One of my friend’s Passions is turning One, Nicole Gibson’s movement Love out Loud turned One yesterday, and she is offering all of her products at half price on the world’s special day for love, Valentines Day: Nicoles Offer.

Nicole has written a beautiful book called a matter of factly Love Out Loud so in honour of this special day I picked up the book and opened it to a page, so today we will be looking at the value of gratitude, Chapter 8 for when you buy this excellent book. Nicole states that “A big part of creating a gratitude practice for yourself is the understanding that gratitude is about honouring what has been normalised in your life, so that it may be sustained. “

I am also a big fan of Danielle LaPorte’s Daily Planner which has you write one thing you are grateful for each morning. So what has the world had to say about being grateful as it travels along the timeline, here are a few of my favourites:

1. Many song titles amongst this little gem.

2. Happy Birthday, Nicole, let’s Love Out Loud: Happy Birthday, Mr President.

3. Perfectionism, otherwise known as the booby prize when it comes to commencing fulfilling your dreams.

 

4. I live in Australia, that puts me in the top one per cent of the planet for privileges, for that, I will be eternally grateful: Dirty Laundry.

5. There are times that I haven’t found it easy to think this, but with the journey comes the shadow and the light.

6. What colour is your favourite cup, mine is sky blue: Running on Empty.

7. I like the theory we are all starseed, it makes it so much easier to love everything and everybody out loud.

8. As you walk out your front door be very grateful, not everyone gets to do this: Home.

9. The past has gone, the future is yet to occur, all we have is Today.

10. Yes, You and You and You: Thank You For The Music.

11. We have the choice to begin anew each and every moment, although some days it may feel impossible.

12. Big Tony has his say: Diva.

13, Jessye is recognised as one of the worlds great Mezzo Soprano’s, daughter of an Insurance Salesman and a school teacher, she discovered opera after her parents gave her a radio on her 9th birthday opening her horizons, where she discovered the world of opera, that she Loved Out Loud.

14. It’s such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with You: Perfect Day.

15. And for our final lesson, we hear from Marilyn’s birthday boy.

So back to Nicole to finish off:

Gratitude is a Practice.

For something to become a habit, the brain relies on repetitive action. It takes approximately twelve weeks to form any type of behavioural habit that strengthens neural pathways so that the brain will begin automatically commanding this behaviour. I highly recommend beginning a gratitude practice daily; at the same time, each day. Again, a ritual is deeply embedded in who we are, and to become ritualistic in your practices will ensure the deep integration of the behaviours that lead a life of loving out loud.

Journal It, write it in your diary, start a daily gratitude jar, speak it out loud to the mirror, there are many ways to do it, choose one that turns you on and has you Love Out Loud.

Actresses and Opera Singers feature in today’s playlist. We begin with Marilyn Monroe, then take it to the limit with The Eagles. Jackson Browne is next, Then the oddly named Edward Sharpe and the Magnificent Zeros. A singalong with Abba, a pop diva number from Beyonce and we finish with a duet from Lou Reed and Luciano Pavarotti: I Woke Up, I Have Clothes To Wear.

Part of my Loving Out Loud is to spread the ethos of Love and Respect For All, Everyone Included in all of my actions. Join me in this until we meet again my dear friends.