Thanksgiving is ...

Now is the time of year when we think of all the turkey we will be eating and the great desserts to follow. We make decisions on who will be hosting the celebration this year (if you are lucky enough to have family and friends to share with, the money to have a feast and the job to feel good about so you can spend that money). What about the families who have none of these? What about the struggling families? If they do not have a big feast but celebrate what they do have and are together? Are they any less thankful? Or maybe even more? Something to think about.

This Thanksgiving gives us a reminder and an opportunity to step back and take inventory. We in our society are so quick to look at what we don’t have, what other people do have or what we “should” have but don’t. In this economy with so many people in trouble financially, losing there homes and there life savings – it is even more important to look at the people who make a difference in our lives!

We become jealous of people who have more then us, who have the toys we want or have what is in vogue this year. Who is doing what and who is not. How can we possibly be happy if we are always looking outward from our selves in order to feel fulfilled?

Thanksgiving is a reminder to each and every one of us – time to take account of what we do have! What do we really have in our lives to be grateful for? What are we taking for granted and who? When is the last time you said thank you to someone who has made or does make a difference in your life? When is the last time you looked at what you do have and were thankful that you have it in your life?

I think all we really need to do is watch the news and see the starving children who have no food and are so thin you can see their ribs,as well as the rest of their bones! How about the pictures of people after 9-11 who lost loved ones – spouses, parents and children! Or the families of members in the military who will be spending this holiday season without their spouse / parent? How lucky are we to still have our family and friends in our lives! What good are material things when they become what defines who and what we are?

How often have you said to yourself if I only had this I would be happy? Once this happens I will feel better? How long have you been waiting to be happy and to feel better? When we are happy at where we are now, then anything else we receive is an added blessing. When we live for things we don’t possess then we are creating our feelings and thoughts based on what is out of our control.

I am thankful for so many things in my life – my son, my family, my wife,my friends, what I do and the opportunity I have to help both Single Parent Families and Military Families, as well as so many more things I am grateful for! What are you thankful for in your life – right now?

We at Single Parent Power wish you and the people who mean so much to you a happy and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

And let’s not forget the usual holiday quotes!!

“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” ~ Edward Sandford Martin

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
J.A. Shedd

“Thanksgiving is possible only for those who take time to remember; no one can give thanks who has a short memory.” ~ Author Unknown

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it” ~ William Arthur Ward

“G-d gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?” ~ William A. Ward

“Some people complain because G-d put thorns on roses,
while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns.” ~ Anonymous

“We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.” ~ Albert Barnes

“Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” ~ Estonian Proverb

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

And lastly … “An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.” ~ Irv Kupcinet

With Love, Peace and Power,

Ron Dilbert

Single Parent Power, Inc. – “Helping Reconnect Families”

www.SingleParentPower.com

www.SingleParentPower.com/Blog

Click to follow me on: Twitter Facebook Linkedin

rdilbert@SingleParentPower.com

516-355-1552

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” – Albert Einstein

Why Can't I Understand?

This week we are going to touch on what it takes to understand. The route to understanding is through the use of effective communication and through connection with others. What do I mean by this?

To understand someone, first you have to be able to effectively communicate with them. One good way to do this is through the use of active communication. Active communication, in a nut shell, occurs when the listener places his/her full attention on the speaker and then repeats back what he/she heard to confirm that the speaker and the listener are both on the same page with what was said and what was heard.

The second component to understanding someone, is related to your connection with them. Why is connection so important? Because without it you lose a huge chunk of the opportunity to fully understand! Have you ever been "listening" to someone and find yourself thinking about something "more important"? How does that make you feel in relation to the other person who is speaking? How do you think the speaker feels when they realize you are not really paying attention to them? What do you feel when this happens to you? Do you feel connected?

Instead of connection you get separation! So we now know a great way to help connect us with someone is to give our full attention to the person speaking and use active communication to hear what they are saying, you need to be interested in what they are conveying and you need to then repeat back what you heard to confirm it is what was said and meant. Then the same process occurs when the roles are reversed.

How does this work with our kids? A great place to start is to not only take the time to listen and be interested in what they have to say and share, but to also go to the place they are in now. Read the books they are reading, listen to the music they are listening to, watch the shows they watch and do the things they like to do. This way when the conversations begin you are in their space and can relate on a much higher plain then if you just talk from a disconnected position. I believe we have all been in this place when we try to talk with our kids and they know we don't get it and so they no longer are interested in talking with us – we just created a disconnect.

Now, because you have taken the time to do what they do, you can ask them questions or discuss their opinions from a place of understanding and yet it does not necessarily have to be in agreement. Disagreement can make for some interesting conversations and a better understanding of each others point of view. Amazing things happen when you get down to your kids levels, do what they like and then be able to talk to them about it. You are showing them that you care about them, you want to understand them and you want to be a part of their world too.

This my friend creates connection and allows your relationship with your kids to go to the next level. What we are talking about does not only apply to your kids but also applies to life in general. When you take the time and interest to connect with any one you will see the difference this makes in that relationship; whether a family member, someone you are dating, married to or someone you work with - getting connected makes a huge difference!

With this in mind here is our Quote of the Week:

"Understanding is a two-way street." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

So this week our challenge to you is to take your relationship to the next level with your kids and start doing the things they do and see how your relationship blossoms.

If you are already doing this, that is fantastic! Think on what you can do to take it to another level?

Please forward this to anyone who can benefit from what we are sharing and we would love to get your feedback on how this has changed your relationships by email at info@SingeParentPower.com!

Have a wonderful week and stay connected!

With Love, Peace and Power,

Ron Dilbert
Single Parent Power, Inc. - "Helping Reconnect Families"
www.SingleParentPower.com
SingleParentPower.com/Blog
www.blogtalkradio.com/Single-Parent-Power
Follow me on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/RonDilbert

rdilbert@SingleParentPower.com
479-935-3986 - Arkansas Office
516-355-1552 - New York Office

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity" - Albert Einstein