Hello! I’m so grateful to be here with you today to share a little about myself, Rey, and the journey that I have been on over the last few years.
Do you ever notice that when you wake up happy things tend to go your way and when you wake up frustrated or stressed that things tend to continue that way throughout the day? A few years ago I was going through some major upheavals in my life and I could not help but recognize how my views seemed to alter my world! I began to realize that everything was my own reflection! The frustrations and the beauty around me were all mirrored from my own fears and expectations. In asking myself why I was not receiving respect from someone I came to the conclusion it was because I did not respect myself in his presence. In asking why the world seemed so scary I saw old fears that were still present. It was easier to recognize the reflection of the negative at that time than it was the positive and yet I craved a positive life.
I printed some of my favorite photos from vacations I had taken and wrote affirmations on them. As my confidence grew and I offered myself the same love and compassion I offered others I began to see a new face in the mirror.
I listened to the things I told myself and began questioning each thought. Would I say that to a beloved friend? If not, why would I say it to myself? I began seeing the beauty within myself that I had always seen in others and in nature. Once again reaffirming that this life is only a mirror! So what did I want to see? JOY!
I wanted a life of joy so I began writing something I was grateful for each morning and placing it in a bowl on my nightstand. They started out simple, “my family” and “the beautiful sunrise” and then began to expand into more specific things that were often taken for granted. I began seeing more to be grateful for even within tough situations. I reached a new level of appreciation for the people in my life, both those that had an active role and those that had played a role in the past. The more things I was grateful for, the more seemed to show up in my life and it didn’t take long for people to start noticing this shift in me. I began telling family and friends how much I appreciated them and the things they had done. As you can imagine, they loved that and began expressing their own gratitude for me as well.
Taking it further, I started a blog to share my daily gratitude with others and received feedback from followers that it was helping them shift the way they were looking at their world. I expanded my website to offer other services such as the motivational photography that had helped begin my transformation. As I continue to add new photographs and affirmations I realize I have created my dream job.
It is nearly impossible to have a “bad” day when it consists of thinking up positive phrases to add to photographs that I took in some of my favorite locations!
One of my favorite quotes is, “People are like stained glass windows… when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.
Gratitude is a great way to shine that light within! I fully believe that each and every one of us has that beautiful light and I love seeing more and more of us using ours to light the world! Thank you and have a wonderful day.
Read more of Rey’s beautiful work at her website: www.ReyofGratitude.com. Also please leave your comments and show her some love for sharing her loving heart as our guest blogger! Namaste.~ Sheryl
