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“You only live once—but if you work it right, once is enough.”-- Joe E. Lewis
“Appreciation is the first and most fundamental happiness tool,” claims Dan Baker, PhD., in his wonderful book What Happy People Know . He goes on to say that appreciation is the purest, strongest form of love. It is the kind of love that asks for nothing yet gives everything. He also states that appreciation is the antidote to fear. What do we fear? Our children not growing up healthy and successful… paying the bills… keeping our job… are just a few of the worries we might have.
 See side bar for information on Sharon's wonderful books for elementary-age children. There is a discounted price on the 5-book series that even includes a darling Nicholas puppet.
These books are "co-authored" by Sharon's beloved cocker spaniel Nicholas who shares true antics by him and his animal buddies to gently and lovingly present important living skills. Each book is filled with problem-solving exercises, delightful illustrations and easy-to-follow suggestions. His inquisitive childlike qualities make him the perfect guide on difficult and important subjects. See "The Nicholas Collection" at www.hrdpress.com/SharonScott .
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“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”—Melody Beattie
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We cannot at the exact same time be in a state of appreciation and a negative state such as fear or sadness. As a marriage and family therapist, I frequently remind my clients to live in the moment and avoid focusing on past hurts or future worries. Not only is it a waste of energy, but it’s not brain healthy.
In Sarah Ban Breathnach’s manual, The Simple Abundance Companion, she challenges readers to make a Master List of Blessings. In other words to reflect on our life and write down 100 things that we appreciate about our life (from birth to now). Here are a few things on my list:
Sharon’s Master List of Blessings
Two wonderful parents who were married for 57 ½ years until Daddy’s death
Four delightful, encouraging grandparents
The look of absolute devotion in the eyes of my tri-color cocker spaniel, Scooter
My grandmother making me a fresh coconut cake every birthday (middle layer pink)
Strong fingernails
Cardinals in evergreen trees in the middle of winter
Homemade hot chocolate on a cold, frosty morning
Trees giving us their glorious colors in the fall
Pansies and irises smiling at me
I encourage you to begin your list and enjoy the state of gratitude. It’s a blessing that we can choose to be in whenever we want!
Copyright 2008. Sharon Scott. No reproduction without written permission from author.
P.S. Please see my other column, The Counselor’s Corner, How Technology Can Harm Your Child.
Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT, has been making a difference in peoples’ lives for 30 years though her international keynotes and workshops, her eight award-winning books, and her private counseling services. Five of her books are a charming series for elementary-age children that she “co-authored” with her savvy cocker spaniel Nicholas. Each beautifully illustrated book teaches a valuable living skill such as managing emotions in Life’s Not Always Fair, building character in Nicholas’ Values, and making wise choices in Too Smart for Trouble. Sharon’s best-seller for teens is How to Say No and Keep Your Friends, 2nd Ed. Her books are available from HRD Press, 800-822-2801 or www.hrdpress.com/SharonScott . For more information on Sharon’s many workshop topics that she can bring to your child’s school or community, please see her website at www.SharonScott.com.
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Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT, is an internationally recognized family counselor with a private practice in north Texas. She is considered the leading expert on peer pressure having trained more than one million people across the U.S. and in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey, and Micronesia in her proven techniques. For information on bringing Sharon to your community or school to present one of her 29 dynamic workshops for children, teens, parents, or educators, please see her website www.SharonScott.com .
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Listen to
Families Online Radio Interview with Sharon Scott
Books That Work!
By Sharon Scott
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Family counselor Sharon Scott is the author of 8 books including this delightful series for children that is "co-authored" by her savvy cocker spaniel Nicholas who makes learning valuable life skills fun.
 Too Smart for Trouble, a best-selling, award-winning book, teaches children to think on their own and how to say no when asked to do something wrong.
 Not Better... Not Worse... Just Different is must reading for children to learn to be more sensitive to others, avoid bullying and know how to handle teasing.
 Life's Not Always Fair is a child's guide for managing emotions and learning to soothe oneself when mad, sad, scared or confused.
Nicholas' Values is a delightful guide helping children develop good character traits such as honesty, confidence, sharing and so much more!
Too Cool for Drugs helps children learn why and how to say no to drugs--drug education must begin in the home at an early age!
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