It is the time of year when many of us stop to reflect on what we are grateful for.

Every day I am so grateful for what I have, I don’t need just one day of the year for thanks. But it is such a pleasure on this one day to sit around the table with family and friends, and hear what each person is thankful for.

When my family and I were escaping from Viet Nam, sneaking away at night, onboard the overcrowded fishing boat, waiting in a refugee camp, and trying to figure out how to make it in our new country, survival was uppermost on our minds. We were just looking one step ahead, figuring out what had to be done and doing it, and not able to think beyond that.

But then we survived, and started to thrive and found that we were living a good life. And at that point, knowing how blessed we were and are, it became time to give back.

When you have been through the worst you can imagine and come out the other side, you want to pass along to others the knowledge and the strength that helped you and can help others. This is why I am so happy to be sharing my father’s wisdom and my experiences with you in my writings, my talks, and my book.

Now our children are grown and they stand on their own merits. America gave them many opportunities and they utilized them to become good and productive citizens.

I am grateful for my family, this country, and the opportunity to make a difference.

I want the life I live to be an expression of gratitude for all we have received and been blessed with. My family and I live a life that is rich and full. Every day I think of the goodness of my life and what it took to get here. My heart is filled with gratitude.

This is the time for me to say Happy Thanksgiving, and I am so grateful for all of you, my friends.

            When was the last time you paid yourself a compliment? Seems a little strange, doesn’t it? Well, what about the last time you insulted yourself? Not hard to remember, right?
            How does it feel when you insult yourself? You deserve it, you get it out of the way before someone else can do it, it’s just true about you.
            Now, let me ask you, would you speak to a friend, your best friend, the way you speak to yourself? How would you feel insulting your friend the way you insult yourself?
            Maybe it’s time to start to treating yourself like you’re your own best friend. Be kind to him or her. Be respectful, honor him, take her seriously.
            How you treat yourself says volumes about your self esteem and also profoundly affects it. When you treat yourself like you are stupid and worthless, you then act it out without realizing it.
            And when you treat yourself like you are worthy of respect and are intelligent, loving, and lovable, then you automatically behave that way, as well.
            Self esteem is a combination of self-respect and self confidence. You owe it to yourself to boost your self-confidence and your self respect. You do so by how to talk to yourself and treat yourself.
            It may take time before you start seeing the difference, and it may feel very uncomfortable at first. But it’s worth the time and effort!
            Start now to treat yourself the way you want to be treated, with love, respect, and honor, and, especially, kindness.

            My friend Jonathan Manske is a Cerebral Sanitation Engineer. He specializes in helping you remove the trash from your head, such as all that belittling self talk that so many of us engage in. Some thoughts of his follow. And if you’d like to learn more, read his book The Law of Attraction Made Simple or contact him at jonathan@JonathanManske.com.

            Self-talk is part of being human.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of our self-talk is negative. This negative self-talk is really nothing more than a habit we learned from those around us.
            The problem with negative self-talk is that there is a part of us, the subconscious or unconscious mind, that believes everything it hears. Whether I say to myself, “I am an idiot” or “I am a genius,” that part of me believes whatever I have said to be true. 
            This creates certain responses and feelings in me. Obviously one will make me feel better than the other.
            Now the thing about habits is that they can be changed.  What if you got into the habit of saying nice things to yourself?  What if you got into the habit of catching the negative self-talk and immediately changing it into positive self-talk?
            Try it for a day! Today make a point of saying nice things to yourself throughout the day. This might feel strange or uncomfortable. Do it anyway. 

Try these on for starters:
I am smart!
I am wonderful!
I am a good person!
I deserve to succeed!
I am happy!

            When we make a mistake, we tend to follow it up with negative self-talk. “I forgot to pay that traffic ticket and now I have a late fee as well. I am such an idiot!”
            What if instead you said, “I forgot to pay that ticket on time, but I’m paying it now, and avoiding any more late fees! Good for me!”
            This produces a very different experience of yourself. One that is much more enjoyable and beneficial. Remember, there is a part of you that believes whatever you say.
            Take me up on this challenge.  Talk nicely to yourself today.  If you like it, do it again tomorrow.  Even if you don’t, do it again anyway! Why not, you are terrific and you deserve it! 

Wishing you great joy and success,
Jonathan Manske
Cerebral Sanitation Engineer
taking out your head trash