May Peace be your gift at Christmas
and your blessing all year through!

• Quote: Unknown. Nobody knows who originally came up with this holiday wish, but who cares – the message itself is the important thing. For me, Christmas isn’t about presents or cards or expensive decorations; it’s about calming down, spending time with my family and loved ones, and celebrating the Winter Solstice. (I don’t give presents or even send Christmas cards. It’s so liberating!) In the West, Christmas is often considered to be the time of peace and good will… but I wish you peace and good will for all year long!
• Photo: “Winter Night” by Ketil Monsen. View a larger version of this image or view the photographer’s Photo.net gallery for more photos by him.

You know those brutally honest Tarot readings that make you feel like your Tarot deck was kicking you in the ass? The ones that don’t tell you what you want to hear but what you need to hear?

My very first Tarot reading with my very first Tarot deck was like that.

Fool Closeups from Jean Dodal, Thoth, and RWS Tarot.

Let me tell you, I didn’t really appreciate it back then. I was an ignorant newbie who was hoping for a profound and pompous and grandiose reading with fancy and dramatic cards. Instead, the deck fooled me – both figuratively and very much literally.

Let me share this foolish tale with you. It features an ignorant (and a bit arrogant) newbie Tarot reader, a brutally honest and provocative Tarot deck, and an annoying reading that took a few months to sink in.

The reverse side also has a reverse side.

• Quote: Japanese proverb.
• Photo: Unknown. Do you know where this photo comes from? If you do, please let me know!

Small favors and gestures of love, the ones that don’t seem to matter at all, can make or break your day – or the day of someone you love – if you happen to do it at the right moment.

When I woke up today, I was feeling totally tired and grumpy. Getting out of bed was the last thing I wanted to do. I was definitely not looking forward to this day.

Then, my husband did something that totally changed the course of my day. It was a seemingly insignificant gesture but it worked like magic. Suddenly, I was ready to jump out of that bed, feeling happy and grateful, looking forward to the day!

To the world you may be just one person,
but to one person you may be the world.

• Quote: Brandi Snyder.
• Photo: “Cigni” by Guido Fulgenzi. Click the image to see a bigger version of the swan photo. If you want to see more photos by Guido Fulgenzi, visit his Photo.net portfolio or check out his website at Photo-fulgenzi.com.

What are you feeling grateful for? What makes you happy today? What makes you feel so good you’re bursting with love, joy, and gratitude?

In my previous post, I explained why gratitude is such a powerful force and how I was able to attract more money into my life by simply cultivating gratitude.

In this post, I’ll give you 7 practical tips on how to cultivate the attitude of gratitude.