Giving Thanks

When I think of gratitude, I think of George Clooney and Adam Sandler just as quickly as I think of Mother Teresa.

You don't?

Imagine being a friend of George Clooney while he was growing up. You helped him through hard times, maybe gave him a small loan or a gift. Let him be the guy on the couch for a bit. He makes it in life and invites you over for dinner one night, and you notice these weird Tumi bags sitting around.

One's for you - and it's got a million dollars in there! That's gratitude - giving back to those who brought you up. Sucks to miss that party right?

Adam Sandler did something similar with some of his recent cast mates but he gave them all Maseratis (a fancy car), and I have another nugget story for you on him.

I was in Westwood once (this is in Los Angeles, right next to UCLA and Bel Air), at the gas station next to Fox Theater when a homeless man on the street says "Adam - I've got a question for you." I look over and there he is and he's putting in a 100 dollar bill in the guy's cup! Yes I was close enough to see it...

I even got a signature, and he didn't punch me in the face when I said, "The Price is Wrong Bob!" What a nice guy.

Mother Theresa - of course, so much gratitude and compassion in her life, and about her life. When I think of what she did, where she was, and how she lived in Calcutta, I cannot help but be grateful for what I have. To think she did all that with a generosity of spirit and such great compassion for all beings.

For my book I spoke to philanthropist Lynne Twist, who worked with Mother Theresa a bit and had a chance to meet her and work in the main orphanage. She confirms that she was the real deal.

Lynne's work has allowed her to meet some of the richest and poorest (in terms of money) people in the world, and in her book the Soul of Money, she talks about a simple ubiquitous truth that "what we appreciate, appreciates."

In these hard times that is not easy and I know that, but I have to just do my part and try to find the sufficiency in what I do have. In what areas are we simply "enough." This can be such a powerful shift from scarcity or "not enough."

Rambling on Thanksgiving aside, thank you all. I don't have any bags of cash or fancy cars to hand out...yet (thanks Neil Pasricha), but I do have boat loads of appreciation and admiration. You're all rockstars and I'm so rooting for you! Please keep living the dream as best you can.

And thank you to the early supporters of my most recent life challenge (and adventure). I missed people I'm sure, but here are those I was able to capture and this is just the beginning, as we enter WEEK TWO of the pre-launch of my self-coaching book, First Serve Yourself.

So much gratitude to you all!