• My friend Lori reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
• Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States
• Millions of people from every race and culture gathered together in Washington D.C. in a spirit of hope
• I spoke with a woman who went from weighing 527 pounds to running marathons
• I saw a lone bald eagle flying along the Boise River this morning

Always on the lookout, I find inspiration everyday in extraordinary people and experiences. It can be something as heroic as losing over 350 pounds or as simple as seeing an eagle.

I had an extraordinary run this morning. The run itself was a regular weekday progression run, but I came up with an idea while running that could potentially have a profound impact on myself and others. (More on that later.)

In any case, if we look for and expect good things to happen, they will. So be on the lookout for inspiration, and – guaranteed – you WILL BE inspired!

My schedule called for some speed intervals after a nice 2-mile warmup. As I rounded a curve on the Greenbelt along the Boise River – still in my easy and comfortable warmup – I saw 2 bald eagles standing on some rocks by the water’s edge. I stopped for just a moment to watch them just before they flew off.

I was still so thrilled to see them, and as I rounded another curve, there they were sitting in a tree beside the river. I watched them for a minute more before I continued on my run. I felt a new sense of energy and ran my intervals strong and fast. When I turned around to head back, one of the eagles was still in the same spot I had passed 15 minutes earlier.

As this was nature’s gift to me today, I said a silent word of gratitude for being part of their world today.

I was overcome with a feeling of gratitude on my morning run today. What a week this has been. My daughter had her 2nd baby yesterday – November 24 – a precious little girl named Colette Soleil. Colette is strong and healthy, Mama Michelle is feeling great, Daddy Chuck is about as proud as can be, and Aunt Kelly is coming to town to welcome the new arrival. And, I am now a 2-time granny. How cool is that?

As I was running, I thought about all the things that I have to be thankful for, not the least of which is how lucky I am to be able to run along the beautiful Boise River path.

We all have challenges in our lives, but chances are that we have things to be grateful for as well. Many times, we focus on the things that are not going well for us because we are trying to find solutions. But remember: What you think about expands. So, my suggestion – especially this week as we officially celebrate Thanks-giving – is to spend some time focusing on all the things that are going right. When you do, you will attract more good things into your life.

Have a happy day giving thanks!

My parents were philosophers. Not philosophers in the traditional sense of the word but probably in the same way that many of your parents were also. But we didn’t appreciate their wisdom until we got older when we realized that their simple teachings formed our values.

One of the things that my mama used to say was, “Everywhere you go, people are as nice to you as you are to them.” I’ve followed that value my whole life, and I hope that I’ve passed it on to my own kids. I have found this principle to be true everywhere I’ve ever been.Years ago when I first moved from Louisiana to Chicago, many people “warned” me that the “northerners” were not as friendly as the “southerners.” Had I listened to them and expected that to be true, that is exactly what I would have found. But instilled in me were my mama’s words, and to the contrary of what I had been warned, I found midwesterners to be warm, friendly, and open. When I moved to Idaho, I heard similar comments. Again, the people of Idaho couldn’t have been more welcoming.

That value has had special significance this week as I’ve been traveling in Mumbai, India. Once again, I find everyone here to be good, kind, friendly, hardworking people.

You’ve heard the expression, “It’s a small world.” Actually, the world is vast. But with the advancements in technology, we can fly halfway around the world in one day. We can talk in real time between continents through our computers with email, instant messaging, and skype. People all over the world are getting closer to each other – not just in terms of in distance, but in relationships.

I’ve included some photos of some of the new friends we have made here in Mumbai: Douglas, Jitu, Rashmi, and Bharat. And, I’m sure we’ll make more before we leave.

Last spring, I joined a local running group. When I first moved here, I was training for a marathon and following a pretty strict schedule. I wasn’t sure that my training would lend itself to group runs since I had to hit specific times in all my runs, including my long run – which is usually the run that groups run together. So, I waited to join a group, but I thought about it and planned to find the right fit.

All those months of just holding the idea in my head manifested itself in a great fit. I joined the coaching staff of a super group, and I have attracted into my life so many great people.

Things happen exactly when they are supposed to happen. And, the things we attract into our lives are exactly what we are supposed to attract – good and bad. So, if we look for and expect good things to happen, they will.

And, even though I practice this principle, as I continue to attract good things into my life, I am both amazed and grateful.