A Letter For You: February

Hey there Readers,

Where did this month go!?

So many wonderful things have happened in February and the horizon is glowing. The saying, "time flies when you're having fun," is absolutely true. However, in transitioning from January to February, I found myself a little nervous. My goal is to post to Grateful Brand every day for a year unless I am simply unable to. Facing the rest of 2012, I wondered, "How am I going to continue this momentum? Where will I find enough inspiration to post every day?"

The answer I was searching for was obvious, but I am sharing it with you as well because we all can benefit from doing more of it.

Pay more attention.

If you are willing to pay greater attention to your surroundings, heighten your collective awareness and sharpen your senses, you will quickly realize that the Universe will provide you with the information or inspiration you seek. The worry stemming from my presumed inability to produce has given way to confidence because I trust that inspiration will present itself. I just have to be available to see it.

In other news, it's a Leap Year! This means there is one extra day in 2012. Today, February 29, is that day. Now that you are thinking in extras and surpluses, consider this: every day you wake up is an extra day. Celebrate yourself, celebrate life! Pursue those goals and dreams now! There will come a day when we all run out of extra days so make the most of today and every day henceforth, for we are not guaranteed our ration of time, let alone extra.

Keep a journal to collect your ideas and things that inspire you. Once you get into the habit, you will look back over what you have compiled and be very impressed with the positivity, the sources, your interests, wisdom, paths you should consider, etc.

Again, as always, I thank you for following me on this journey of gratitude and I thank you for sharing Grateful Brand with those you know.

Gratefully,

Dane

Say it With Me, "I Am The Light"

Light is used as a common metaphor for a myriad of positive things: good energy, ideas, divinity, a heavenly space or presence, love, enlightenment, clarity, etc. Interestingly, "the light" is usually something we must go to or search for and discover. This is easy to understand because from a very literal stand point, light--being the kind of light that we use to brighten our homes--does not come from within us, but from finding and flipping a switch on a wall or a lamp.

When considering all of the metaphorical possibilities of light, do we necessarily need to discover it as derived from some other entity or source?

In hundreds, if not thousands of films, there are those classic, "I see the light" moments when a character finally realizes something important as apart of the plot of the story. These "I see the light" moments happen regularly in reality as well. Of course, inspiration or transfer of knowledge from one person to the other or even a profound religious or spiritual experience can cause an inner light switch to be flipped on, but have you ever considered the possibility that you yourself are the light?

Well, now is the time to begin to not just consider the possibility, but to believe it and affirm it.

You are the light!

In our search for reason, answers, solutions and understanding it is easy to externalize the source of all these things because, for one, this is what many of us are taught and conditioned to do, but also because with internalizing comes a sense of responsibility and accountability that many people avoid.

Internalizing the source of metaphorical light may also require bolstering faith in yourself; a heightened sense of belief and confidence. Once you affirm this inner strength you need only look in the mirror. Instead of seeing the light as something separate that you must acquire, you will realize that you are indeed the light and have been the light even when you failed to realize it in the past.

You will no longer have to live your life in a cloud of thought synonymous to a vast dark room full of mislabeled switches. You will be the answer. You will be the reason, the solution, and you will be able to come to a degree of understanding and resolve unlike anything you've ever experienced before. You will be able to stand in the face of everything because you are the light and will cast your light on a path of success and happiness.

Affirm this today! You will be grateful you did.