A PERSONAL STORY TO SHARE

I thought it only fitting to focus this edition on Gratitude, since October is the time when we celebrate Thanksgiving here in Canada. And before we get started, I would like to give you special thanks for viewing my newsletter here today!

As I reviewed the last month of my journal, I found pasted into it a small magazine clipping with this quote, that seems only apt to share with you today:

"Starting my day off right is a matter of mind over splatter -- positive attitude and the belief that no matter what the day brings, I'm lucky to be alive. I choose to celebrate the good in life. Being grateful for our blessings is the best place to start." Linda Slayton

As I reflect, I see just how much I have to be thankful for. In one month alone, I am amazed to see how much I have been blessed.

September was a month of great connections and communication. I am thankful for all the new contacts and friends I've made around the globe, and for having the opportunity to connect with old and dear friends and colleagues. And, even though I've completely slowed down my workshops and engagements in order to enjoy and complete the final writing stage of my book, I appreciate the new booking requests that have come my way. With gratitude, I will soon add more dates to my schedule!

In mid-September, my husband Rob and I took a weekend jaunt over to Victoria to see the Titanic exhibit. (The picture above is of the beautiful September flowers that line the streets.) Having traveled on ships for extended periods, I felt gratitude for the safe journeys I've experienced; for the safe conditions; and for the equality of passenger status (unlike the classes of Titanic days). I felt thankful for all the other fabulous things that we enjoyed over our weekend, and was also thankful for all the things that enable us to go on getaways such as that one.

After I reflected on my month's blessings (more than I could describe in one newsletter!), I decided to see how many blessings I could be grateful for in one day. In a general, run-of-the-mill day spent writing at home.

• A new day of life as I wake up.
• Being healthy -- the ability to rise from my bed to enjoy my day.
• My home -- my shelter from the rainy days and cold evenings of autumn.
• Heat and running water -- I remember times in my childhood when I didn't have those luxuries.
• A warm cup of coffee in the morning.
• Healthy, fresh food to eat when I am hungry.
• Taking my morning or evening walk and the ability to walk.
• Nature: the autumn leaves, smell of flowers, crisp air, the glint of sunshine on the ocean waves, dogs playing in the park.
• The clothes on my back.
• My husband's smile as I go about my day. His conversation, love and support, hugs and kisses.
• Communication throughout the day -- with family and friends (old and new), inspiring letters from readers like you!, business requests, and connecting with amazing people in general.
• My computer and the amazingly phenomenal abilities it affords.
• Electricity.
• My car and the ability to have transportation.
• Creative expression.
• Freedom.
• Courage, determination, and faith.
• The ability to write from my home.
• Silence and stillness.
• Books and the ability to read them.
• Being able to watch the creative and inspirational expression of talented people. (As I watched my Spiritual Cinema Circle DVD of the month.)

The list could go on forever, but that was what I wrote down that particular day; the things that I gave gratitude for, in the moments I experienced them.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Ways to Give Gratitude

There are many ways to give gratitude, with grace, in the moment. Many ways that you may choose to incorporate into your day, week, and month. My intention and action for October is to embody and live with gratitude. Will you join me?

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation, is not to utter words, but to live by them."
– John F. Kennedy

Brenda's Top 10 list of Ways to Give Gratitude

1. Give thanks to your Higher Power, God, Spirit, the universe, or whatever name you feel the most comfortable with, for the gift of life.
2. Give appreciation to yourself. You are a blessing.
3. Give appreciation unexpectedly to someone you feel you haven't given true appreciation in awhile.
4. Give thanks to those who work with you, and to those who you work for.
5. Give appreciation by giving to someone in need.
6. Give gratitude with a random act of kindness. A gift, a note, a kind deed, a phone call or a visit.
7. Be grateful for the littlest of things you may normally take for granted.
8. Give thanks to those around you, with love, genuineness and humility.
9. Carry a stone in your pocket -- a gratitude rock -- to remind you.
10. Write down your daily blessings and gratitude in a journal.

The more that we are thankful for our blessings, the more that blessings appear.

CARD OF THE MONTH

This month's message is from the beautiful Voyager Tarot - Intuition into Action cards, by creator James Wanless of California. The picture here is of myself with James back in 2005. It was a pleasure to meet him!

If you are at all skeptical of these type of cards (like I was years ago, before I understood their practical application), this quote from James may help.

"Use the cards to show you how to create what you want. It gives you back the power and responsibility, as an empowerment process, to make your future by your actions."

Personally, I enjoy using various types of cards (such as the Labyrinth Cards I used in last month's newsletter) whenever I want an intuitive snapshot of my subconscious or soul's urging. When I desire a moment of re-centering or guidance for my next action.

Card Name: "Rejoicer"

(The montage on this card includes photos and images of: sea shells, smiling and laughing women's faces, lotus flowers, cleansing water, fish, flowers in bloom, the ocean surf....)

What the card represents and symbolizes:

     "...you are receptive to life. Let the beauty of life fill your heart. Hear, taste, touch and smell life's sweet essence.
      You are deeply moved by life's surges and tides, oceanic in the depth of your feelings and spontaneous yet judicious in their expression. Show your gratitude to life through the celebration of love, reverence and bliss."

PODCAST

This month's audio message:

How to have gratitude in the times when you don't

Exclusive access to subscribers only - please subscribe here!

RESOURCES TO RECOMMEND

A Good Day. Video. Beautiful. I watch this again and again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zl9puhwiyw

Power Of Gratitude. "Remember..." Video.
http://www.whatisgratituderock.com/mgr_small.swf

Grace and Gratitude. New from Olivia Newton-John. Click on the album of the same name, then scroll down the page to the song Grace and Gratitude to play.
http://olivianewton-john.com/discography.html

Operation Christmas Child
     One of the ways I choose to give gratitude is to give back to others in need. In October, my husband and I make Christmas shoe boxes filled with little gifts, school supplies, and necessities. These shoe boxes are sent to children in need around the globe, who live in difficult circumstances. He makes ones for boys and I make ones for girls!
     Drop off locations are usually very convenient; ours is at our local Safeway, which is where we originally learned about the project.
     If you would like to participate with us, visit the following websites for locations, instructions, and labels for packing your shoe box.
     In Canada: http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/occ/. Drop off week is Nov. 5-10th.
     In the USA: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/. Drop off week is Nov. 12-19th.

BRENDA'S UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Please visit my website to see my current schedule. Please note that my workshops have been temporarily reduced as I'm finishing my book. In the spring, I will be back in full swing!

ASK BRENDA

This month's chosen web submission comes from Jose Galang, J.S. Galang Business Group, Richmond, BC. Thank you Jose!

Hello Brenda,
How can I book you to speak to my (entrepreneurs) network group?

Due to the specific details needed for Jose's booking requests, rather than including my exact response to him, I've listed a few of the generic details that I request, as below.

*  Your organization details, website, and contact information.
*  The potential date(s) and time(s).
*  Target audience and anticipated size.
*  The allotted speaking time.
*  The current speaking needs.
*  What venue and location.

For all booking inquiries, please contact bookings@brendablackburn.com.

If you have a question related to personal or professional development (internal, external, or spiritual), life coaching, employment counseling, my book (see About the Book web page), or the website, please send me an email. If your submission is chosen, it will appear on the Ask Brenda web page, in this newsletter, and you will receive a signed edition of the book when it's released!

NEWSLETTER CONTEST WINNER

The new newsletter subscriber and contest winner from September was: Seira Rose. Congratulations, Seira! An email has gone out to you and you will be receiving a personalized, signed edition of my new book as soon as it's released! Thank you so much for subscribing and welcome!

READER COMMENTS (excerpted with permission)

Jude, Toronto, Ontario:

I was delighted to read about your experience with the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral. I have experienced labyrinths, mostly outdoor, a few indoor -- and I love them. Labyrinths and their purpose were introduced to me by several close associates who have a passion for them, and now so do I. It's quite a ritual journey!! I like it because it's physical, and it includes the physical body in the inward journey. I have walked an outdoor labyrinth at night to torches and candlelight with as many as 60 people at once, weaving in and out, all in different rhythms, including the contemplation time in the centre.....It was part of a conference for several years where I was part of the leadership. It was such a collectively empowering act....

Jude also contributed the following quote, coincidentally from a book she happens to have (Walking a Sacred Path), which is authored by the very own Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, who is Grace Cathedral's Canon for Special Ministry. (I ran out and bought a copy, by the way.)

"Walking the labyrinth is a body prayer. It is non-threatening; all we are asked to do is to walk. Even those of us with the deepest inner divisions can do that. Moving through the labyrinth, we can learn what it feels like to stand firm in the world."

Angele, Host of the Spring Festival of Awareness Celebration and publisher of ISSUES for Empowerment magazine, Naramata, British Columbia:

The labyrinth sounded amazing and I love the thought of your ribbons flying in the wind, like the Tibetan prayer flags.

Bree, www.SoundsDivine.ca , Gibson, British Columbia:

I found your newsletter to be truly fascinating. This morning I woke up in rather a stressful frame of mind and was wondering why I keep slamming upon dead ends over the past four years ... even though I sense that I AM moving in the desired general direction. Then I received your wonderful thoughts concerning the labyrinth... We actually have a beautiful outdoor labyrinth at St. Hilda's By The Sea ... in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast. http://www.sthilda.ca/labyrinth.html I am inspired to go back and visit it this afternoon!

...I loved your newsletter and the podcast was very inspiring and on a day when I really needed it! ...I wanted to listen and enjoy when I had some time and I'm so glad I finally sat down to get my email. I made notes of your podcast! You have a gift and I love your voice. It sooths the soul and it has made me determined to forgo the fear and the naysayers and the TV tonight to work on my beloved book project. You've reminded me that the path is part of the process and it has ups and downs and that fear is what we have to constantly keep at bay and remember to stop and enjoy the process as well. You are part of my process and I feel blessed for it.

Scott, New Westminster, British Columbia:

I know that I was meant to read your newsletter at this very moment. The world seems to be escorting me along in the last few days...showing me where to go (some days not so easy). For a long while now I have had great faith in the spiritual world and our world as well, I know global happiness will one day happen but now is the strongest I've ever felt in being able to play a significant role in that. I am overflowing with "good vibrations" and I hope it spreads. Faith in myself (which is at a high after the read) will get me through the times of second guessing, doubt, fear and so on and will only help to streamline what I know is inevitable.....Peace on Earth!

THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading everyone! Feel free to drop me a line at: brenda@brendablackburn.com. I look forward to your comments! You're my inspiration! 'Till next month...

P.S.

A big, infinite thanks to Susan Friesen of eVision Media and team (Warren and Tal), who are my web (and graphic) design, development, and maintenance behind-the-scenes, round-the-clock heroes. I recommend them in a heartbeat.

In This Issue

• A Personal Story To Share

• Feature Article

• Card of the Month

• Podcast

• Resources to Recommend

• Brenda's Upcoming Schedule

• Ask Brenda

• Newsletter Contest Winner

• NEW! Reader Comments

NEW! Brenda's Blog

Read more from Brenda here!

Brenda's Book

Brenda's book is due to be released in the New Year! Stay tuned to her website and this newsletter for new information and events!

Contest

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