celebrating lives greatly full :: greg kelly

I met Greg Kelly through mutual friends more than 10 years ago.  Since then, I have watched him make some courageous decisions regarding his musical career - and his life!  He has released two CDs and has become a driving force and inspiration in creating opportunities for local musicians to perform and share their stories.  Whether by coordinating regular Open Mic events, taking part in songwriting circles or inviting guests to perform with him during the Tunes at Noon event Saturdays at Michel Ange Café, Greg has been actively sharing his musical gift with us and with the community at large.  To me, this is putting his gratitude into action! 


Thanks for sharing some of that gratitude here, Greg!


Thank you so much for inviting me to participate in your daretobegrateful blog.  It certainly is well named.  Sometimes humility is a stumbling block to gratitude....excuses, excuses.  :)

You ask what personal experience am I grateful for and why; what skill am I grateful for and why; and, what failure am I grateful for and why.    Tough questions indeed.

My name is Greg Kelly.  I am successful.  I am a failure.  I am human. 

Being human was the toughest one to face. 

I married at 21 and stayed together with my wife for 27 years before we separated in 2001.  We raised our daughter together and are proud grandparents of 2 young 'uns.  Although separated, we continue to do things as family with our daughter and grandchildren.  To be able to maintain mutual respect, and yes, continued love (albeit in a totally different manner), is something that I am incredibly grateful for...and proud of.

The skill that I'm most grateful for is being able to communicate with people from all walks of life, and to bring people together through music...either by encouraging participation in an open mic, or by helping in their song-writing, or by performing my music for them, or inviting people to perform for others.  My music skills were close to zero when I was actively using alcohol and drugs, but sobriety and time have helped me re-discover what I believe I am meant to do in my life.

The failure I'm most grateful for and why....now that's either tough or easy.  To tell you the truth, I'm glad that I fell as far as I did through alcohol abuse.   Happier still that I was able to re-connect with myself through sobriety.  My first year of sobriety consisted of me finding out who I am.  Ever since then, I have been discovering who I am not.  And that's okay.  It's okay to be able to fall and get back up, fall and get back up....cuz that's what life is for me.  So, yeah... although I wasted many, many years with drunkenness, and messed up in many ways, I would never have been able to see me for who I am - and am not - had I not sobered up. 

And for that, I am eternally grateful.

thank u - alanis morissette style...

Wow!  Up until 30 minutes ago, I was still in a "dealing with disappointment" mode because, by all accounts, my train trip to Vancouver was not going to happen.  When I went to bed last night, there was nothing to suggest that a strike by CAW workers could be averted. 

I woke up this morning to a whole new script.  Game on!!  The West Coast Adventure will proceed as planned! 

I had planned to share this video regardless, as Alanis sings of her thanks to many things that we would not even think to be grateful for...

As I was living through my disappointment yesterday, I thought, who better to sing me through this than my fellow Canadian (and Ottawa girl!), Alanis Morissette.

Although today is a new day, with a new reality, I still give you...

 



 

(still) gratefully yours,

jag

 

 

 

walking the talk of gratitude...

OK.  When I started this project, I just knew it would challenge me... It would ask me to view my own situations through the lens of gratitude.  It would look me straight on and say: 

walk the talk.

Just yesterday, I read an update on the VIA Rail Web site saying that their labour negotiations with the Canadian Auto Workers' (CAW) union are ongoing.  Although they remain optimistic, should they be unable to reach an agreement with CAW, the union will likely follow through on its stated intent to go on strike on June 14 at 00:01a.m.

My train is scheduled to leave Toronto on June 15.

(sigh)

My first reaction was a quickening of the heart beat, a rise in blood pressure and the early signs of all-out panic.  The sound of Aaaaargh! resonated in our home.  I have been saving for this trip for years.  I have been planning for months.  I have been preparing for weeks. The cross-country train ride is the very springboard that launched the idea of *the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*.

Oh but wait!  VIA Rail has set up a contingency plan to maintain basic service.  All good, except that basic service does not include sleeper accommodations and dining service on the Toronto-Vancouver line.  Do I really want to ride economy?

As I felt the blood pounding in my temples, I have to say, I was surprised at how quickly the following question popped into my head:

What would this situation look like

through the lens of gratitude?

Whaaat?!  You mean this gratitude stuff is actually kicking in?!?  So I stopped my thoughts-run-riot (yes, it can be done) and I re-directed my energy towards this question.  What DOES this situation look like through the lens of gratitude??  It looks like this:

• I am grateful that my train is not leaving on the day BEFORE possible strike action, as this is the case for many travellers, I'm sure.
• I am grateful VIA is offering the chance to cancel my ticket for a full refund at any time up to the planned departure, leaving me almost two full days to make alternate plans.
• I am grateful labour talks are continuing.
• I am grateful for Facebook, which is allowing me to keep in close touch with what is happening at VIA Rail - and with other travellers.
• I am grateful for a life view that does not lead me to blame VIA Rail, or the workers, or anyone else who might be within reach.
• I am grateful for a Hubby who is relaxed and does not add any negative energy to the situation. ("Worse case, we'll just fly you to Vancouver", says he...)
• I am grateful that *the gratitude project* is evolving to be more than a train ride. 

And so, we wait.  (With fingers crossed. :-))

gratefully yours,
jag

celebrating lives greatly full :: kara laricks

I met Kara Laricks in the Fall of 2010 in NYC. (See her beautiful words of how we met below!)  Little did I know that this encounter would lead to a delightful friendship and a wild ride as I continue to watch her fashion career take off like the star that she is. 

 

The first time I met Kara, I found her to be so kind... and approachable... and remarkable.  I loved her style and nervously asked her if I could take her photo.  (I had never before, nor since, asked a vendor if I could take their photo!) The following year, I returned to NYC and to the Young Designers Market and was astounded that she even remembered who I was.  She came out from behind her table and gave me a big hug! It was only upon reading her blog submission below that I realized why...  I will always cherish my Kara Laricks originals as I fear I will no longer be able to afford her!  :-)  You can follow Kara on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

Kara, it is a thrill to know you... You are one classy lady!

 

As a former fourth grade teacher turned Fashion Star, I cannot help but put those things I am grateful for into acrostic form.  

But before I do, I must share the story of how I met the incredible Jo-Anne, author of this blog and one of the most positive, “can do” (and “does do”) women I know.  Several years ago, I had taken a huge leap of faith, changed careers from education to fashion, moved across the United States from San Francisco to New York City only to be laid off from my very first design job in NYC.   As I sat jobless in the middle of Times Square, I decided to pick myself up and start my own accessory line by the name of Collar, Stand + Tie.  Collars attached to ties were what I could afford to produce.  I sewed my accessories during the week and sold them at local markets throughout NYC on the weekends.  

 

the day we met

Jo-Anne was the first person to purchase one of my ties – I'm not sure she will ever understand how grateful I am for her unique sense of style and the pivotal boost of confidence she gave me the day I met her at The Young Designers Market.  Since then, I have gone on to win a design competition by the name of Fashion Star on NBC and have created and sold collections in H&M, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.  Over the years, Jo-Anne has continued to boost my confidence and support me, so when she invited me to write a blog post for The Gratitude Project...well, I was simply grateful to have been asked.

 
Back to that acrostic...

G stands for Greetings from Good People.  In our busy day to day lives, I am so grateful for those who take the time to smile, say 'good morning' or simply 'check in.'  Whether it comes from my family, friends or the the great guy who makes my morning latte – a little bit of human connection makes life so much brighter.

R stands for Risk, Reward and Recovery.  I am grateful that there is risk around every corner and quite often taking a risk comes with a reward like growth, knowledge or satisfaction.  Sometimes taking a risk ends up in a 'recovery period,' and though things may not have gone as I planned, the rewards are still there.

A stands for Almost 40.  Yes, I am almost 40 years old and I could not be more grateful for the relationships I have had, the experiences I have gained, my careers both as an educator and as a fashion designer and the lessons I have learned along the way.  Here's to the next 40 years!

T stands for Trying Something New.  I am grateful for the freedom in knowing I can try something new at any time.  Whether it's switching to almond milk in my latte or visiting Rekjavik for my 40th birthday, I am grateful for this world and its people we have to explore.

E stands for Experience.  Grateful for Each and Every one...

F stands for Fashion Star and Failure.  As I mentioned above, I recently won a design competition by the name of Fashion Star.  A little bit of money and a little bit of fame came along with the win for which I am very grateful.  However, I cannot put a price on the things I am most grateful for that came out of my Fashion Star experience - new friends, the opportunity to create a full women's wear line and see women feeling confident in my clothing, the chance to reconnect with old friends, colleagues and students and the affirmation that the risk I took in changing careers paid off is only an abbreviated list!  I am just as grateful for the failures (I prefer the term 'growth opportunities,' but that does not start with an F) that I have encountered along the way.  Failure reminds me that I can problem solve and that I am stronger than I think.

U stands for Understanding.  I am eternally grateful for those who treat me with understanding.  We all make mistakes, we all have good days and tough days and we all experience success and strife.  My partner, Melissa, is extra good at understanding – she gets my 'highs' and 'lows' and loves me through it all – is it possible that 'grateful' isn't a strong enough word here?

L stands for Love, Laughter and Life.  Oh, and a Layoff...which ultimately led me to my friendship with Jo-Anne and the opportunity to write this blog post, for which I am most grateful.

With love and gratitude,

Kara Laricks

 

www.karalaricks.com

Follow Kara Laricks on Facebook

Follow Kara Laricks on Twitter

in the words of... kak sri

 

Any situation can look different when seen through the lens of gratitude...

photo & image by jag

gratefully yours,
jag

11 days and counting...

How is it that I've been planning this trip for months now, and all of a sudden:  IT'S HERE!  (Well. Almost.)  Eleven days and counting.

It's as if I have been planning someone else's dream all this time.  These kind of things are not meant to happen to me. I mean, who am I to take off for a month on my own and travel across the country?  Right?!  And yet, accommodations have been booked. Travel has been confirmed.  Connections with friends have been made.  I have done all these things!  On my own. 

I keep thinking of things I need to do to get ready, then I start wondering what else I am forgetting!  I'm really not used to this kind of thing.  What if I don't even know what I'm supposed to be remembering. (!)

Truth be told: I'm sceered.

There. I've said it.  I am excited AND I am terrified.  In a good way. (I guess.)

*the gratitude project: dare to be grateful* has brought me so far outside my comfort zone that I figure I may as well keep stretching.  Then I think, in order to s-t-r-e-t-c-h, I need to keep one foot inside my comfort zone, with the other venturing out further and further. (Figuratively speaking, of course.)

What would happen if I gently, bravely, and decidedly stood outside of my comfort zone - with both feet? What if I chose to write a new internal script, one that says: I can do this. 

Yes, what if...

Stay tuned.

And in the meantime, I went to see this film on IMAX this past weekend.  Amazing!  Certainly gave me an appreciation for this journey I am taking... for the rails I will be riding.  Lives were sacrificed to create this marvel.  And in just 11 days, I will become part of that story too.

gratefully yours,
jag

celebrating lives greatly full :: deb gleason

Deb Gleason is one of these inspiring women who left a traditional career (well, if you can call Homicide Detective "traditional" :-)) in order to follow her passion.  She is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Vegan Lifestyle Coach and founder of Wellness Warrior Coaching.  She is one empowered woman, setting out to empower anyone who is ready to make significant changes in their life!  She is an advocate for a compassionate lifestyle, one that respects ALL beings.  I have learned a lot from Deb and am honoured to welcome her to *the gratitude project*!

The thing I am grateful for most is a moment of courage I experienced 13 years ago. This was the moment I woke up from my own human daydream to ask a simple and naïve question about where my food came from. It was this courage that allowed me to fully absorb the horrifying answer. Digesting the term ‘factory farming’ and it’s ugly definition was disheartening, disgusting and extremely painful. The choice to embrace a vegan lifestyle as a result of digesting that truth led me down a path I could never have anticipated, a path that has been so intensely rewarding and filled with unending moments of gratitude.

Today I love every moment of my work empowering others to find their own voices as they look at their dietary choices from a critical instead of passive perspective. Watching people change before my eyes as they embrace the power of a clean, vegan diet is something that will never cease to amaze me. The opportunity to see painful diseases halted, hear people talk about how they feel lighter, healthier, more whole and even more loving is so much more than I could have ever imagined 13 years ago.

 

For this I have unending gratitude.