Hope, Optimism and Gratitude For Challenging Times with Author Deborah Hawkins

During a pandemic, in this period of isolation, financial uncertainty, and social upheaval, where do we go and what do we do to stay positive and hopeful?

Ten years ago, to combat depression, today's special guest Deborah Hawkins began blogging on things she found herself grateful for. She consciously chose to give attention to experiences and realizations that lifted her mood and wrote short reflections. Often snapping a photo in the moment to accompany her words, she posted almost every week. https://nosmallthing.net/ By intention, she chose to contemplate things that supported her values, made life easier or more enjoyable. After reading her first hundred posts, she realized she tended to write about a handful of themes. Always making connections, she realized how much easier it was to connect with good feelings when she knew what to look for. She developed a simple process anyone can adapt to elevate their own mood and enter new situations with the ability to see something that is personally meaningful in any moment

Deborah Hawkins is the author of The Best of No SmallThing — Mindful Meditations, a collection of favorite posts from her blog, and PracticeGratitude: Transform Your Life — Making the Uplifting Experience of Gratitude Intentional. An experienced speaker and group facilitator, she has given presentations to professional associations, delivered sales and customer service training to corporate clients, and has been a popular director of small groups on a variety of personal growth topics.Recently, she’s started to offer a two-session interactive workshop online covering her mindful approach to gratitude.