Welcome to a Taste of 365 Days of Mindful Blessisms and An Invitation to Become a Blessivist!
“It’s easy to feel happy, grateful, and blessed when things are going well, but much more challenging to find the gratitude and the blessing in the heartbreak, disappointment, or struggle. Discovering the Mindful Blessing can help you transform life’s painful lessons into BLESSisms!” — Leslie Riopel, Cofounder of Planet Blessed and Cocreator of BLESSisms
Planet Blessed is a small nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating personal and planetary sustainability and Sur-Thrival. Our Blessism campaign includes over 365 Mindful Blessings aka Blessisms in 6 key areas of health and well-being. They include: mental health and well-being which is comprised of emotional and psychological well-being; social health and well-being; planetary health and well-being; physical health and well-being; economic health and well-being; and spiritual health and well-being.
The ongoing pandemic has caused nearly 2 years of collective trauma and many of us are profoundly tense and at a breaking point. Some of us are even acting out our anger in public. In response to these stressful and challenging circumstances, Leslie Riopel and I designed a plan to share positive, uplifting resources to help individuals, organizations, and communities heal from this ongoing collective trauma and pain.
Our initial plan was to publish a book on The ABC’s of BLESSisms with a Mindful Blessing for each letter of the alphabet. That idea quickly evolved into Mindful Blessings from A to Zen: Transforming Life’s Painful Lessons into Blessisms! To get started right away, we decided to publish a daily newsletter beginning January 1st introducing a Mindful Blessing, or a BLESSism.
We publish the Blessisms through our nonprofit organization Planet Blessed and on our website at Mindfully Blessed and then we share them on every major social media platform. Most recently we decided to begin sharing our content on Medium including a newsletter on Mindful Blessisms and I decided to share 26 examples as my first story.
We will continue to publish content here either weekly or daily based on whether there is interest in the transformational resources we are sharing for personal, organizational, and community Sur-Thrival. Please share your feedback, especially any suggestions for related publications, programs, and or services we could include as featured resources. Collaboration, cooperation, and cocreation are core operating principles for us. If you publish anything related to mindfulness, health and well-being, successful living, etc. that you would like us to help share, please do contact us.
First, let me provide more of an overview and the first few Blessisms we introduced in January 2022.
Every Blessism is published with a supplemental Journal and Meditation Prompt like the example below along with relevant featured resources.
What is a BLESSism and How Can They Help?
Blessisms are a Combination of Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, and Mindful Blessings Based on the PERMA Model of Positive Psychology (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement). They are Designed to Help You Turn Life’s Painful Lessons into Blessisms!
A BLESSism is a Mindful Blessing spoken from the heart and a blessing full of love energy. When you choose to repeat a Mindful Blessing, you are putting an intention out to the Universe. A heartfelt Blessing helps you shift your attitude and gain a renewed perspective, especially when it comes to those things in life that may aggravate or annoy you.
Blessing yourself and the world around you can have a profound impact on your life. BLESSisms help you shift your attitude from confrontation and negativity to acceptance and enthusiasm. Making the conscious choice to bless every person, place, or situation in your life, the good, the bad, the positive, and the negative, can truly make a world of difference in yourself and in others around you. The practice of repeating blessings has the power to create more than just a renewed perspective. It can unleash tangible benefits throughout your entire life — through your daily interactions, your life-long relationships, and in the way your approach your place in the world.
Examples of Blessisms from A to Z
Following are the first 26 Blessims from our daily Constant Contact newsletter (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.) along with a link to each individual archived issue.
ACCEPTANCE. Learning to accept people, things, and situations exactly as they are can help you more than you might imagine. If you are feeling aggravated or irritated, try blessing those people, places, or situations instead and notice how that makes you feel. Mindful Blessings help you acknowledge, bless, and accept your present life circumstances in a beautiful, yet simple way. Accepting and acknowledging where you are on the path of life can help you move through difficult circumstances in a much healthier way and mindfulness can make this experience even richer. Our newsletter on Acceptance is available at https://conta.cc/32zCILU. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
BREATH. Taking the time to slow down and give thanks for your breath can help you shift your mindset quicker than you might think. Mindfulness reminds us that we need to take the time to stop and breathe and express our appreciation for those simple things in life such as our ability to breathe deeply. We tend to breathe very shallowly when we get stressed so breathing deeply is a calming activity all on its own and something we can use anytime we feel stressed or anxious. Our newsletter for the Breath is at https://conta.cc/3KSr8fU. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
CONTRAST. Times of contrast can help you grow more than you might imagine. Without the darkness, you may not appreciate the light as much. Like the yin and the yang, the contrast gives your life flavor and a sense of richness. While you may not be able to fully control whatever is happening all around you, taking a moment to bless the contrast can help you shift your perspective and live more mindfully. Contrast can also help you appreciate the good times even more because you will have something to compare it to. Our newsletter on Contrast is at https://conta.cc/3eOK5RO. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
DISAPPOINTMENTS. We all experience setbacks and disappointments in life. No one’s life is perfect. Learning how to find the blessing and the life lesson within disappointments can help you manage difficult times in a healthier way. Times like this force us to push through and find things to be thankful for even when they are the hardest to come by. In the face of brokenness, the lesson has the power to heal and the power to bring hope! Our newsletter for Disappointments is at https://conta.cc/3mQaEuz. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
EXPECTATIONS. Despite the disharmony life often presents, you never really know when life is going to line things up just perfectly and lead you right into a beautiful new future. Taking a moment to bless the chaos and stress during challenging times in life can help you boost your level of expectation! The more you repeat Blessims the more hopeful and expectant you’ll feel! Our newsletter with more helpful resources for this Blessism is at https://conta.cc/331JVEc. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
FAILURE! Have you ever felt like a failure? Who hasn’t? Taking the time to bless those times when you may have felt like a failure is a great way to shift your mindset and get some much-needed perspective. Times of failure can be a great source of motivation. Some of the most successful people in the world started out as colossal failures. Failure means you are putting yourself out there which is a beautiful lesson in embracing change. Our newsletter for Failure is at https://conta.cc/3HFLSW4. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
GRATITUDE. Some of the best times to express gratitude are those times in which you don’t feel so grateful. Life can certainly be extraordinary, but it can also be mundane. Taking a moment every day to stop and appreciate the good things in life as well as honoring the bad things can shift your mindset almost immediately. You can find gratitude within each life lesson and turn them into Blessisms! And remember, everything that happens “‘good” or “bad” shapes your destiny in a beautiful way. Our newsletter with more helpful resources for Gratitude is at https://conta.cc/3t5x7ru. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
HOPENNESS. Remaining open and hopeful and blessing all those times in your life when you didn’t feel so strong can help you through the many storms in life. The lesson of hopenness, remaining open and hopeful even in dark times, can help you more than you might imagine! This is such an important topic that we have developed an online course that we will begin offering in 2022. Our brief newsletter with more helpful resources for the Blessism of Hopenness is at https://conta.cc/331LNgD. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
INSPIRATION. Sometimes it can be challenging to feel inspired especially when life isn’t going your way. Challenging times offer you a great opportunity to be mindful. Even though your path forward may not be clear, you can take that next step and have faith that the Universe supports you! Our newsletter with more helpful resources and Mindful Blessisms is at https://conta.cc/3q82C2f. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
JOURNEY. Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations, but what does it really mean? It’s really about remembering to bless and feel grateful, even during challenging times. Your journey may not be easy, but you can still be grateful for the love, the laughter, and the pain. Even though there may be times when you may have felt down, you can find some gratitude in the lesson and strive to learn from everything. That is the true essence behind the Mindful Blessism. Our newsletter on the Journey is available at https://conta.cc/3HNWNNh. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
KINDNESS. Being kind to others, and remembering to be kind to yourself are powerful life lessons. We often forget how powerful kindness can be. Moments in which we feel down offer us a great opportunity to express and spread kindness to ourselves and others. You never really know what someone might be going through and offering someone a little kindness can go a long way. Our newsletter on Kindness is available at https://conta.cc/34xnlnz. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
LACK. It has been said that abundance is a state of mind. However, sometimes it’s not so easy to feel abundant. One thing you can do in times of financial stress is to offer some gratitude for those times of lack for everything those challenging times have taught you. Looking back, you will often see how strong you really were as you bless lack and the life lesson it offers for the powerful lesson of contrast! Our newsletter on Lack is available at https://conta.cc/3FiBjGL. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
MANIFESTATION! What would it feel like to live in accordance with your ultimate destiny? How can you live your dreams, each and every day? How can you live in harmony with the world around you? The reality is EVERYTHING is energy. You attract whatever type of energy or vibration you are putting out. In other words, the energy you put out equals the energy that comes back in. The truth is you are always manifesting something — it just may not be what you want. Everything you focus on eventually becomes a part of your life. It is up to you whether you choose to focus on good, positive things or things that bring you down. Our newsletter on Manifestation is available at https://conta.cc/33uj1VC. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
NON-JUDGMENT. We are all guilty at one time or another of judging people unfairly which is why we created the Blessism for non-judgment. You are at peace with the world when you don’t judge others. Living in the moment and practicing non-judgment means there is no longer anything to be done about the present. When things get rough, mindfulness reminds us that everything will be just fine and that kind of freedom from judgment is life-changing. Our newsletter on Non-Judgment is available at https://conta.cc/3tqUOL5. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
OPTIMISM. The Dalai Lama once said: “Choose to be optimistic. It feels better.” There is a lot of truth in that quote because optimism really is a state of mind. You can choose to be optimistic or choose to be a pessimist. Every day gives us yet another wonderful opportunity to start shifting our mindset and thinking differently. That is the true power of a Blessism. Our newsletter on Optimism is available at https://conta.cc/3FzmaAN. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
PROGRESSIVELY FAILING. Thomas Edison once said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Failure means you are putting yourself out there and embracing life. It is a wonderful tool for redirection and learning what doesn’t work. Failure should be an opportunity for a celebration because it allows you to re-prioritize what is truly important. With new priorities, you can make positive changes that allow you to live your best life. That is the amazing power of progressively failing your way to success! Our newsletter is available at https://conta.cc/328lfKg. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
QUANTUM LEAPS. Are you ready to take a quantum leap to a better life! We’ve created a Blessism just for that and our newsletter is at https://conta.cc/3Kg1yRU. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.) The real truth is that everything you have ever dreamed about already exists. Everything you want, need, or desire is already yours at that quantum level. It is simply waiting for you to receive and allow it. It’s time to take that quantum leap into an amazing new life and Blessisms are the perfect way to do just that!
RADICAL ACCEPTANCE. Learning to accept people, things, and situations exactly as they are can help you more than you might imagine. If you are feeling aggravated or irritated try blessing those people, places, or situations instead and notice how that makes you feel. Mindful Blessings help you acknowledge, bless, and accept your present life circumstances in a beautiful, yet simple way. Accepting and acknowledging where you are on the path of life can help you move through difficult circumstances in a much healthier way and mindfulness can make this experience even richer. Our newsletter is at https://conta.cc/3nACpaF. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
STRUGGLES. It’s easy to feel happy, grateful and blessed when things are going well, but much more challenging to find the gratitude and the blessing in the heartbreak, disappointment, or struggle. Discovering the Mindful Blessing can help you transform life’s painful lessons into Blessisms and the Blessism for Struggles can help you do just that. Our newsletter on Struggles is at https://conta.cc/3rBIh50. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
TRANQUILITY. Sometimes it can be challenging to feel peaceful and tranquil especially when life gets in the way. Taking some time out of your day to repeat a Mindful Blessing such as the Blessism for Tranquility can help you move into a state of peace and stillness. Blessisms can also help you find the sacred gift in each beautiful day and they are a wonderful complementary practice to use as part of your daily prayer, mindfulness, or meditation practice. Our newsletter on Tranquility is at https://conta.cc/3FLcXWq. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
UNIVERSAL SOURCE. Blessisms are a great practice to use to help you feel more connected with the world around you. If you are feeling disconnected or ill at ease, the Blessism for Universal Source is a wonderful one to practice to help you feel better in times of uncertainty. Your connection with Source is never-ending and everlasting and Blessisms are the perfect practice to help you get into alignment with your wants, needs, and desires. Our newsletter on Universal Source is at https://conta.cc/3FNpxUU. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
VALOR. Brene Brown once said, “Courage starts with showing up and letting yourself be seen.” When you repeat a Blessism you are showing not only courage but practicing acceptance. Showing up for yourself every day, and standing in front of that truth mirror takes great courage. Blessisms allow you to be an alchemist helping you transform negative energy into positive energy. The Blessism for Valor is a wonderful one to practice to help you send love to your insecurities and fears. Our newsletter on Valor is at https://conta.cc/3fOzxCO. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
WONDER. Do you live with a sense of wonderment? Times of wonder help you appreciate those times in which you may have felt indifferent or apathetic about things. Living with a sense of openness and curiosity helps you come alive and be open to life’s wonderful surprises. The Blessism for Wonderment is a great one to practice to help you feel alive and grateful every day. Our newsletter on Wonder is at https://conta.cc/3qSFeWU. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
UNKNOWN. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s taught us not to fear the unknown. Accepting and understanding that you don’t know everything can open you up to a whole new world of infinite as yet unknown possibilities! Being open and receptive, no matter what happens, can help you live a better life and it may even become your new superpower! Our newsletter on the Unknown is at https://conta.cc/356ZZ8E. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
YOU. How often do you stop and reflect on how magnificent you really are? That is the focus of our newsletter for YOU at https://conta.cc/3u03ZCi. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.) Many of us don’t take this time to stop and reflect. The truth is, each of us is far more magnificent than we could ever imagine. The Blessism for YOU can help you tune into the glory, magic, and extraordinary power of YOU which is why it’s one of our favorite Blessisms! Our primary featured resource in that issue is the powerful self-discovery process available as a gift from Peter J. Reding of Coach for Life at CoreSELFie.com. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
ZEAL. Living with a sense of zest or a sense of zeal can help you persevere through the darkest of times. Your passion for life is an amazing gift. As you bless your sense of enthusiasm and excitement, you can also bless those times you may feel or have felt down. These experiences give your life a sense of depth and perspective that you can learn from and that is one of the greatest benefits of Blessisms. Our newsletter on Zeal is at https://conta.cc/3rPand0. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
What Makes BLESSisms Uniquely Different Than Other Mindfulness, Affirmation, or Prayerful Practices?
- BLESSisms are a 180-degree mindset shift where you strive to find the blessings within life’s negative occurrences, pain, and difficulties.
- BLESSisms are much richer than an affirmation, intention, or positive thought all on their own.
- BLESSisms are a form of mindful acceptance.
- BLESSisms allow you to travel on the road of opposition with both appreciation and acceptance helping you more gracefully move through and accept the negative occurrences and situations in life.
- Being a BLESSivist is a mindset, philosophy, and way of life that can help you transform life’s “CRAP” and negative occurrences into Blessings allowing you to take the higher rode enhancing your mental, physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. As a result, you are able to Cope Resourcefully with Aggravating and Annoying People, Places, and Problems.
How to Create BLESSisms and Become a BLESSivist!
- Identify the negative or challenging situation, thought process, or person that serves as a “trigger” for you.
- Review the Mindful lesson and reflect on what you can ‘learn” from this life challenge such as the lesson of letting go, the lesson of self-care, or the lesson of relationship contrast.
- Write down some thoughts, words, or phrases that come to mind as you think of this negative thing, such as not having enough money, or things you are struggling with such as a relationship challenge like a divorce.
- Now think of some ways you can “bless this situation, thought process or person” such as “I bless this time of struggle, it has shown me how strong I truly am. I can now see what I have learned from this challenge. I am grateful for this struggle because it taught me to be much more compassionate with myself and others and much more resourceful within myself.”
- Keep challenging yourself to come up with things you have learned from this difficult person, place, thing, or thought process and find a way to bless the situation and find some gratitude in it. Forgive yourself for not being perfect.
We invite you to become a BLESSIVIST! Learn how easily you can become a more positive uplifting influence and help others transform challenging situations into valuable learning and growth experiences. at https://mindfullyblessed.com/. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
Planet Blessed will continue publishing our free newsletter every day introducing a Mindful Blessism, a journal and meditation prompt, and related resources for helping anyone transform challenging situations into more positive, uplifting experiences and opportunities for growth. To receive those Daily Mindful Blessisms, please subscribe https://bit.ly/SubscribeMindfulBlessisms. (The link will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
We will also continue to publish content here either weekly or daily based on whether there is interest in the transformational resources we are creating and sharing for personal, organizational, and community Sur-Thrival and Well-Being. Please share your feedback, especially any suggestions for related publications, programs, and or services we could include as featured resources. Thank you. Charles Betterton, MSCED, Planet Blessed Cofounder
More information on our programs, publications, and opportunities for cocreative participation and collaboration are available at our websites www.planetblessed.org and www.mindfullyblessed.com. (The links will take you offsite outside of Medium.) There are over 100 videos on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJk0Ns-milpAQavcTc9JOA/videos including The Creation of the Blessism at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F12KWxXXymE. (The links will take you offsite outside of Medium.)
