A Grateful Giveaway!!

This installment of the Grateful Series might be over but the fun is just beginning...

Allow me to introduce...the Grateful Giveaway!

When author Kaye George commented on the Grateful Series and told me she had written a book about being grateful I was thrilled. So imagine my excitement to find out she lives twenty minutes from my work!  We decided to meet and chatted about being grateful and the tugs of daily life that often get us down. She's so sweet - it was like talking to an old friend. And what an inspiration! Compiling a book while working full time and managing a family - whew! The best part is, she is offering an autographed copy of her book "When I Am Grateful" for you sweet people!

I've enjoyed running this series so much and your participation has been more than I could have imagined. I'm so excited to offer you this fabulous book and I know you'll enjoy it so much. It's full of inspirational antecdodes to keep you feeling grateful.

Here are the rules for entry:
1. Visit Kaye's website - When I Am Grateful
2. Leave a comment below telling me something you're grateful for

That's it!

Hurry, Hurry! Contest closes at 5:00pm Thursday, May 20th. Winner will be annouced shortly after!

Oh...and tell all your friends and family - anyone can enter - just make sure I have a way to reach you if you win!

Thank you all sooo much for participating and thanks to Kaye for the fabulous giveaway!

While we wait for a winner, enjoy my interview with Kaye:

What inspired you to write the book? Where did the idea come from?
The idea to write the book came during a dark period of my life. I had been recently divorced and living in less that desirable conditions. At the end of a very frustrating and overwhelming day, I returned home with 10 bags of groceries to carry up two flights of stairs. I was tired and alone; I was angry for living an apartment building with no elevator. My budget was lean, my relationships destroyed and my job in jeopardy. At that moment, all I really wanted to do was sit down and cry.

But then, I remembered the elderly man who lived in my building. Earlier in the week I had noticed his difficulty in carrying his own groceries up the stairs. Because of his physical limitations after a stroke, he struggles every day with what others take for granted such as carrying a bag of groceries. Here he was, juggling his grocery bags and his walking cane as he ascended the stairs to his apartment. I had offered to assist him, but proudly, he refused my help.

I said to myself, 'You have two strong legs. And climbing the stairs with some extra added weight will give you a good work-out. You have a job and a source of income that let you purchase ten bags of stuff; some of which are items you want, but do not necessarily need. Many people can't purchase even one bag to feed their families. You have a roof over your head and a bed to sleep on. You have far more than many other people have in this world.”

What things in your life are you most grateful for?
I am most grateful to God for granting me the privilege to live an extraordinarily ordinary life. Although my journey has not always been cheery, I am grateful for having a “glass half full” perspective. It is my hope that as you read this book, you will join me in being grateful and thankful for each day and for those around us who shape our spirit.

Many of my readers are female entrepreneurs - how did you find time to pursue the book while balancing job/family/daily life? What was the biggest challenge?
Like many women my age of the 'Sandwich Generation,' I struggle with maintaining a balance in life. I have a full-time job that at times can be very analytical in nature. And, therefore, the random moments that I found to use my “left” brain and reflect on being grateful an escape from the everyday grind.

What's the most interesting grateful scenario you've encountered? (How to find something to be grateful for in every situation.)
There is not one scenario I find more interesting than the other. However, I do find it interesting that many of the scenarios are about small distractions that often times we turn into a big deal. Rather than turn anxious or angry about things out of our control, we need to take a deep breath and find something to be grateful for.

 
Thank you all sooo much for participating and thanks to Kaye for the fabulous giveaway!