“Collect Moments, Not Things”

September 4, 2019September 28, 2019 admin 0 Comments attitude of gratitude, power of positive thinking

By Joy Bing Fleming, MBA, CC

“Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away” ~ Author Unknown

Are you someone who’s focused on things like big houses, fancy cars, clothes, jewelry, and more? It’s nice to have those things, but what happens when you’re going through a difficult time in your life and you have to sell them? If your life is based on things, you’ll be crushed if you lose them.

Everyone has ups and downs in their lives. One way to assist you in sustaining joy and happiness (even in the hard times) is to collect moments, not things. If you stay focused on those moments in life that take your breath away, that will lead to more positive thoughts and feelings of gratitude. When you’re focused on gratitude, it helps to keep your spirits high.

So, I’m asking everyone that’s reading this blog post to scroll down to the bottom of the page and leave a comment answering this question “What is 1 moment in my life that took my breath away?”

My amazing mother has talked about this before. She said it wasn’t until my father died that she realized that things weren’t that important. She had a nice house, car, clothes, jewelry, and more, but she said “Things can’t kiss me goodnight.” “Things can’t give me a hug.” That’s when she realized how important it was to collect moments, not things. Even though my father has passed away, she has the memories of all the wonderful moments they shared together (like their wedding day, the blessing of their son & daughter, Valentine trips spent together, & many more). So, when she thinks of my father, instead of feeling sad, her mind is now focused on gratitude for all those phenomenal moments.

Some of the moments in my life that took my breath away are:
1. I used to teach dance classes to children ages 2-8 years old. 1 of my students was a 5 yr old autistic child (who rarely spoke). His mom told me that she didn’t know if he would participate in the class, but she just wanted him to be around other children. When he came to the 1st class, at first he just sat there, then as the class went on, he got up and started participating (but he didn’t say anything). At the end of class, his mom came to pick him up, and as they were walking out the door, he turned around and said “Thank you Miss Joy.” That will always tug at my heartstrings. I couldn’t believe that he spoke to me. It still brings tears to my eyes today.

2. Prior to the economic crash in 2008, I was also a Real Estate Broker. A real estate client called me 10 yrs after I helped her buy her 1st home. She called to say, “You changed my life”. This moment also tugged at my heartstrings. 10 yrs prior, she had “not so good” credit, a low income, & she thought it would be impossible to buy a home. No one else would help her. She called me, and I assisted her with improving her credit, getting on a budget, & saving money to buy her 1st home. She was so grateful that her son had a home to grow up in. Now, her son was an adult, and he was in the process of buying his first house. She said none of this would’ve happened without me. You never know how much your words or actions can impact someone else’s life.