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What does it mean to "Be Well?"


"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos — the trees, the clouds, everything." – Thich Nhat Hanh


"Be Well, start small" has been my email signature since I created The small change Toolkit in 2022. However, as I rebrand my writing, I'm getting a gentle nudge from within to change my signature to "Be Grateful, Be Well." Living grateful is a transformative practice that changes you from within; when you change internally, it changes how you perceive things. So, if this feeling passes, I'll keep my current signature, but if it persists, I will make the change.


So what do I mean by "Be Well?"


"Be Well" is my watchword to bless anyone who reads my words.


"Be Well" is a healing blessing for anyone suffering from conditions that hinder them from living their best life.


"Be Well" is an empowering phrase that inspires individuals to take charge of their health and well-being.


To "Be Well" means recognizing the inherent divine power that enables you to navigate life's ups and downs with security, balance, and calm.


To "Be Well" is to understand that unfavorable circumstances may catch you off guard and momentarily throw you into neutral, but you don't have to remain there.


Several years ago, I lost two older brothers within a two-month time span, just two years after our mother passed away, leaving me responsible for planning their funerals. Next to burying my mother, planning two funerals back to back was the hardest and most emotionally taxing experience I had ever endured.


The haunting memories of how they died tugged hard at my heartstrings; the first one perished in a fire, and the second died alone and in distress.


Thoughts of how they must have suffered caused an unusual kind of numbness that ironically allowed me to get through the painful task of planning their funerals. Neither had burial insurance, something that caught my younger siblings and me off guard and made the burden of meeting with the undertaker a bittersweet reminder of the love and loss that swept through our family in such a short time.


But I had to face my fears, and knew what to do; I turned to Gratitude for guidance. It seemed as if death had served me with not one but two unwanted opportunities to test what I'd learned about grateful living.


Reflecting on the incredibly long gratitude lists I created when my mother passed away helped me realize that everything I needed to get through this heartbreaking yet demanding situation would show up at just the right time. It's how Gratitude works -the more grateful you are for what you have, the more you will have to be grateful for. So, if I wanted to "Be Well," I had to journal my way through this tragic experience.


Each day, I listed in my journal the names and acts of kindness shown to us by our extended family and friends, and I sent each person a handwritten "thank you" card.

I compiled a list of qualities I admired and appreciated about each brother. From that list, I described the "big brother" roles they played during childhood and how they helped shape who I have become.


To clear my head and heart, I described the emotional roller-coaster ride I was experiencing, not only the sadness but the anger and embarrassment caused by their not having burial insurance.


I wrote to them as if they were sitting before me. Withholding nothing, I poured every thought and feeling onto the pages of my journal.


Each day when unpleasant emotions resurfaced, I put them on paper and left them there. Gradually, sadness and pain gave way to acceptance and peace.


And here's a Gratitude bonus I've discovered since my brothers' untimely passing: their deaths tested my strength in ways I never would have imagined; they made me stronger and helped me understand what it means to be grateful in all things.


Death is one of our greatest teachers, a constant reminder of life's impermanence. So, now whenever I attend a funeral, I go expecting to hear something about the deceased that inspires me to live my best life now, so that I will "Be Well" when the inevitable shows up.


It isn't easy to "Be Well" when you're suffering or have lost everyone or everything that once brought meaning to your life. However, based on my experiences, here's my truth: When life catches you off guard, you need an anchor.


The transformative power of Gratitude journaling became my anchor 28 years ago when life threw me a curve ball. It began with a simple gratitude list and evolved into a daily spiritual practice that keeps thriving, regardless of the circumstances.


"Be Well" is now my mantra when adversity threatens to knock me off balance. So, writing this blog has answered my question regarding changing my signature and slogan and you've heard it first. The spirit of Gratitude has spoken, "Be Grateful, Be Well," it will be.


I hope you'll allow Gratitude journaling to put wings on your dreams to "Be Well" one small change at a time.


Need help? Read my weekly small change Tips to Be Well Blog at https://www.myrtlerussell.com/blog. They can also be delivered to your email box by subscribing at https://www.myrtlerussell.com/contact


I’m also available for one-on-one coaching and workshops. Contact me at smallchange@myrtlerussell.com

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