Take time out to reflect on your abundance

Hello friend, I would like to ask you to take a moment today to appreciate this wonderful life of yours and to be grateful for the abundance that surrounds you. If you are reading this, it means you have access to the internet which probably means you have access to clean water, food, and shelter. Essentials such as water, food, shelter and electricity are easily taken for granted when there is no immediate threat of their availability. Most days we overlook these blessings and shift the focus to wants instead of needs. This takes us on a downward spiral in pursuit of things we don’t really need and in many cases can’t afford. Today I encourage you to reflect on the abundance in your life. Take a moment to appreciate the luxuries we often take for granted.

To help you do this, consider a few world facts*:

• 805 million people worldwide do not have enough food to eat
• More than 750 million people lack adequate access to clean drinking water
• 1/4 of all humans live without electricity — that’s approximately 1.6 billion people
• Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

Being grateful for what we have is a sure path to reaching inner fulfillment and emotional balance. Furthermore, by being aware of our abundance we can begin to positively affect the world around us by contributing to others in need. There are a million ways to give back to our communities and to the world at large. Here are some practical and effective ways to contribute to your local communities:

• Donate new or gently used clothing to local homeless shelters
• Donate time or supplies to animal shelters
• Volunteer at a senior citizen’s home
• Start a fundraiser to support your cause of preference
• Become a mentor through the Big Brother Big Sister program
• Volunteer your time or supplies to a local soup kitchen or food bank
• Donate to a charity of your choice

It’s important to note that you don’t have to break the bank to give back. Mother Theresa once said, “It’s not how much we give but how much LOVE we put into giving.” Give from the heart, give love and it will come back to you tenfold.
When setting off on this journey, think about what excites and moves you then build your contributions around this passion. If you’re unsure where to start I welcome you to contribute to a holiday fundraiser I created in order to provide e-book readers to a group of homeless youth living in temporary housing. I am on a mission to light up some smiles this holiday season and to give the gift of reading. Click here to learn more about this fundraiser. Join me in sharing love and light this holiday season.
Whatever you chose to do, do it wholeheartedly and be sure to share your story with the world, you just never know who you might inspire.

Sending you so much love and good vibrations
Sincerely, Alyana

*world facts provided by www.dosomething.org