What Are You Grateful For?

How often do you say thank you? Believe it or not, these are two of the most powerful words we have at our disposal. Often, when we say thank you it is merely an automatic response to something. But when was the last time you said thank you and really meant it? One of the greatest principals I’ve learnt is that of gratitude and it is something we can all practice on a daily basis.

Here are 10 things I’m grateful for:

1-I am grateful for my friends and family

2-I am grateful to be self-employed

3-I am grateful for my talents

4-I am grateful for running water

5-I am grateful for a free health service

6-I am grateful to live by the sea

7-I am grateful I can travel easily

8-I am grateful for my eye sight

9-I am grateful for my hands

10-I am grateful I can vote

Some of the things on my list are obvious but the more you look around, the more you will see things to be grateful for. We take so much for granted in our lives and don’t always find time to reflect about the wonderful things we have in life.

So what are you grateful for today?

The Positive Alphabet Game

Often, when I go running I like to play ‘The Positive Alphabet Game’-the rules are simple-I have to describe myself in three words using every letter of the alphabet. Here are some examples for the letters P, M and A:

P:      I am POSITIVE, I am PERSISTANT & I am PRACTICAL

M:     I am MOTIVATED, I am MENTALLY strong & I MOVE forward

A:     I am ASPIRATIONAL, I AIM high & I am AWARE

As you cycle through the alphabet, don’t be afraid to use negative words-afterall we have both positive and negative attributes-but often, just the act of being aware of ones negative points can help us move forward in a more positive way.

After playing this game, my mind always feels clearer and I feel more connected to myself. Often, we hear other people telling us about our ‘good’ and ‘bad’ points, but how often do we actually tell ourselves?

Try it! It’s fun and you can play it anywhere; on the train, when you’re trying to fall asleep or waiting to meet a friend. A great way to connect with your inner self!

3 Minute Affirmation Video (Volume 1)

Hi everyone,

So I decided to make a short 'positive affirmation' video using some of my favourite photos from my travels. I find it helpful to read the affirmations out loud. Hope you enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/160173115

Welcome to my PMA blog!

Hello, I'm Charlie.

Welcome to my PMA blog! I will be sharing with you many positive affirmations- which I try to use on a daily basis- as well as techniques and strategies that I find useful to help me relax and unwind. Before I start, I wanted to share with you a little bit about myself and why I decided to create this 'PMA' blog.

From a young age I competed in many sporting events and also took part in music concerts aswel as taking practical examinations. When I was Seven, whilst on the way to my Grade 1 piano exam, I remember experiencing a strange feeling in my tummy. I mentioned this to my dad and he told me I had 'butterflies' because I was nervous. And so begun the start of this regular feeling everytime I partook in some kind of competitive sporting or musical event. Alongside my 'butterflies' I also started experiencing something else; 'Negative self-talk'. This included phrases such as 'you're not good enough', 'everyone else will be better than you', and 'you won't be able to do it'.

I was very aware of this 'Negative self-talk' throughout my school years and the one phrase that kept me going time and time again was; 'Postive, Mental, Attitude' (which my dad had taught me before my first cross-country race)! I shared this phrase as much as I could with my friends and gained a reputation for being very positive.

However, just like you I still suffer from 'Negative self-talk', and there are times where I doubt myself and spend too much energy comparing myself to others. Over the years i've tried to digest the wise words of inspirational people like Thich Nhat Hanh, Deepak Chopra, Dale Carnegie and Susan Jeffers but there are still times where I have the tendency to listen to my 'Negative self-talk' voice. I'm only human right? But I truly believe that with practice we can all calm this 'Negative voice'. Realistically, I don't think it will ever go away completely but we can learn to be aware of it and learn how to mute it and not let it take control of us.