Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.—Marcus Tullius Cicero

Many of us don’t like working for “the man.” The man is corporate America or any company that’s not your own for that fact. I had lunch with a friend recently who decided to look at his job differently. He doesn’t want to do the work he is doing; he find meaning elsewhere. The reactive response would be, “why doesn’t he go do what he wants to do?” The answer is, it’s not that simple. He’s got commitments and responsibilities; a wife, kids, basic needs and the bills to boot. It’s not just about him.

If you have been pursuing a spiritual journey, you’ll often hear it simplified that if you don’t like the life that you are living just change it. After all, we are here to fulfill our purpose. This notion that we can simply drop our current lives to pursue what we think is our purpose might be true for many, but it’s not for most. Yes, we are to structure our lives in such a way as to find fulfillment from the truest self but it is often not necessary for a radical shift. So I offer this, be where you are.

Lao Tzu, the great philosopher and father of Taoism wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The first step is to be where you are–stop running to the unknown, don’t move just to move. The second step is to know where you are. Really, look at your life and see the reasons for that life. The third step is to begin where you are. Drop everything and run like Usain Bolt if you are in danger–get some help! If you are not in danger, then be deliberate with your choices. Chart a course to get into the life you have or find your way into the one you want.

But for now, “you gotsta love the man!” The man pays the bills–food, shelter, clothing and a few luxuries too. So today be grateful for the man; be grateful for your life. Oh by the way, the man pays a lot more than your uncle.

Try this: make a list of 10 things you are grateful for. Then make a list of 5 challenging experiences that you are also grateful for. Hopefully you see that eventually, it’s all good.

I often get information that must be shared, this is from DailyOM:

October 9, 2008
Answering The Call
Taking Responsibility For Your Destiny

There are those of us who believe that our lives are predestined and that we should resign ourselves to our lots in life. Yet the truth is that it is up to each one of us to decide what that destiny will be. While each of us is born with a life purpose, it is up to us whether or not we will say yes to fulfilling it. And just like when we choose what to eat, who to keep company with, and whether to turn right or left when we leave our home everyday, choosing to say yes to your destiny is a decision that can only be realized when you take action to make that choice a reality.

Whether you believe it is your destiny to be a parent, an adventurer, an artist, a pioneer, or a spiritual guru, saying yes to your destiny is only the first step. While manifesting your destiny starts with knowing what you want and believing you can attain your goals, there are then the actions that must be taken and the decisions to be made before your destiny can truly happen. When you take responsibility for fulfilling your destiny and begin acting with the intention of doing so, you not only take fate into your own hands, but also you become the hands of your own fate. Doorways inevitably open for you to step through, and every choice you make can be a creative act toward realizing your goals and dreams. You begin to follow your instincts and intuition, recognize opportunities when they are presented to you, and seize those golden moments. You also begin to recognize the decisions that may not serve this greater picture and can more easily push them aside.

Remembering that the decision to fulfill your destiny is always a choice can be empowering. Knowing you are fulfilling your destiny because you want to, rather than because you have to, can make a huge difference. When you are freed from obligation, obstacles in your way become challenges to be overcome, and the journey becomes an adventure rather than the obligatory steps you are being forced to take. Your destiny may be waiting for you, but whether or not you meet your destiny is up to you. Your fate is in your hands.

Call 1-877-2-DAILYOM (1-877-232-4596) to listen to DailyOM messages on your phone for free.

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“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

— Marcel Proust: Was a French novelist and essayist

The air was light and the skies were still bright as the sun to took its final bow before calling it a night.  My wife’s brother and his family (a wife and two adoring little boys) were staying with us for a few weeks.

On this day our heavy meal was lunch.  We decided that after lunch would be nap time–a little siesta–and then we’d go for a hike.  After much protest we finally got our three girls down and all was quiet.
The house was a buzz four Punky Brewster episodes later –that’s how my seven year old told time. We packed our things and headed for the mountains.  We made sure to pack sweaters for a late August hike but there was no need for them.  It was  a good day for a cute story.

My four year old nephew noticed some keepsakes falling from the Oak trees and decided to collect as many as his little hands could carry, which were plenty after one Punky Brewster episode.  After about a mile, we reached the top of the mountain where stands the Heublein Tower.

Meanwhile a woman of about seventy-two years was walking around the grounds.  Her timing placed her close enough to hear but still too far to see.
With an amazing clarity in speech, the little boy yelled, “oh my nuts!”
Aghast at the vulgarity the old woman inquired, “What on earth did the little boy just say?”
His mother answered, “He was holding his little nuts in his hand and they fell to the ground.”
“My word,” replied the old lady.
“Do you know what happens to little boys when they lose their nuts?” his mother continued as she bent down to retrieve the acorns from the ground.

Like you have never lived a day, and like you will never live another

Life is a gift, and our greatest purpose is to experience the joy of it through service to others. That kind of joy comes only from being all you are. The only way to be who you are is through understanding and loving yourself completely, including your imperfections. As the love of self manifests, our choices become deliberate. When our choices are deliberate, we are living in the moment with integrity. Integrity is being your authentic self in all moments. When we are authentic, we live in abundance, optimally utilizing each other’s talents and our natural resources on this adventure of life. As we give and express ourselves creatively while detaching from our outcomes, we open our hearts so that we can shine our light and realize how much we matter to this world.

When we recognize how much we matter to the world, we recognize how much others matter to the world. With this awareness, our love for others flow freely in all directions. As our love for others flow freely, joy is created around us. When you are surrounded by joy, you are living in joy. When we live according to the precepts these reminders, we live a full life.