had a great sense of humour. We met Osiris a 22 year old female dolphin, she was beautiful. We were able to touch her many times as she swam by us. We then got to ride on her belly, from one side of the pool to the other. She was a very talented dolphin, she could dance and sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” say yes and no, and even play jokes. Next we were able to do a handshake with her, and then she gave us a kiss on the cheek. We even got t to kiss her on the lips. she did not want to stop kissing me, it was so cute :) This is definitely an experience I will never forget.

This afternoon I had a scuba lesson with Max, I really learned a lot about the equipment and the breathing mechanisms. I would love to try deep diving sometime in the future. I did a lot of snorkeling this week and it is an incredible feeling to swim among schools of fish, very peaceful experience.

We had some bumblebee drinks and played pool volleyball. I then went to Temazcal, an ancient native purifying and detoxifying ritual performed in a sweat lodge by a Shaman. It was a very spiritual experience but insanely hot, if I had have known I would have been better hydrated, and also would have had lunch and supper before I went. Grateful to have had the opportunity to try it though.

Thankful for a day of firsts and fun experiences. Tonight is our last night in Mexico, I can hardly believe how fast the time went by. 

Ilchi Lee's Motivational Story on Gratitude:

Day 19

Today was my favourite day of vacation so far, we took a road trip to the Mayan Ruins in Tulum. We did a little tour of the ruins and took lots of pictures. All of a sudden we looked over a cliff and saw the most beautiful piece of paradise. I thought I was dreaming, I had never seen anything like this beach before. I love the beach and go as much as I can all year round, as it has such a peaceful ambiance. This beach was no exception, the waves were crashing, the water was aquamarine, and the sand was soft and white. Lenka and I decided to go for a swim, the waves were 10 feet high and it felt like a giant wave pool. It was so much fun, we never wanted to leave. The waves were strong; as I was heading into shore a giant white cap crashed over my head and I was thrown off my feet, covered with sand from head to toe. Lenka and I both lost our sunglasses in the massive waves. What a rush, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I’m so grateful to have had that moment in time.

I tried my very first coco water today, a fresh cut coconut with a straw through the middle. It was so delicious and very refreshing after our ocean swim.

This evening we sat on cozy chairs by the cove, sipping Riviera Maya drinks and watching the sunset. We have had many deep conversations and I am very inspired by this retreat. I have lots of great ideas and aspirations for when I get back home.

Tonight we ordered takeout from three different restaurants and had a picnic back on our patio. I had another rest in the hammock again after supper; the warm air has made me very sleepy. We decided to have a quiet evening after this full day, I think I will unwind with a bubble bath in the massive hot tub before I go to bed.   

I can hardly believe tomorrow is our last full day, I'm going to savour every last moment. I’m so grateful for this mind, body and spiritual escape. I will be going back home with a whole new sparkle on life. Not even snow will be able to get me down :) Tomorrow's experience is something I have dreamed of but never had the opportunity to experience before, I am beyond excited :)

To end my journal entry tonight, here's a short Dr. John Demartini video on gratitude:

Day 18

Today was the toughest yoga morning yet. It is hard to push myself when I'm sore but Hugo was back today and he teaches very advanced yoga.  I love the yoga temple by the water, my favourite part is at the end of class when we are in Savasana and everything is silent. Feeling the sunshine on my body and listening to the waves crash against the rocks. It doesn’t get much better than that :)

Did some scuba this morning and then went back to the spa for more hydrotherapy – I can’t get enough. Today I spent the most time in the infrared sauna, I kept drifting off and day dreaming. I felt like I was in yoga nidra, almost an unconscious state of relaxation.

This afternoon I had a water lily cooling after-sun body wrap and full body massage. It was incredible, most relaxing part of my vacation yet. I was pretty lazy afterwards so I had a little siesta in the hammock. Tonight we had some mojitos and chocolate mousse for supper. The food at this resort is fabulous, so many choices and I thought I would be living on protein bars the whole week, but they really do cater to vegetarians.

I heard I missed a storm day back at home today, the office was closed. I am beyond grateful to have this week away from the snow. It will really break up the winter and hopefully I can get back to Florida in March to visit my wonderful parents.

I received this beautiful email today from a woman who read my Café Jen guest blog post. She really made my day. She thanked me for my post and she said that she has learned to live her life with the adage "Attitude of Gratitude". She said she tries to apply it on a daily basis - which is not always easy, but she is so much more aware that being grateful takes less energy. She has learned to embrace the positive and let go of the negative. Her email really touched me, I hope I get to meet her someday.

I’m sitting outside on the deck as I write this, embracing the warm breeze off the water. It is such a clear night I can see the moon, stars and even the big dipper. It is amazing that no matter how far away from my friends and family I am, they can still look up at the sky and see what I see. It is very comforting.

The Letters of Gratitude is a community of like-minded people who are on a journey of happiness, self-discovery and gratitude. The book, The Letters of Gratitude has empowered 1000's to change their lives and realize that their past does not dictate their future, and that every person has the ability to create an abundant life for themselves.

I am looking forward to reading this book when I get back home.

Day 17

Another stunningly beautiful morning.  Today we had a different yoga instructor, his name was Luis. He was really good but not nearly as hard on us as Hugo. I was grateful as I was very sore this morning from all the yoga and activities.

I tried guava fruit for the very first time on this trip, I love the taste and texture combined and have been having them every morning for breakfast. Today I tried “green juice” which is orange juice with celery, cactus leaves, parsley and pineapple. It was amazing, I am thankful for the opportunity to try all these new things on this vacation.

After yoga today we had an amazing spa day. We started with hydrotherapy. First we took a cleansing shower, then spent some time in the steam room. Next was the swiss pressure shower where there were all these cold water jets that sprayed us from head to toe. We then went in the hot tub for a relaxing soak, and then rinsed all our toxins away in the glacier waterfall. We then started the heat cycle again in the infrared sauna, back in the cold plunge pool and then finished with hydro reflexology. So relaxing, it reminded me a lot of the nordic baths at le nordik spa. I did not think I could get any more relaxed but I was wrong, the hydrotherapy put me on a whole new level of relaxation.

We then went for pedicures, our feet and toes look so pretty. I tried a chlorophyll drink at the spa – it is made of pure antioxidants that have the ability to clean your blood, remove toxins, refresh the liver, equalize metabolism and reinforce immune system.  And it was very delicious too.

I was so thankful to have such a great day. We did a bit of touring around this afternoon and came face to face with many Iguanas. At first I was scared because they were so big and I wasn’t expecting them to be everywhere in sight, but then I got used to them. They posed for lots of pics and were very photogenic :) It is nice to see them in their natural environment instead of an iguana posing for photos with a trainer or one behind glass.

Lenka and I played some tennis and then went for a nice dinner. I tried my first fancy cappuccino and indulged on desserts. Another grateful day of vacation, could not be happier.

My video of the night, Joshua Bell playing violin, in DC Metro Station. The story on the youtube page that accompanies the video is worth the read. 

"If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world

 playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"

Day 16

Another lovely day of vacation, the weather was absolutely perfect.  Spent the morning doing Hatha flow, our instructor Hugo is awesome. I was so sore today, but it felt great, two challenging days of yoga in a row. We spent the afternoon by the pool, the hot tub and then did some snorkeling this evening. Tonight we relaxed at the martini bar on the water, it was so surreal. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to be here, I had no idea a place like this even existed. It is paradise.

Tonight when we were at dinner, there was a wedding party out on the patio. We watched as they were taking photos with their iphones. Rachel, who was just named one of the top 25 most inspiring wedding photographers of 2013, could not help but jump in and offer to take some photos for them. Instantly the group photos turned gorgeous, she has such a gift. I cannot imagine how it must feel to have found your niche at such a young age and be internationally recognized for it. It has not gone to her head at all, she is the most modest person I know, so down to earth, so humble. The wedding party was so grateful that she saved the day and they will now have the night of their life captured with love.

Grateful for a fun evening, we had so many laughs and tons of fun. I can honestly say that this is the most relaxed I have been in a long time, work has not crossed my mind for even a moment.

"Find gratitude in everyday life. A grateful spirit is very important to a happy life, and in fact, the more I think about happiness, the more importance I attribute to gratitude." - Gretchen Rubin, the Happiness Challenge.

Day 15

What a dream! I could have not asked for a better day, so grateful to have this opportunity to be here. I will not take a moment of it for granted.  Spent the morning doing yoga, the hut was right on the ocean and the waves were crashing. Very zen feeling, it is exactly what my mind and body needed. It was a really tough class but I felt energized afterwards.This afternoon we went on a snorkeling tour, it was so relaxing and really fun. We say piñata sea urchins and even the dangerous black urchins, as well as rainbow fish, barracuda, flounder, and star fish.

I also got to meet the cutest little monkeys today, their names were Maya and Punky and I got to hold them and cuddle with them. So sweet :)

We also did some kayaking, and lounging around the beach and in the hot tub. I had my first Miami Vice drink as well as a true Mexican favourite, Don Julio.

Tonight we went for a delicious Italian dinner and watched an aquatic acrobat show. Day 2 of this trip has far surpassed my expectations. It is sensational overload – I can’t get enough of this place. We also met such kind and friendly people, I love Mexico.

Grateful for the sunshine, the crashing waves, great friends and yoga. Already looking forward to another fun filled day tomorrow :)  

Your words and thoughts have physical power - Will Smith

Day 14

Today started bright and early at 3am. I have never traveled Sunwing before, they were awesome. The flight attendants were very friendly and they offered so many extras that I have never seen on a flight before. I tried my very first Mimosa this morning, Champagne and Orange Juice. It was such a nice treat to toast to the start of our vacation. The airline provided everyone a complimentary Mimosa, a choice of French toast or an Omelet, banana bread, warm towels, Sunshine snacks, three rounds of beverage service, chocolates and even a $50 voucher towards next booking. They did not have a first class section on this flight, but everyone on the plane received First Class service.  I loved how they treated everyone equally.  It was definitely worth it to take the early flight as we didn’t dip into any of our first vacation day, arriving in Mexico around noon.

The view at the resort was breathtaking, I thought I as dreaming. I had my very first Coco Loco and Pina Colada today, the sunshine was spectacular and we had fun snorkeling with tropical fish, swimming at the swim-up bar and lounging in the hot tub.  The little huts all around the resort are so adorable. I already want to move here :)

Grateful today to Kristina who is finalizing my deck for my ignite session at Career Boot Camp. I had many technical difficulties last night with my new computer and couldn’t finalize my presentation. Thankfully Kristina saved the day today so I didn’t have to work when I arrived to Mexico.

By the way, Happy Valentine’s Day! :) Although Jerry and I don’t usually celebrate this “Hallmark Holiday”, I do miss him already. He has been so worried about me this week (along with my sweet Mom of course), since it is my first trip to Mexico, he is hoping I’ll be safe. Grateful to them both for caring so much about me.  Living on PEI has made me a very trusting person, and I tend to always see the good in people. I don’t have that gene that can pick out insincerity at first glance, so I really have to work at being a reserved person and putting up a bit of a protective guard in unfamiliar places. I know Lenka and Rachel will also make sure I stay safe, they are amazing girls and have lots of travel experience. The three of us are going to have such a great week. Day one exceeded my expectations by far!

Since it is V-Day, Rachel shared this great video with me – the true meaning of unconditional love.  This couple has had 50 years of true love, and even through difficult times when illness strikes, their love for each other has no boundaries – they are grateful for every moment of their lives together. 

Day 13

Today was a whirlwind; I went to work at 7am today. It was a very peaceful morning and great day overall, I savoured every minute of my walk with Deuce, as it was my last one until I get back from Mexico, I will miss our little walks together.

I had my second Twinrix needle today. Strangely I didn’t have a lot of anxiety about it. I guess my day was much too busy to think about it. I was in the waiting room for about 25 minutes and started to feel nervous but pushed my thoughts aside. I was proud of myself, this was my best needle experience yet. Even Barb my nurse commented how great I did, I am so happy that I am getting over my fear of needles. Two more left when I get back, maybe this trip to Mexico was meant to be, helping me get over my fear :)

I’m grateful for my manager today, she is so wonderful – so lucky to work with her every day. I got her all set up using the Viber app so she can text me for free while in Mexico. I know she probably won’t text me work stuff while I am away, but it is peace of mind that I know she will be able to reach me if she needs anything. So happy she approved me to go to Mexico, as we are very busy and it is just the two of us in our area. I will work extra hard to make up for it when I am back, so grateful for this vacation.

Rachel, Lenka and I set off for our road trip to Halifax tonight, they were fantastic co-navigators. It was a very dark night and it snowed for a while but thankfully we made it to the Hotel safely. Lots of laughs and great conversations on the way over, the time flew by. We are going to have such a fun trip together.

Time for a little nap as we'll be up at 250am to get ready to catch our flight. We will be on the beach by 915am, I am beyond excited :)

The tiny, beautiful, funny, tragic moments in your life - how are you going to remember them? Cesar Kuriyama suggests:film one second of video every day. I may have to try this :)

Day 12

Another super busy day, I’m starting to feel like I am catching up though, I reached inbox zero for about 5 minutes today – felt amazing! Today for "Random Act of Kindness"  week, I tried my best to smile at strangers, it sure is harder than it sounds. If they looked me in the eye I smiled at them, most people look away shyly but then for every five, one would smile back at me. It felt good to share that one moment in time with another human being that I knew nothing about, just hoping I made their day a tiny bit brighter by showing kindness.

It was snowing tonight when I took my pup for a walk - thick fluffy snow, the kind that sticks to the tree branches and makes the city look like a sparkling ice village - absolutely breathtaking.

I had my evening mapped out on what I had to get done before I leave for Mexico - but then my sweet Mom called around 8pm worried about my darling nephew who was at the ER. I called my sister-in-law Kyla to see what was going on and she said Cruz had the croup cough and was having laboured breathing. Poor little sweet boy, they had been there for a few hours so I brought them both supper and stayed with them until Cruz was called in by the doctor. I then saw two friends that were also there for almost 8 hours waiting, so I spent some time with them until they were also called in to the Doctor.

It makes me realize no matter how busy you are you have to make time for the most important things, the little things, the times that people will remember most. I know I had a busy night planned and had to stay up extra late to get everything done, but taking that time out tonight to spend with family and friends at the ER was most important, grateful for those moments. Kyla sent me a really nice text thanking me for supper and saying how lucky she was to have me as her sister. She made my night, glad I was able to be there for them when they needed me. I think it also  made my Mom feel better that I could be there for them tonight when she couldn't be - being so far away in Florida. 

This is a very powerful video that has really impacted me. The part where his father rushes on to the track to help his son overcome his challenge, step by step  - I could not imagine a more grateful feeling for him to have such a supportive Dad on his arm during this heartbreaking moment. His love is overflowing.

Day 11

I barely remember today, it was such a blur. I know I woke up and it was sunny, warm and beautiful out but when I got to work I don’t remember a thing after that. All I know is it was a very productive day, I just got in a zone with my work and all of a sudden it was time to go home. Every day seems to be that way lately…I’ve been working very hard to be caught up on everything before my trip so I can go away and not worry about a thing.

Rachel texted me on my way home from work to say it is "Random Acts of Kindness" Week, so I scrambled to do a few nice things. I bought a homeless man a blanket, he looked cold sitting on the sidewalk. In retrospect, I should have bought him a hot chocolate too. There is always tomorrow.  I love RAOKs, I am planning a 31 days of Kindness blog for May, it is going to be so much fun to do.

I was walking with Deuce after work today and a man was leaving his parking spot. There was so much snow everywhere and he was stuck in the slush. All of a sudden it all sprayed from his tires up in the air and all over Deuce and I. I knew he didn't mean to do it and probably didn't even see us. So we just kept walking. All of a sudden he stopped his car, got out and started apologizing and asking us if he hit us with the flying snow. I didn't want him to feel bad so I said he just missed us and we exchanged kind words. It was very nice of him to take the time to come back to see if we were impacted. Those little kind gestures can make every situation a bit better.

Tonight I dropped over to see my friend Shanna, I brought her an orchid, two pizzas, and some toys for Cole and Simon. It was nice to see her and her family smiling. I know how much they miss Lila, but she would be happy to know they are being strong for her after she is gone. Glad to spend some time with Shan. We are planning a breakfast date when I am back from Mexico.

Tonight the piercing alarms started around 845pm at our building, my dog was so terrified. Sadly there have been so many alarms over this past year that now only a handful of people leave the building. There were three fire trucks that came and it turned out to be a broken sprinkler. Grateful it wasn't anything serious. The story “The little boy who cried wolf” really impacted me as a child. I think if there were fire alarms every hour I still would go outside. Thankful my Mom spent so many hours reading to me as a kid, as many of life’s lessons are hidden in the pages of Children’s books, always with a moral to the story.

This short video talks about a Gratitude Challenge, very inspirational. 30 bloggers that chose to “live on the brighter side of life”.

Day 10

Another beautiful stormy day today. I was all out of my favourite keurig coffee and none of the stores were open, grateful for Jerry who ventured out in the storm and surprised me with coffee. He went to every coffee shop in Charlottetown and thankfully the dedicated staff at Starbucks were open bright and early. He also got Emily and Devin coffees which was very kind of him, they really appreciated it. I don’t really enjoy plain coffee, but yesterday I tried baileys for the very first time, definitely my new favourite. What a great way to make plain coffee taste flavoured ;)  

I thought I would have cabin fever today but I didn't really mind being indoors, I had lots to keep me busy…and the day flew by so fast. Thankful for another peaceful yet productive day.

The underground parking is not yet completed so we park in the lot behind the building. We went outside to clean off the truck and car after the storm had stopped, and there was about 4 feet of snow on all sides including the tops. My little white car could hardly be seen with all the snow. Luckily working together we were able to get the cars cleaned off fairly quickly and when we were done the sun was just setting. It was nice to get some fresh air and physical exercise for the day too. Deuce loved the new fluffy snow, he would run through it until it was up to his neck, then he would run back, almost like he was swimming in the ocean. He will sleep well tonight :)

I received another kind note today from a good friend that says she has been reading my blog every night and it has inspired her. That means so much to me, love you Marsha!

Jerry got me Urban Beatz Verse headphones when he was in Florida, they are noise cancelling. They definitely will come in handy when I write articles or have to focus on challenging projects at work, where I need to get lost in my thoughts and block everything else out. I used them a lot today.

My Sunday morning Yin class was cancelled, so instead I did some meditation and yoga on my own. I also listened to some really beautiful music, some of which Airlie plays at Yin each week. This song in particular I really love, it is also on the soundtrack of one of my favourite movies “Love Actually”. This video is captivating, I love to watch the pianist’s fingers move delicately as he plays each note so carefully. 2.13 minutes of pure bliss. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Grateful for this wonderful storm weekend :) Going to spend the rest of the evening relaxing in a Himalayan salt crystal bath, and then a mani and pedi – only three more days until my yoga spa adventure. A week on the beach, I can hardly wait :) 

Day 9

Another stormy day…so cozy! I went for a walk outside first thing this morning all bundled up. Yoga was cancelled so I had a great workout of hiking through drifts and fighting against the strong wind and falling snow. It was beautiful, not a car in sight, not even a car parked on the city streets. I took some great storm shots that I tweeted to @weathernetwork :)

Grateful for good friends that live so close by, we spent the afternoon at Emily and Devin’s cooking dinner and watching the Sens. Tonight Lenka, Ryan and Max came for a visit and we had wine, lots of laughs and great conversation. Max and Deuce had a fun time too – they are best buddies.

I really notice such a difference living downtown, especially on stormy days like these. I rarely ever drive my car anymore. It is so amazing to walk everywhere and not have to worry about white knuckle driving through snow drifts and on icy roads with poor visibility during stormy weather. I don’t miss that at all.

I am also grateful today to not have a driveway that I have to shovel, or a heat bill to pay. Apartment living has been wonderful, 1800 square feet of modern living, without the extra responsibilities that come with a house, and the convenience of everything – that is the best part. Selling our suburb home with 2 acres of land last June was the best decision ever, in so many ways.

I received a really sweet note today from a good friend, she really made my day. She thanked me for inspiring her to start a gratitude journal, she started one on January 1^st when she saw my tweet about my new gratitude journal that I had purchased for 2013. She said that thanks to her daily entries, the feeling of gratitude is something she now experiences every day. It was so nice to receive her note, and I am thrilled that I was able to inspire one person to feel the way I do every day, because of the gratitude journal I have kept the last couple of years. The act of sending a little note of thanks can really brighten another’s day, I was grateful to her for that :)

This video is short but sweet, it is called the power of words. The words you choose to express are very powerful, even if the different expressions mean the exact same thing. Your words can result in either a negative or positive outcome. This holds true for your thoughts as well.

Day 8

I know I said at the start of this 28 days of gratitude, that I would be journaling about the little things I am grateful for, the things that people may sometimes take for granted, but today I can't help but express in words my gratitude for one of the biggest things I am thankful for in my life. I woke up this morning to this lovely email from my darling Mom:

Hi Jo Jo. Just read your blog. I have quite a daughter!!! It's a wonderful blog. Today I am thankful for you. I am so blessed to have brought such a joy into the world.

Love you, Mom xxoo

I could not stop smiling after I read it. I have been missing my Mom even more than usual these days, especially after the loss of my best friend’s Mom. My parents are down south for the winter so I try to get to Florida a couple of times over the winter to visit. I went to visit for 2 weeks over Christmas but it is a very long winter to have to wait until they are back in April. Hopefully I’ll get back to Florida in March to see her.

My Mom is the kindest, sincerest, most empathetic, genuine person I know. It's funny when I run into someone I haven’t seen in a while, whether it be a childhood friend, my soccer coach, an old boyfriend, they always ask how my Mom is doing. She is definitely one of a kind. She genuinely loves everyone she meets and brings the best out in them, always making them feel uplifted after they talk to her. She has accomplished so much in her life and has always encouraged me to give my best to everything I do. I am beyond grateful for her; I don’t know how I got to be so lucky to be the one who gets to be her daughter. I can’t imagine my life without her in it, my heart would never recover.  

And for the little things I am grateful for today… chocolate kisses & hugs that got me through a very challenging project, a caring stranger that held the door extra long for me when I was 10 steps behind him, a serene trail walk at Victoria Park with Lenka and the pups, so peaceful at dusk. And tonight I am grateful to have Jerry back home, he was away on a golf trip in Florida and just got back late last night. Deuce and I missed him.

To end off I’m sharing a video that I really love, it makes me cry every time. It is not about gratitude but it is about giving kindness and love regardless of differences. Without judgement, just pure kindness. You have no idea how grateful someone receiving your kindness will feel. A helping hand, a friendly gesture, a kind word. The little things all add up and make a difference. 

Day 7

This morning I had my annual eye doctor check-up. I love going to see Dr. Canfield, she is the most cheerful doctor I've met, she has been my doctor for about 12 years and every time I visit her she is always so joyful and friendly. No matter how busy she is she never shows it; she takes extra time for small talk and walks you through everything, even your results when you "pass with flying colours". The Optomap photo is neat, she shows you all the healthy parts of your eyes and makes you really appreciate how precious your eyes are and how necessary it is to take good care of them. Just her positive attitude alone makes me feel like I won the lottery for having such healthy eyes ;) It is funny when you are exposed to such positive people, especially first thing in the morning, they can make your day that much brighter.  

As an aside, I have had glasses for 12 years, but every year my vision either stays the same or improves. I always remember my physics professor telling the class one day that glasses are like crutches. When you wear them your eyes don’t have to work as hard and they become weaker - so many times people who wear glasses have to get stronger prescriptions each year. This is not the case for all eyes I am sure, but it worked for me. I wear my glasses about 1% of the time  - if I am in the nose bleed section at a sporting event and want to see the details of the players' faces, or if I am driving on a dark rainy night in an unfamiliar city, I wear them to make the signage just a little bit sharper. A girl I know who also was in his class was considered “legally blind” without glasses and she wore thick glasses for many years. One day she just got tired of her glasses and stopped wearing them. She said it was tough at first but her eyes got better and better and now she doesn't even need them at all and has great vision. Miraculous recovery!

Today was our first ever Big Wig Lunch Time (BLT) through the Chamber of Commerce - Business Under 40. It was a very successful event and we sold out. Kevin Murphy came to speak to us today and although he claims he is not a “Big Wig” (very modest) he was happy to share with us his story. He was fascinating, I had no idea this prominent business man started so young, and had his fair share of challenges along the way. A few things he said that resonated with me was you have to know how to fail in order to succeed, and you have to learn to crawl and walk before you can run. He also said his people are his number one asset and he does everything he can to attract the right people to his establishments. He practices gratitude with his staff, when someone does a good job he makes sure he goes out of his way to thank them for their efforts and ensures they feel like a valuable member of his team. He shared tons of great tips and stories but since this is a gratitude journal I wanted to share with you his mention of how important gratitude is for his business operations. It was nice to see how grateful he is of his success, all the people that work for his many businesses and how much he cherishes work life balance.

I found this video fitting for today when talking about gratitude in the service industry. My friend shared it with me a few weeks ago, it was very inspiring. The sound is a bit choppy so you may want to turn the volume down a bit.