460 thoughts on “Life and Its Gifts – Appreciation”

1. ‘Of course I knew I had changed, but I still had not accepted myself as I am now, or how I now allow myself to be’. This full acceptance of where we are now is so important and to appreciate how far we have come in order to create the space and the preparation for our next unfoldment.

2. Sometimes it is hard to accept how awesome we are because we have so much identity and pride tied up in all our so called problems and issues. The true awesomeness you refer to which comes from living and expressing from our essence requires us to simply be and does not have that ownership and identification we are so addicted to.

3. I can see what you have touched on is that when we go into the ‘why me?’ we are being given the perfect package because we have not wanted to address it before but it has always been there. I have also learnt that we are never given more than we can handle, but others (perhaps I can be so bold as to say God here) know what we can handle sometimes better than we are consciously aware of.

4. Appreciating and embracing what the reflections that are on offer all of the time bring, is a great education.

5. One thing that has been presenting to me lately is how I can look at a situation as a negative and totally miss all that offers. A clever trick to avoid the evolution on offer.

6. Appreciating appreciation is key to accepting all that is on offer in life.

7. The more I am able to respond in the moment to accepting a compliment I am finding is a reflection of how present I am with myself.

8. Beautifully expressed, Alex, of these two responses to receiving a compliment both of which support our evolution.

9. Nicole you sharing highlights the importance of appreciation. I too share a similar story – where I have had people comment on how I look as a new mum. And most of the time I compare myself to them and retract from saying ‘I know isn’t it amazing how taking care of yourself really supports us’. So in this moment, I am not appreciating all my choices that have led to this observation.

10. By un-learning our non-appreciation for our self, as you have said Alex, it is interesting to discover the real us that has been hidden within that is meant to be in-joy, every moment of every day!

11. Nicole this is a beautiful appreciation piece reminding us that we are continually offered evolution which are all moments to appreciate.

12. Nicole so often we don’t appreciate the beauty of ourselves, or the opportunity that difficulties present us. I feel the pictures we hold of ourselves and how we think life is or should be can really get in the way of observing and feeling what is there to be appreciated.

13. Appreciation is the key that opens the door to greater levels of awareness. It is the gateway to evolution. If we understand this then we understand all the various mechanisms we have put in place by way of not appreciating how far we have come, as a clever way to ‘apply the breaks’ (create delay) so as to have some form of human control over how fast we return to the great love that we are.

14. We often “play small” not feeling good enough! Where do we get these opinions from? Since connecting to Universal Medicine I have leant that we carry a lot of baggage that may be from previous incarnations and they are there for us to look at and heal in this lifetime. These too are gifts we do not always appreciate.

    1. I agree Roslyn, instead of seeing something such as an issue we are resolving in a negative light we can view it by the bigger context and how awesome it is to have the opportunity to finally heal and complete something. As you say it could be a very old cycle lived over and over and it’s now an opportunity to end it, and as a result live more of the love we innately are.

15. In the desire to have a great life, we often overlook that there are opportunities to be more of who we really are within every day. Taking those opportunities whether they look good or bad offers a daily evolution that can be immensely joyful.

16. I feel that sometimes when life is showing us things, we can be so caught up in what is going on that we don’t then give ourselves the space to change what is happening. Appreciation is a great way to break this cycle.

17. Appreciation for one’s self is a constant building block of our expression and one that inevitably can help us not only move forward with our own growth but that of other’s too, because without first appreciating ourselves we cannot appreciate another with that same quality.

18. ‘Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?’ For me, I can say no not all the time and know there is so much more true appreciation I can do. And this goes for me as well ‘Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me, instead choosing to brush them off’. What I have come to realise is the appreciation has to come from me first before I can truly accept it from another, hence my relationship and love for myself needs to deepen.

    1. And could it be possible that if we go deeper into our Love we are already having appreciation for our-self to be able to accept that we need to deepen?
       This is great Vicky, as we explore what life can bring we become more aware to so many aspects of our life and how we can simply evolve.

19. Life is about evolution. The more I am willing to accept this the more that is presented to me. Nothing is nothing and everything is everything. The more I accept this in life the more the beauty is revealed.

    1. Could it in fact be that nothing is everything if we make it so? Then everything is nothing and nothing is everything, therefore there is no such thing as nothing-ness? So even when we think we are doing nothing we are aligned to an energy that is making us move in a way that makes us think that we are doing nothing, when in fact we are truly doing something. When we are connected to our essence, our as Nicole shares, it “is through this sharing that I have been able to reconnect to who I truly am,” that we feel everything so this leaves no space for nothing!

       1. Very well said Greg.

       2. Greg that’s gold, closing all doors leaving no room for nothing to get in.

       3. And in closing the door we understand what is on the other side thus we have walked through that doorway and evolved from that, thus developing a deeper awareness, which is creating a new paradigm.

20. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of taking stock of our lives and appreciating our more loving ways of being and living, ‘It was a great confirmation for me to stop and appreciate how far I have come in my life since introducing different choices and making a lot of changes in my life and the way I live it.’

21. I have definitely had this “Why me?” and many of us say this regularly…feeling the truth that there is something to learn in every situation, feels amazing!

22. Beautifully expressed and shared Alex, ‘When we hold ourselves in appreciation and acknowledge our quality in the things we do or the way we are in a situation receiving a compliment is a confirmation and celebration of what we already have accepted.’ So true.

23. Appreciation and confirmation are both important daily rituals which I am still choosing to go deeper with.

24. Great exposure Alex. When appreciation is felt and expressed in this way – as a confirmation not a recognition, it provides us with greater space to live with and in, that supports us in those less lovely moments of life.

25. I love the way appreciation, when we accept or express it, builds and grows within us providing us with an unshakeable foundation which supports us in those tricky moments we all have, so we don’t go crashing down into the depths of reaction, but are able to see what’s going on and respond instead. Appreciation gives us space from which we can observe life and not absorb it.

26. Spot on Alex, I love what you have shared in these comments, as letting appreciation fill the gaps so we are already in the confirmation of what others appreciate then it is never a recognition only a confirmation of the moments of deep connection. And how can we not Love the appreciation from another who shares what we have not yet recognised; ‘Or a compliment can show us something about ourselves we have not yet considered and appreciated, thus we have the opportunity to expand and embrace more of who we are.’ Thank you Alex and Nicole I appreciate all you have shared!

27. Very recently I had life present a situation to me in the form of a new relationship which ended after only a few months. That said, I could feel how much it had brought me and how much reflection I got about how I was interacting and communicating. But it is only now I am aware of the fact that it is time for me to deepen the relationship with myself as a women and to not hold back expressing my sacredness.

28. Frequently people go through life treating the situations that life brings as inconvenient and something you need to eradicate or at best survive. This requires constant bid for controlling everything and is exhausting. How empowering and freeing in contrast to have a relationship with life of appreciating situations that are presented as opportunities to expand our awareness and relationship with the whole of life. I love it.

29. I was talking to a friend the other day and realised that a few years ago I thought I had so much to contend with and I was struggling with it all, now I have much more to contend with and I am struggling less. This is a great confirmation of the fact that in my treating myself so much better than before, my life is feeling so much less of a struggle even though it is even more ‘challenging’ . Part of this is also appreciating the changes I have made, appreciating where I come from, who I truly am and all the gifts that are being presented every day. Appreciating that we are all in this together and by supporting ourselves and staying more centred and still on the inside gives us so much more strength and equilibrium to ride the storms, so to speak.

    1. A super confirmation indeed Elaine! And a lovely reminder that we are all in this together and that together we shall return to living the simplicity of our Soul.

30. I found myself nodding as I read your blog Nicole. I have had a few situations recently where others have appreciated me for something, and I have not had the same appreciation of myself.

31. The importance of confirmation cannot be underestimated. The more we confirm the fact that we are divine beings the more we are then likely to live it in full.

    1. So true Elizabeth, as a Son of God we can not but appreciate our divinity and when we get to understand that life is all about this aspect of us, the sooner we get live this understanding then it can start to be a part of our Livingness.

    2. Beautifully said Elizabeth, and the more we live it in full, the more others receive the reflection that confirms they too are a divine being.

32. Any opportunity is really a gift, only we have to recognise them ourselves as they do not come with labels on them, however they do come with love from God.

33. Loved your question Nicole, ‘Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?’ Life is full of opportunities that reflect many things for us to look at, an opportunity to make changes or to appreciate ourselves more.

34. Of course I knew I had changed, but I still had not accepted myself as I am now, or how I now allow myself to be me. I am pondering on this sentence and feeling into if I truly accept myself as I am now and do I really appreciate how much more I share myself?

35. At times it seems as though the little packages are given to us to show us the bigger picture, and that there is more to life than just our own desires of what we want, and that there is a bigger responsibility to consider.

36. Appreciation – there can never be enough of it. It is like the golden key that unlocks so much for us.

37. ‘Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown? This is so true Nicole. we can so easily pass over these constellated gifts, but when we acknowledge them we have the opportunity to deeply appreciate how amazing we all truly are.

38. Nicole I love what you offer here, especially as I consider a situation presented to me today and how I’d not fully appreciated fully what has been presented and now as I consider and understand more with what you share now I can feel the opportunity you mention here – so rather than get het up about not appreciating I can see this as an invitation to delve deeper and appreciate more. So thank you Nicole,

39. Learning to confirm and appreciate ourselves is one of the key ingredients to having a joyful life because without that we miss the beauty that is occurring on a daily basis.

40. Compliments are a missed opportunity of love if we chose not to receive and feel what they offer. It’s like the saying ‘it’s full of hot air’. If we do not feel it in our bodies, we can not receive the healing on offer.

41. I am so much more able to accept a compliment these days, an appreciation for me whether it be something I have done, or how I look, I just can lap it up and confirm this is true. That is a million miles away from the dismissal I used to have towards any sort of compliment. It is a beautiful testament to the Way of The Livingness.

42. I have come to love those packages of all shapes and sizes that life is continually presenting me. These days I don’t leave them sitting out of sight and gathering dust, but I mostly open them immediately and those I may hesitate to open don’t get left for too long. What is in the packages may at times not quite be what I want to look at but it is always something that I need at that moment in time and that I have come to appreciate so very much.

43. Without appreciating ourselves no compliment can be good enough to make us feel good or have us feel our worth. It is the love for ourselves that changes everything.

44. ‘Recently someone shared with me how life presents little packages, and these packages are presented to show you, to reflect to you a part of you or your life.’ This is an awesome reminder to not get caught up when things don’t go your way or you are presented with a challenging situation, and I agree Nicole that these packages are a gift and a beautiful opportunity for us all to evolve and grow.

45. There are so many things in a day, that constantly ask us to stop, feel and appreciate, I know I do not acknowledge that enough and dismiss half of them simply by lack of presence, because I am too busy or else where with my thoughts or simply feel not deserving enough and don’t even register those moments.

46. Having known you for many years Nicole I can attest to the amazing changes and beautiful qualities you have chosen and deepened over this time. The reflection you offer others is powerful and a beautiful reminder of the love we all truly are.

47. I think the word observing is key in this – observing the packages or potential learnings that are being delivered to us through life rather than reacting emotionally to them because we find it challenging or it presses our buttons so to speak. In the true observation we can develop understanding of what is being presented for us to see and grow from.

48. Thank you Nicole for writing this, showing me and us all that there is so much more to appreciate than we often give ourselves credit for.

49. I reckon those moments come every single day, and taking a stop to reflect on the day has been a great in road to seeing these gifts. In reading this blog it feels like there is more to stop and feel, appreciate or see the space for change in what I have before me in life right now, Thank you Nicole.

50. We are extraordinary beings who are very well trained to play extraordinary small and to reject, dismiss or block out anything that could disrupt our chosen way. When we do so, we are not just choosing something relative to us. We are also saying to another one (without words possibly) that what you felt is not true so next time do not bother to connect to the natural fact that we are extraordinary.

51. “Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?” I don’t feel that I do this enough. I feel there are deeper and deeper depths for me to go to here.

    1. Yes it is fun and never ending!

52. I agree we are CONSTANTLY being offered opportunities for awareness and evolution. How they are all constellated so every single person involved receives exactly what is needed for them must be due to an unfathomable form of divine mathematics. With such grace and blessing permanently on offer there can never be a moment of boredom in life!

53. Appreciation is like magic, it is the answer to so many of our issues, conflicts and dramas. I realise when I forget to appreciate life, I lose my connection to myself, to people and to God. I start to see things with a narrow vision instead of feeling appreciation and expansion.

54. Absolutely brilliant blog Nicole. We are given pieces of a puzzle, but we continue to play dumb and see them on their own. ‘What is this strange shape somebody has given me?’ we seem to say – ‘what! I have been duped and short changed with this abstract bit of junk!.’ It is only when we are able to step back, put a couple of pieces together that we see it is all a perfect part of a much bigger picture. It is an essential thing for us to remember as we live everyday – thank you Nicole for providing this latest piece of the puzzle for us – it is something I truly appreciate.

55. Life is more, every moment in life is offering more and I know that I am not reading all these moments and humanity are not reading these moments and going deeper. The level of appreciation you write of Nicole makes me more aware of living in constant surrender and going for every opportunity that comes.

56. I recently had a situation that presented itself that was so awful to feel. I gave myself the opportunity to look back without judgment on the situation, in doing so I came to a place of appreciation of life brining me to a stop, and opening up another way to be if I so chose. We are continually offered support from the divine, it’s how we chose to perceive and surrender to it, to how much we accept the offering.

57. “For example, some of the packages that I have been presented with have allowed me to feel that there is an area in my life that may need more attention and a change in the way I am – within myself, my life, and with the people around me.”
    This is a very powerful paragraph that asks one to be humble, honest and prepared to adjust our ways. Could this be the clue to true responsibility?

58. It is so easy to look for and to judge ourselves harshly for all the things in our life that do not equal up to what society labels as ‘being successful’ whether it is family relationships, work, friends. This is a false measurement that we all fall into – a trap of judging ourselves on. What is true is that we are Son’s of God and when connected to this love there is no measurement or judgement only deep appreciation and love. Thank you Nicole, it is great to reflect on where we are at in life and the life choices we are making.

59. I agree Nicole that I need to look more on the positive side of my life and not dwell on what I consider my failures. Are they failures or just learning? I am appreciating the things in my life I have done well and valuing who I truly am. Thanks to the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom as presented by Serge Benhayon.

60. Thank you Nicole. Learning to appreciate ourselves is such a huge evolutionary step for us all. It is definitely something that we all have to master because the more we appreciate ourselves the more we will be able to appreciate others and also appreciate what we are here to do and bring.

61. Appreciation is a major catapult to our evolution, it’s taking time to smell the roses we have so beautifully grown.

62. How much do we appreciate and love the bits of us that are great and the things we have mastered? It can be far easier to focus on the 5% negative, the stuff to work on, the things we haven’t mastered, rather than celebrate and appreciate all that we already are and bring – but what reflection does that offer to everyone else? It’s always a choice: are we going to be someone who is perpetually ‘dealing with their stuff’ or someone who admits they haven’t got it all sorted but is enjoying themselves and their life, no matter what it presents?

63. We cannot evolve without first appreciating who we are, and our ripples we send out to humanity and to the universe.

64. It’s true – we can dismiss situations or occurrences as being just random or nothing to do with us and in that ignore that there may be something on offer there in terms of a deeper understanding of ourselves, others, life and the way we are living…

65. Life is often the way you explain Nicole. It is important to stop and reassess every now and then and appreciate where we are.

66. I do know these situations when I am asked to confirm where I am and where at the same time a way forward is shown. This is a beautiful way of living as it does not keep me static but continuous evolving to bringing more of the divine love I feel I am connected to, in my everyday living.

67. Life is continually gifting us with these moments where we can appreciate and confirm where we are.When you consider there are no coincidences there is a purpose to all that presents to us…. something to truly appreciate.

68. YES – I am presented with these situations all the time. I often call them constellations where something happens or someone says something that offers a moment of evolution for everyone concerned. It is both absolutely amazing and completely normal.

69. When everything is held in ‘observation’ and not taken personally we are able to truly open to the messages that are there and then make informed choices regarding what is self loving and what is not. Through observing we can truly appreciate everything in and around us.

70. What I have been feeling that is so important is to allow for space in life to feel what is happening. If I don’t it just gets filled up with stuff, ongoing behaviours that don’t serve me, to feel appreciation or the fact that I have been viewing myself from a place that is all of who I am not, instead of appreciating all of who I am.

71. I had such a gift from life yesterday and it is so great to become aware of those gifts, learn out of it and grow into my true height and power again.

72. Why is it seemingly easier to give ourselves such a hard time instead of choosing the road of appreciation?
    Could it be that with appreciation comes responsibility to grow, reflect and make life not so much about ourselves but about the growth and evolution of others? Giving ourselves a hard time concretes the self in it’s issues and doesn’t allow for the expansion that is otherwise available.

73. I appreciate changes I have made in my life that are more self-loving and supportive in a way that I never used to do, The appreciation comes from my body and in this appreciation it then brings confirmation to my body. The whole process is quite magical, divine even as this happens without me ‘thinking’ it. But I know that I still have a long way to go with this and there is so much more to appreciate …. and confirm.

74. I love to return to this heart warming blog which is a ‘little package’ from heaven just to stop and really feel how much we are supported in every which way, and also to feel how much we receive this support or resist and reject it simply because the reflection in the package that life presents each and every one of us is too revealing, in other words too exposing.

75. And these presents of life can come in many forms. Yesterday I heard in an interview on the radio, somebody sharing that he deeply appreciated the guy who snitched him on by the police when he was part of a gang, involved in robbery, mistreatment and stealing as such. He shared that at that very moment he could have killed the guy, but now, after many years and has found his way back into society he is appreciating this incident as his greatest gift in life.

    1. Awesome sharing Nico, and as such with life, it is only much later that we can see the blessing in the little package that was specifically designed, delivered and constellated for our growth and evolution.

       1. Sure Jacqueline, sometimes it is difficult to see the bigger picture at play, most of the time because we choose not to see it as a result of our rejection of that natural connection we have with God.

76. No matter whether we choose to believe it or not, the truth is that life doesn’t just happen by chance – we play a major role in it. It is wise to remember and appreciate that life is a gift from Heaven.

77. I love that life constantly presents us with opportunities to support us to grow, remind us to appreciate and encourage us to move forward in life changing in ways that indeed radiate out for others to see what is possible.

78. So ingrained was my way to ‘brush off’ any compliments that it took a giant leap in my own sense of self love for me to even begin to consider that I deserved a compliment, then even a greater step to appreciate them, to today where a heartfelt compliment was delivered and what I felt was simply love.

79. Of course we are wonderful beings in all that we are, but that is not how we are used to look at ourselves in our daily lives. I have been told and taught that it is never enough and always can be done better and I have rarely been appreciated for just being the amazing man I am and from that upbringing I made myself belief that this is the way I am. But in fact that is far from the reality of who I am as I am just wonderful and well equipped for all aspects in my life and by living this I can reflect this to all the people who I meet and in that tell them they are the same as me, only with a little different and individual expression that brings that extra flavour to our lives.

80. I agree Nicole life presents us with everything we could possible need and all we have to do is to open ourselves to be able to receive. . . we have got to appreciate that in itself as the more we appreciate the more life can offer us; being open allows us to see what is on offer.

81. The constant reflections and presentations life offers us can be seen in two ways either we can fight against it all and think life is happening to us or we can see them as opportunities to see more and learn and evolve from and allow an appreciation and acceptance of who we really are.The responsibility we can live with the enormous amount of opportunities we are offered is simply amazing and receiving compliments and embracing them and life is all part of this.

82. Hello Nicole and life runs so quick for this reason, so we don’t stop and fully feel what is around us. If we were to stop, truly stop at any moment everything would be there and yet we run around trying to catch up, chase this, get this done neglecting the very thing we are chasing. It still spins my mind around knowing that the very thing we chase is already within us and all we need do is truly stop and appreciate this and then it’s all there. We have picture after picture of what the ‘all there’ is and so this is an ongoing unfolding of the pictures or images we have attempted to build our life on. Life isn’t a collection of things but more of a letting go, an unfolding of what we have put in the way of who we truly are. Do you have a picture or image of what you truly look like? Another image to discard.

83. It is amazing how much we are presented with and offered to support us to grow, learn and re-develop and deepen the love within ourselves. It can be easy at times to react and go ‘why me’ but then when we see that we are far more than purely physical and the depths of love we come from is endless then the ‘why me’ becomes ‘why not me, bring it on!’ The more we then say yes to love and no to everything less the more we can embrace ourselves and others in full.

84. The expansion offered to us from appreciation can be found in any moment and experience we have anytime. It is just how we in turn see and feel these moments for what they truly offer us and that is where the real gold lies. It’s the stop moments that offer us the opportunity to enjoy being who we are naturally so.

85. Allowing ourselves to fully embrace an appreciation offered to us, is a gift from God and a confirmation of just how simply awesome we are. Thank you Nicole.

86. I get a feeling that it’s just possible that every situation, every interaction is actually an offering from heaven and it doesn’t always fit into an image of what our mind categorises as ‘good’ but when life is truly about evolution, for us to return to be and live as who we truly are, it cannot but be love-ly. And perhaps it is our ability to stop and appreciate that makes it more obviously lovely.

87. Very true Nicole. Going into the ‘why me’ is a way to avoid the amazing awareness that is there for us when we connect and observe life.

88. It is so true Nicole that every situation offers us an opportunity to confirm who we are and the loving choices we make in our lives, or to learn what choices do to support us to be ourselves through which we have the choice to make the change. Either way we are offered the opportunity to deepen our connection to who we are so we can evolve and live more of who we are through our daily lives.

89. We are looked after and blessed on so many levels we are unaware of, when we do clock these moments it is great to confirm them as it adds a further blessing to the situation.

90. I would say there are many situations that pass us by without us receiving the offering that has been presented. I can say looking back at situation that I conveniently don’t see them, don’t stop and appreciate, and don’t accept the offering. This blog was a great reminder that the offerings never stop it is us who chose no to see them.

91. Life presents all kinds of situations that are more than meets the eye, in fact life is a school of learning and all we have to do is, as you say Nicole, stop and consider what is being presented to us and what the lesson is for us at that moment .

92. Ingrid I love your comment, do we stop and notice and appreciate all the small things as much as the big things?

93. Some of my absolute worst nightmares have happened this year, but even the worst thing you can imagine offers you an opportunity to grow and to flourish and master something new. No situation or calamity need ever be a wasted opportunity to evolve.

    1. I agree Meg. When we are willing to learn and grow we realise and appreciate that every situation offers this opportunity.

94. We can take so much for granted and play people or situations down when actually holding them up to the light and allowing ourselves to feel where they have come from brings real appreciation and connects us to something so much bigger.

95. I always love the effect appreciation makes, it’s food for the soul that grows expansion within.

96. When I ponder “what needs to be looked at in my life” I would not think that appreciation would be high on the list of things I would rank as important as I often find myself focusing on what I am not doing well with. Your blog reminds me that the way to evolve is through appreciation.

97. I find that there is almost always something deeper to appreciate in life’s happenings and if we are willing to dig deep most situations offer us a gift of some sort. Even those unpleasant events are reflecting to us something we can look at and heal if we stay open to the opportunity. Great subject to raise Nicole, thank you.

98. It definitely is super important to appreciate who we are and the choices we make. It is incredible to see how we can’t be content till we are perfect.. This will never give a good foundation to build on, while true appreciation does bring a level of love to ourselves that brings a true ground to build and develop from. Constantly growing.

99. I could feel the importance of self appreciation in our lives and how it plays an important part in our evolution. This was a great reminder to keep coming back and appreciating what has been offered.

100. Appreciation is the key isn’t it Nicole? We so easily slip into criticism and being hard on ourselves, but we so need to lighten up and appreciate our loveliness and what we bring to this world. And also appreciate what is being presented to us in these little (or sometimes big!) packages so we can continually see what is there to let go of , bring understanding to and/or appreciate.

101. It is interesting how when we hold a certain believe about ourselves, we interpret everything according to this believe and everything that does not fit the picture, we brush off, ignore or simply don’t hear.

102. The events of life around me confirm that there is a plan much bigger than me, and my job is to be the real me wherever I can so I can connect and play my part in the plan.

103. No such thing as a coincidence! Everything is a reflection to us

104. Nicole – I have recently had a baby too and get the comments about how great I look. I really enjoyed reading your blog as a way to appreciate the care I take with myself. This also brings about a key question for me. If people think I look great is this because they are comparing me to other new mums who perhaps don’t take so much care of themselves, and if this is the case then why not? Isn’t there an opportunity as a new mum to help people understand that if we start from the point of self appreciation and self care – then looking amazing after we give birth becomes normal. In appreciation – we can then be a reflection – and this is very powerful.

105. Everything about my life, myself included, was just not acceptable most of my life, and I couldn’t see it any other way. It was after being exposed to Universal Medicine that I realised how exhausting it had been to reject life like that. I didn’t go straight into appreciation, but that letting go of tension was most liberating and made me realise every piece that I couldn’t accept before actually was a vital piece, and life and the world started to make sense.

106. Nicole appreciating oneself seems to be the best fountain of youth ever – I am wondering why this is not a common knowing – imagine most of us would look so much younger and I am sure would be so much healthier as well.

107. Lately I am noticing just how little we are educated about the importance of appreciation. The way the majority for society conducts itself revels the complete lack of respect or acknowledgment we have for true appreciation.
     If we take the parenting model as an example: most of us would agree that a baby is a precious gift and thrives on love and appreciation. At what point exactly do we become less precious or deserving of that love? At what age do we deem it a right of passage to begin championing self abuse over self appreciation? Well I can’t answer that, as it seems to differ for everyone but I will say this, it should be at no point that this happens, we should value and appreciate ourselves as a apart of a living and breathing expression. Universal Medicine leads the way in education on this subject.

108. As I opened my eyes this morning I had one of those packages drop in and the emanation it offered meant a new marker for me in my life – something that I knew deeply in my body and will never be forgotten. Theses packages can be so grounding and when deeply appreciated as the gift they are enhance every aspect of life. Thank you for the reminder to appreciate ‘everything’ Nicole.

109. As I was reading this I could feel that I do truly appreciate how far I have come, which not too long ago I would have struggled to accept. That’s worth another self-hug of appreciation 🙂

110. It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘what’s next’ syndrome of always bettering or moving towards a goal. Taking stock feels really important as it strengthens the foundation on which we live from to then be able to move forward. If we are constantly wanting more, without first confirming what already is, who knows where we could end up!

111. I’m feeling the importance of expressing what we see in people more and more. The way they’ve changed, or how gorgeous their eyes are or how open and loving their body feels. When we stop and admire something in another it gives them an opportunity to stop too, whether they choose to or not is their choice.

112. Understanding that things in life happen for a deeper reason, and are there to help us grow and support us to evolve changes your whole life around. It gives life a massive purpose and there’s something new to discover everyday.

113. I had an incident yesterday. It had happened many times before throughout my life and during an Esoteric Yoga session last night I got to feel and see more of what I had been avoiding. There is more to feel but appreciating every drop of my expanded awareness and allowing my body to surrender sets a stronger foundation to feel more of the truth so that I can live more of the true woman I know I am.

114. I can relate to not fully taking stock of how far I have come, nor fully absorbing the enormity of a compliment that may be given to me, what is interesting is that we are so quick to take on criticism when it comes our way. Thanks for your blog, it is a great reminder to stop feel and take stock.

115. I can identify areas where someone else brings up a negative reaction in me, and how this is more about my reaction to them than it is about what’s going on for them.. but I rarely stop and consider, let alone appreciate, when someone says something positive. These are lovely moments that confirm all that we are, and it feels expansive and joyful when we allow ourselves to feel them. Dropping the old patterns of denying, resisting and dismissing all that we are takes a bit of work when we’re so identified with not being and claiming all that we are, but just stopping and feeling is the start.

116. I love this Elizabeth. I know that when I am overwhelmed I am invariably hard on myself and seeing overwhelm as a symptom of the choice to be harsh and harden rather than something that is imposed on me from outside has been life changing. It makes absolute sense that the way out of the mess of overwhelm is through true appreciation of who we are and all we bring.

117. “…….to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?” This line is pure gold to me as it allows me to feel that appreciation can deepen out of sight and there is much that we are not seeing and feeling that is simply there waiting for us.

118. You are an inspiration Nicole. I love the point you make about accepting just how gorgeous we really are. Here I have been convinced that accepting my imperfections was the hard part! I see now that our willingness to appreciate our power is a great lesson in acceptance and appreciation.

119. When we stop and appreciate all those little ‘packages’ that offer the opportunity to appreciate the choices we are making or to gently nudge us back on track we can appreciate the magic of God and the loving support that is available to all.

120. Thank you Nicole. I can appreciate myself for the changes I have made too. I feel now more vital and clear and willing to take on responsibility in a way that I did not twenty years ago when I was much younger and thought I knew what I was doing.

121. It is so confirming and supportive to appreciate how far we have come. I feel with any situation, whatever we are presented with, there is always an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. To appreciate this gift/opportunity puts everything into a whole new perspective for me.

122. Yes only yesterday someone pointed out to me that I was looking at what could be better in the way I had handled a situation rather than be appreciative of what I had offered. I feel it is supportive to look at both as long as we truly do this lovingly and here is where the difference lies for if we give up on ourselves one tiny little bit we are reducing the love and not allowing for the natural expansion that that situation is calling for.

123. Choosing to stop and be open to feeling what is truly going on in any situation, and our part in it, is truly responsible and how we genuinely evolve and grow.

124. Appreciating ourselves allows us to naturally appreciate others also.

125. Spending moments to stop and appreciate ourselves and our lives is very beautiful and very confirming thing to do. Generally speaking we don’t do this enough. Thank you Nicole for sharing yours. “Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?”

126. It is interesting the way we tend to dismiss those same things that we need to be building a solid relationship with, as the more we do this the easier it is to accept our glory and the powerful reflection we offer others 24/7 when we live full of who we are.

127. “It was a great confirmation for me to stop and appreciate how far I have come in my life since introducing different choices and making a lot of changes in my life and the way I live it.” It’s so important that we clock and don’t gloss over these moments to appreciate ourselves for that is what enables us to deepen the love for and relationship with ourselves.

     1. It builds the step which enables us to take it.

128. It was an interesting turning point for me when I realised that I used a lack of appreciation to ensure I did not evolve… that put a different spin on my seeming struggles to do so, and quite miraculously it became easier. And I now have far greater appreciation for the power of this simple gesture towards oneself and others.

129. Appreciation is a powerful part of our evolutionary process, and when we deny it to ourselves in any way, we are effectively retarding our return back to the grandness we come from…

130. I have realised how important it is to appreciate myself, because when I see others cringing when I give them a compliment….like I do, I feel sad at the thought that they are not seeing themselves the way i do. When I realise that I do the exact same thing, I know that perhaps I should lead by appreciating me first and giving others the opportunity to see that it’s totally ok and normal.

131. Nicole, I can totally relate to what you share here. I have always been so quick to brush compliments off and so awkward when I get them that I quickly change the subject or I scrunch my face up and then often say something stupid in return as a deflection. In all fairness however I’ve been working on this a lot in the last few years, and I’m getting much better at accepting these kind words from people. But it doesn’t happen without the ever so slow work in progress in my appreciation of myself first.

132. “…Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?…” This is so true, and again makes me recognise actually how much life is our greatest classroom.

133. Thank you Nicole your simple and powerful message in this blog to always appreciate and accept ourselves – absolutely worth committing to, and the beautiful part is this grows and forever expands and then flows through to all our relationships as well.

134. ‘brushing off’ compliments is a common thing for people to do and it does two things. It prevents the complimenter from feeling heard and the complimentee from being appreciated. No one truly feels the loveliness that is there being felt and on offer.

135. Acknowledging and appreciating where we have come from and where we are now is such an important part of answering the call from within us to continue to explore being all we can be.

136. What you present here Nicole shows how very cared for and supported we are in every way. We are continuously presented with what we need next to expand and accept more of us.

137. I feel that pretty much every situation and scenario is an opportunity for us to learn and grow. Everything happens for a reason and these opportunities when we embrace them supports us hugely, even the ones that seem challenging and not so pleasant. Taking time to appreciate what we are presented in every moment is a gift indeed.

138. A beautiful blog Nicole about life and appreciating its way of showing us the way.

139. Nicole, incredible not only of your transformation,but clocking that you needed to deeply appreciate this in you. Appreciation is one of the limbs that is attached to the trunk of our divine acceptance. It allows us to clock all the things that you are great at. It shadows the lack in us – self worth ,rejection and self loathing that may have been running our lives previously.

140. What you are talking about Nicole I feel is a true surrender to what life offers us and to appreciate what comes our way, we give it a title positive or negative but in truth it is all there for us to learn and just expand of what is already there.

141. I suspect there isn’t a person on earth who hasn’t had the experience of a situation where they’ve felt it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to them only in hindsight to realise that it was an absolute blessing in the opportunity it provided in the way of growth and evolution.

142. I agree, well said Suzanne.

143. Thanks Nicole, I can relate what you share here to areas of my life at the moment. I feel it’s easy to see things as difficult or not going my way, but if I really feel and read what is going on I can see it as an opportunity for evolution.

144. Nicole I can really feel what you are sharing in, the fact that the universe is constantly providing everything we need. That through life there are so many gifts and moments that we can appreciate. But as you say and in my experience its easy to dismiss or not truly stop and feel them, we often skip past them moving onto the next thing. So today and after reading your blog post I will experiment on allowing the space to see and appreciate these moments, then will see what happens.

145. I have always been dismissive of compliments in my life, brushing them aside as not worthy. Since coming to Universal Medicine so much has changed for me, in not only accepting and appreciating compliments from others, but appreciating myself and the person I am today and how far I have come in opening up to the love within and sharing that love without.

146. And I love how life confirms back to you…. yesterday I went to work feeling very very vulnerable and felt very with myself. Not long after I was sitting beside a colleague who turned around to me and said, you are glowing, you are absolutely glowing….which took me by surprise initially, but realised it was a beautiful confirmation of the gentle and tender quality I was holding myself in.

147. Life indeed presents many packages to us, in many different shapes and forms. I have a current situation that has been going on for some 9 months in which I have had so much difficulty and actually have not been able to deal with it. Very recently, my body communicated through much pain in my leg that it was time to stop and really look and feel the learning that this package was delivering. Instantly I got to feel how I go into hardness so as not to feel. This showed me how much I self-bash, and how harming this was for my body, and that what I was being asked was to be very gentle and loving with myself and also to accept fully how much I have changed and where I am at today.

148. When we actually stop to appreciate ourselves we begin to observe that our qualities are not only expressed in what we do but form the foundations of who we are.

149. Thank you Nicole, it is beautiful to stop and consider the magic around us and how life presents packages endlessly for us to evolve.

150. ‘Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?’ Yes I have, but I am much more ‘in my body’ now a days and love the feeling of clocking, observing and allowing the expansion of life as it happens.

151. That is beautiful Kate, just because appreciation actually shows us that it – is everything. And that by appreciation the love in our hearts is able to come out and be lived.

152. How easy it is to dismiss the positive changes we make when in reality they are all there to be celebrated and how easy is it to be able to jump to the ‘yes, but …’ scenarios when others comment to the person on what they are noticing! Many of us have been raised to feel that there is something selfish or conceited about honouring ourselves and acknowledging positively and publicly the changes that have occurred over time. Yet if there are amazing things happening why hold back? Many others are inspired and learn from hearing and observing how the changes have occurred and what the impact of these have been on a person’s life. So thanks Nicole for showing others publicly that confirming the quality of life you now have is nothing to fear and is in fact something we can all enjoy with you.

153. I have started to appreciate more deeply the learning that is offered us on a daily basis, and how by our choices we either learn from them or confirm our unwillingness to accept the opportunity.

154. Thank you Nicole for sharing , acceptance and appreciation are such powerful tooLs on our evolutionary road opening us up to receive the next stages in our development.

155. Learning to truly appreciate all the small things that happen to us is the best way to tackle any deep-rooted lack of self worth as it builds a steady momentum of personal evolution. It’s too easy to brush off other people’s observations, their before and after photos and continue to live a life where we feel we’re still not quite there yet, with always more to be or do. But it’s only when we truly embody the changes we are making that we can continue to evolve- and the mechanism to do so is appreciation.

156. Nicole I agree we are offered a great deal to learn from, I have particularly noticed how the same thing is offered to me again in a different way, because I did not reach the understanding the first time around.

157. Yes it is indeed Adele. Appreciation is simply magical and confirming.

158. Brilliant comment Joseph, you remind me that we often choose to see what we want to see. When we truly open our eyes and feel what is truly happening we can also feel that love is indeed all around us moving in a way that supports us in every way.

159. ‘Have you ever been presented with a situation and then looked back and wondered why?’ Yes, but I used to add ‘why me?’ I used to do that a lot when I was a child growing up in a challenging environment. I was feeling at times life was unfair and was looking to blame. Then later on, I realise that things happen for a reason and that there are many lessons to learn, I started to ask different questions and the need to blame dissipated. So, when we are open to life being a constant gift, we start to see things very differently and appreciation then becomes part of our life naturally.

160. Lately acceptance and appreciation have been more in my face, having been in a rut of constantly thinking/being told by my thoughts that I simply am not accepting all the yuk of the world and I have to feel it more – This is only making me feel yuk! Coming back to this blog has got me questioning – what if it is the fact that I am amazing that I have not accepted? What if it’s not the yuk I am avoiding but the fact that 1. the yuk is not me and 2. I am beautiful? and loving and delicate and that I do live with a greater amount of steadiness, stillness, love, joy and harmony in my life than I ever have? Thank you Nicole.

161. I love how you share that life’s lessons get delivered in packages, it feels so loving to acknowledge this and to be aware of how things work, everything that happens seems to always support us in our life when we choose to appreciate how it is. Also to appreciate how far we’ve come is a gorgeous moment to take and it allows us space to move onto the next package when we are ready.

162. Every now and then I get a package that takes me back to my old, familiar pattern – sure, they are an invite for me to take a moment and look deeper, but I have to say that’s when I feel the most resistance and want to have a tantrum, going ‘What? Again? I thought I had done that already!’ and the truth is yes, again – because there’s more to be unfold, and more to be let go of.

163. Thank you Nicole for reminding me about the blessings these little packages bring and appreciate where we have come from, and the opportunity to let go of habits and patterns that do not belong to our true loving self that is emerging.

164. What you share here Samantha is so true for many experiences I have initially reacted to, resented and resisted in my life have in so many ways actually turned out to be some of my greatest blessings. What a blessing it is to actually realise this.

165. The blessing and gifts our daily lives present to us to learn and grow from everyday is something we all do not stop and truly appreciate nearly enough.

166. Thank you for this gorgeous article Nicole. The truth you share here is very powerful. I can see that absolutely every situation offers us an opportunity to appreciate. As I read your words I connected to a recent incident that has left my car splattered in concrete (ouch). In the past I would have seen this as injustice, a random accident and a very annoying inconvenience. Now I am able to see that this incident is something that allows me to focus my attention on something in my life that I need to deal with. Whenever I find myself distressed about the irresponsibility of the construction company (that is refusing to rectify the situation) or the state of my car I bring myself back by appreciating that an energetic state of play is being shown to me.

167. Everyone could benefit from a spoon full of appreciation.

     1. a spoonful of appreciation is medicine for life.

     2. It sure is great medicine Luke.

168. ‘Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?’ Great food for thought, Nicole. So often we pass over the gift that’s come our way because we’re too busy defending or maintaining our usual position, too blinkered to see the gold that’s on offer for us to ponder on, or too arrogant to believe that there’s something deeply evolutionary beneath the packaging it’s wrapped in.

     1. Beautifully said Cathy, instead of getting preoccupied with the actual wrapping of the gifts our everyday life presents us and what they look like on the outside, we need to just unwrap them to see and feel the opportunity presented on the inside.

169. It is important to clock and appreciate those positive changes we’ve made in our lives and what you’ve written here Nicole is a great reminder for me – too often I know I can take the path of being hard on myself and take for granted the changes that I’ve made and be almost dismissive of them without really acknowledging and appreciating them to the depth that I could.

     1. I can very much relate to what you say, deborahmckay. And for me, that ‘taking for granted’ also goes towards the situations and people around me and it’s quite shocking to realise how ungrateful I can be sometimes. What I am feeling is that if there is no true, whole-body appreciation, it doesn’t become a foundation upon which more can be built – it’s just a moment of elation that is transient and I may say hundreds of thank yous or congratulations, and it is something I can compute in my head and tick the box – but doesn’t get registered as something that is true. This says the whole lot about loving myself first to love another dearly.

170. Thank you Nicole, I really loved reading this blog, I find as I open up more to me, and the little packages that come my way, I can stop and really appreciate how far I have come from the person I was four years ago.

171. This is beautiful to re-read Nicole and perfect timing for me as I have been considering lately how I am not appreciating myself enough – thank you for your honesty it supports me to go deeper with this in my own life.

172. It is amazing to stop and look at the transformation that take place in our lives when we start to make consistent changes in our choices. I have found this very supportive in developing self-appreciation.

173. Thank you Nicole for sharing your experience, I have found it hard in the past to accept and appreciate complements when given. As I look back now at how far I have come in a few short years, I can feel so much more love for me and life in general. I recently received a package that has shown me where more change is required, I too appreciate this opportunity to discard old ways and claim more of my loving inner heart.

     1. Your comment and this blog reminds me of how I used to find compliments from others awkward as I was taught that appreciation and compliments should be played down and not accepted when I received them. It is by reflection from other people accepting appreciation and compliments that I too started to accept this for myself. Now, I regularly appreciate myself and others. This is deeply confirming.

     2. It takes humility and understanding to unwrap and really feel a package that has been presented.

174. Adele, it feels you have a handle on appreciation….. is inspiring!

175. great point Adele that when we take the time for self appreciation, it becomes easier to discern compliments and I would add, it becomes easier to discern life in general: people and situations. And how we underestimate, undervalue Appreciation – ( I know I have in the past).

176. Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown? Super question Nicole, and in the past the answer was no, I didn’t. These days however, I do take the time to ponder the events or happenings in my life, for the reflections and realisations are a great support in deepening my awareness.

177. being able to really accept compliments, to be able to be appreciated, and to allow this to flow through us and not get stuck on the way, so to speak, is a wonderful experience, and very healing for both the recipient and the appreciator.

     1. Yes, absolutely Cjames2012. It is only in the past 12 months that I have realised the power of appreciation.

178. Thank you Nicole, there is much to appreciate in what you have shared. Life gives us many moments in which to stop and appreciate, I am working on trying to appreciate these moments in the moment rather than only reflecting on them later.

     1. Wise words Lee, why would save the expansive feeling of true appreciation for only later on when we can also celebrate it in the actual moment.

179. Appreciation is sometimes such a hurdle to step over, but it is so beautiful to accept everything you get confirmed, and appreciate the point where we have come. And also choose to go on and not see it as an end point, but an encouragement to see what is next as we are so much more, there is always a next point of evolution.

180. Thank you, Nicole. Such a great reminder that we are constantly presented with a chance to confirm and evolve. I can feel how not appreciating myself in full has allowed me to stall thinking ‘I am not good enough yet’ which is just a trap.

     1. So true Fumiyo. By understanding that appreciation is deeply confirming and evolving means it is something that is very loving to consistently choose to share with ourselves and others.

181. In reading your words Nicole, that life is always presenting us with so much, I had a moment of just reconnecting and feeling the truth of this. Every moment, so much reflects back to us who we are, what we are not, the way to move forward with life, rather than fight and struggle. I really love your deep appreciation of all that has changed for you and all you have chosen to allow those changes to occur.

182. This is true Nicola, I have been told on a number of occasions recently that i am looking younger each time we meet, the most recent was someone I had not seen for at least 5 years.

183. Paying and receiving compliments is a bit of funny one. Where I live, people pay compliment to others, but it feels like they say it expecting to hear ‘oh-no, I am not that xxxx’ and can’t handle it when they get a thank-you and a smile in confirmation. Celebrating ourselves in appreciation of our own greateness is something we all need to get used to.

     1. I can very much relate to what you’ve shared Fumiyo. Where I grew up it was very much accepted to only pay compliments to others and if someone was to pay a compliment to you back, you are to play it down or even deny it. This was what I was used to seeing back then but when I moved to another country I started to see people accepting compliments and appreciating them. I realised I felt uncomfortable at first because I was not used to seeing this but I soon also realised it was Ok to accept appreciation and compliments when it was expressed from the heart. I was learning to celebrate and appreciate myself from seeing examples of this in other people. It is amazing how much we can teach and learn from each other.

184. Nicole this reminds me to take more notice of what is said in the future and just what it offers me that I may not have been aware of in the past. Great learning can be had, and all has value if we care to stop and look, things don’t just happen.

185. Thanks to Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon I know now: one day not appreciated is like one day not fully lived.

186. Thanks Nicole. Appreciation is a grand thing to have in our lives, and so is letting love in. I know myself, how often do I truly let love in? am I willing to receive a lot of love from another? I know I love myself deeply, and it was a great reminder to read your blog and confirm that life sort of has its natural process, and we don’t have much control, we just have choices that we make, everything else is down to the grand symphony of the universe.

187. Wow with such a change for the better in your life Nicole, it is clearly evident how wise it is to make the most of each little package we receive. However small, each small step we take to embracing more of who we truly are is well worth the experience.

188. Great that you can see life’s packages as opportunities Nicole. Sometimes it’s easier to see that more in other people’s circumstances than your own, so it’s great to have that broader perspective on things.

189. And here I am again, relearning how powerful appreciation really is even the uncomfortableness is to be appreciated for it reveals a great power I have been avoiding. Thanks Nicole.

190. Hi Nicole, I love how you have explained that life presents these little packages. It feels more relatable to what is being presented to us. I’m going to be more aware of my little packages and appreciate them for what they are – gifts of life.

191. For myself also Nicole – If it was not for Serge Benhayon, Universal Medicine and the way of the Livingness. “For all they share and represent” I know, that I would still be only ‘existing’ in a way that was so disregarding of myself and others. I stop frequently in my day now and feel deep appreciation for the gift of attending my first ever presentation, and continue to do so. This has so opened my whole being to appreciate so much more in my life that was already there right under my nose – but I was too blinkered to feel those many gifts and deeply appreciate them. Its a continuing every growing/expanding circle of life as now I honour more and appreciate the beauty within which then expands to include all those around me. So with appreciation Nicole thank you for this awesome, inspiring blog.

192. This blog is an incredible gift. Thank you. With these packages, we can take the time to unfold the wrapping, look inside and bring into our life what we find. If we allow and accept these packages then our life becomes full of amazing gifts and true opportunities to learn. I recently had a situation where I could have fallen into woe is me reaction, and I can feel there is more to learn from this package, and a big part of it is appreciating how i have accepted that package as a gift to learn from. This is a blog which I will come back to time and time again.

193. It seems crazy that we can drive ourselves to such a point of distraction or seeking recognition rather than stop, be still and deeply appreciate ourselves and how amazing we are, something that can only truly be felt in the body.

     1. Yes Suzanne , sometimes we continuously chase our tail until totally exhausted. And only then do we seek any stillness – seeking relief from the tension.

194. Love that comment ‘there really is no room for me to have an issue about anything’. The appreciation you take the time to feel allows you to fit naturally into who you already are, and so your place in the world makes sense. No doubts.

195. I get this comment from time to time – how young I look, and I always brush it off. It took my kids to point out that I was doing this, and not taking a moment to appreciate that it is the way I live that can be felt by others, that it is a way that supports me and makes me more of who I am, and that is recognised by others (and can inspire them to change the way they are living.)

196. Love this sharing Nicole. Many times of late those I’ve met have taken the time to express a compliment to me, of the many changes that they feel about me – having known me for several years. Instead of just taking in what had been offered, yes, I would respond but to be honest I did not ‘fully’ take onboard what had just been presented to me. This was time for me ‘stop’ to reflect and really appreciate the road travelled to get to this point in my life – a true gift and blessing.

197. A great reminder, Nicole of the fact that life continually presents stuff for us to reflect on and learn from if we choose to heed the moments.

198. Gorgeous Nicole, and the questions you ask here are such important ones. It seems so normal how we tend to get wrapped up in the momentum of ‘whats next’, when half the time we haven’t truly been with what is. I can so relate to your sharing; ‘Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me,’ as I too was a major squirmer to any paid compliment or true appreciation toward me from someone else, opting to move from that un-comfortability as soon as possible, brushing it off, not stopping to really listen or take in what was being shared and offered. I see now what a dis-service this is, to me and the person expressing. To allow an appreciation to be expressed and shared also allows the space for more, that connection to be more deeply acknowledged, and no attempts to separate need be made.

199. With love and appreciation for Serge Benhayon, Universal Medicine and the Way of The Livingness for all they share and represent. It is through this sharing that I have been able to reconnect to who I truly am. I now accept myself for who I am and how far I have come. My sentiments too Nicole!

200. Life indeed presents us with gifts everyday to grow and evolve. Its up to us if we choose to open ourselves to what is being presented to us, or not.

201. Perfect for me to read this today Nicole. I was home last weekend for my mother’s 80th birthday and had a super weekend. I had a lovely connection with my older sister whom in the past I could never get along with. And So many people commented on how well I was looking and that I looked younger than last time they saw me 6 years ago….. I could feel how they could feel how amazing I felt, and since coming back and straight back to work I have not had the time to fully appreciate this awesome confirmation of all the loving and consistent choices I have made in my life to feel this way and how I now live my life.

202. Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel? Your question here Nicole reminded me of two experiences, one only a couple of days ago. Both experiences were expressing to me their appreciation of what I bring.
     I feel the second occurrence was to remind me that I still haven’t fully accepted the first one, and so here it is again. Time to let it in in full, as there is no question of worth here, it is a given, I am love.

     1. Julie yes, it is great to recognise and appreciate at their true value the little packages that come our way. There is no randomness in life everything has a significance. It is up to us to discern whether they are showing us appreciation for who we are or providing us with a way to explore an area that needs deepening.

     2. This is beautiful Julie. Life seems to present and represent opportunities for us until we “get it”. For me it is a bit of a process of getting it and then appreciating that I have got it and then expressing that I am it.

203. There is always more to learn and appreciate in life than what first meets the eye. We are constantly being given the opportunity to connect more deeply with ourselves and the world around us. As you say Nicole a seeming ‘inconvenience’, chance meeting or even huge upheaval, when felt into more deeply can become an amazing gift. Appreciation is a door that unlocks deeper understanding and opens our hearts to love.

     1. I agree Barbara Ross; ‘ Appreciation is a door that unlocks deeper understanding and opens our hearts to love’. This makes so much sense to me today.

     2. It asks us to surrender to the fact that everything in life is there to support us, that we are the One.

204. I’m learning to embrace and appreciate the packages that life sends me and to even have a chuckle about them at times instead of feeling as though I’m a victim of life like I used to. I can see them now as something being presented to me to learn from.

     1. I love the reminder here to be playful and have a giggle instead of feeling woe is me. what a beautiful opportunity to see situations in life as a package to be learnt from.

        1. Yes Simone and Deborah…I spend a day the other day oscillating between saying yes to the packages and no thanks I’m busy playing the victim and gosh I could feel such a difference in my body. When I was saying yes, the tension in my head cleared and there was no wobble – I could feel the purpose of what was there to be learnt and I felt quite solid. When I was saying no, it is all consuming, lots of tears, lots of stories and I wanted to stay in bed and eat chips.It is always a choice.

     2. So true deborahmckay. The packages continue to come whether we like it or not. We can learn from them and appreciate them or react to them – the choice is ours.

     3. What a great way to look at packages. It’s up to us to choose to see them.

205. Thank you for reminding me to appreciate those little packages that come my way. Over the past couple of days I have had some extraordinary moments where I have exclaimed “No Way!” and “Are you kidding me?!?!”. I can now see the playfulness in the synchronicity of life, particularly with nature from extremely random events that are most definitely not ordinary. A big wake up call to snap out of my self induced slumber and appreciate how amazing I am!

     1. Suzanne thanks for reminding me to go further in appreciating the tinniest of packages that come my way. Yesterday I was appreciating the routine and care that I take in my home. To deeply appreciate this confirms the level of dedication I have in respecting the space and all those who live in it.

        1. grounded05 this is a great example of a package. Thank you for presenting this. You’ve given me the opportunity to stop and appreciate my home and how I care for it.

     2. I can appreciate the synchronicity of life too Suzanne. There is nothing that happens by chance. If we take note of what is going on around us we can appreciate the interrelatedness of it all. One observation can confirm another.

        1. Yes Lee , a never-ending ripple effect.

206. I love those little packages that life presents us regularly and I am learning slowly but surely to truly appreciate them. In fact after much of my life struggling to acknowledge the wonderful things people would often say about me, wondering who they were actually talking about, I now have the deepest appreciation for their beautiful words. And the appreciation I have for me, as to how far I have come in this life, is gradually replacing the negative thoughts I used to have about how much I haven’t done or what I perceived that I had done “wrong”. Taking stock, acceptance and appreciation: all new words in my vocabulary, but words that are getting used more and more each day.

207. Although I have totally changed within 1.5 years and there is so much in my life to appreciate I have big difficulties with that. I can do it in my head in looking at where I have been and where I am now but I do not really feel and embody it deeply. What I realized in the last weeks is that I can only embody appreciation when I appreciate myself THROUGH MOVEMENT! Everything I do, f.e. cooking, choosing clothes, taking a shower, doing my hair, can be done in an energy of appreciation and that really helps me to embody that I am actually amazing 🙂

     1. Yes Eva, I can relate to this. I have been wondering why I haven’t been so willing to feel and confirm appreciation. part of the reason is that I have been trying to think my way through appreciation. What you have shared reminds me to confirm, appreciate and celebrate through my movement, as this is when I naturally feel my amazing qualities of stillness, tenderness, beauty etc.

        1. Thank you Eva and Simone , this way of appreciation feels so beautiful and true, honoring each moment and embodying this in each movement … ‘Celebrate through my movement.. this is when I naturally feel my amazing qualities of stillness, tenderness, beauty’

     2. Thankyou Eva Maria! This is so true, appreciation is something that can be lived for ourselves in all of our movements, and each series of appreciative movements can set us up for more appreciation!

        1. ‘and each series of appreciative movements can set us up for more appreciation!’ Spot on Harryjwhite….

     3. This is so true evamariafoertsch. I am currently working on appreciating all the little loving choices I make each and every moment throughout the day. It is from these little loving choices that I am then able to commit to only choosing love in every situation, whether it be a big or little decision.

     4. Love it evamariafoertsh…. makes so much sense as I ‘move’ into my day with appreciating how I now move with so much more stillness!

        1. Just joined in this moment of appreciation. I feel how I walk with an ease and stride of playfulness that others can feel.

     5. I can relate to this as well, it’s one thing to think and appreciate but it feels flat or it is only a momentary pick up. To actually feel and move in that appreciation – which for me is at the moment about learning to listen to my body and following its lead more and more – is what makes a lasting difference.

     6. Beautiful Evamarie! Through every movement.

208. Indeed everything that happens in life, especially all negative things, contains a teaching and it is often a very big one. But we don`t get it if we just go into an emotional judgement of the situation.

209. It is great to be reminded that there is so much more to the events that occur in our lives. Even with the seemingly negative things that happen, there is something that we can appreciate, if we look at the bigger picture rather than the tiny specks.

210. It’s interesting how we can appreciate others so deeply but find it hard to accept appreciation from others.

211. Yes so true Nicole, “For example, some of the packages that I have been presented with have allowed me to feel that there is an area in my life that may need more attention and a change in the way I am – within myself, my life, and with the people around me.” This is always happening to me in small ways throughout my day,however at the moment there is a big package that is being presented. Thank you for reminding me to take a closer, deeper look at my behavior with respect to the rest of our brothers in the world. What quality am I presenting?

212. These are powerful words Brendan…appreciation is certainly a game changer in how we perceive ourselves, our life and the world around us.

213. This happens more and more to me Nicole- little moments in time that make me stop and and wonder why. They happen more as I become more aware of them and don’t just charge through. And more and more as I realise how I am affects everything, and so what happens is a chance for me to learn how I am with things. Something very beautiful about it.

214. Just appreciated myself ! 🙂 Thanks for reminding me how beautiful it is to bring it back to me!

215. Self appreciation is not something I grew up learning, or doing.
     In fact I would always look outside of myself for validation that I was OK. This resulted in me constantly giving my power away to others or things eg doing well at school, being ‘good catholic girl’. However since having met Serge Benhayon and attending workshops I have learnt and felt the power of self appreciation.
     In honouring who we are – feeling and knowing that the qualities within us is all we need is life changing.

216. Sometimes life gives us a package that we don´t understand and we need help to do it. In the end, i agree with you that if we focus on appreciating, we get the big picture and it is not an issue anymore, it becomes a blessing when we look back.

217. True Joseph, appreciation is a key to realise we are actually a gift to world too and then we start to see that others are that too. I can say I stand in the beginning of appreciating myself and when I do I feel how I can embrace myself and the world and when I do not I feel a victim and the world is to blame, it is if I say I am not perfect yet so I am not worth the appreciation instead of appreciating me in the process of unfolding.

218. Thank you Nicole I just got entangled in old choices and the pattern of being enormously strict with myself. Thanks to you blog I was able to remember again, that it is not about right or wrong, but about simply observing what is going on and than choosing what I am prepared to choose and holding myself in love.

219. And I love your question at the end ” Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?” This is a gorgeous gift – thank you.

220. Thank you Nicole for your deeply honest sharing – I, for one, can totally relate to what you have shared and reading this has made me stop and take time to consider my appreciation of life and its gifts.

221. I love that Joseph.. I am opening my present today!

222. Thank you Nicole. It is often so much easier to go back into old ways of thinking instead of appreciating how we are right now. And how it often takes another to reflect that to us. That in itself tells us how far we have been away from loving and appreciating ourselves, and that we are still tentatively dipping our toe in the water.
     How great and refreshing it is to appreciate all that we are, and the amazing learning that we embrace in life.

223. Nicole, not truly appreciating how far we have come is something I can relate to too. Really allowing myself to deeply feel and appreciate the genuine compliments given is now being presented to me, and it is huge, but so expansive. It calls me to let go of identification I still hold of that ‘older’ version of me. It feels like the old skin has to be completely shed to allow me to appreciate and live more deeply who I am today.

224. The words, ‘During my life I have had compliments from others, whether that’s being told how great I looked or how well I was doing with things in my life. Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me, instead choosing to brush them off thinking I was not good enough to accept compliments of any sort,’ so expose how most people are raised and taught.

     In the early year of life most are told not to get ‘big headed’ or ‘up themselves’. In fact parents usually actively teach this in no uncertain terms. The message from that is that to think one is great in any special way is not acceptable and by taking this on the child develops the belief that they are not enough.

     Raising a child with true appreciation of all that is precious about them supports them to know in every cell of their body that they are already all that they ever need to be. That a compliment is simply a confirmation of this and consequently there is no need to be striving to be as good or better than anyone else. Raising children this way keeps a child’s potential glowing with promise and open to all the possibilities the future holds.

225. This is great, I know from myself how difficult it is receiving compliments, but I get to learn more and more that comes from not truly appreciating myself, and my life as it has been so far. But as I am learning to appreciate more. I can feel how amazing I am and the changes I have made to my life since meeting Serge Benhayon for the first time are huge.

226. I am appreciating a lot more about my life now than I ever used to. Life is always presenting opportunities to us, some for learning, some for confirming but I try and appreciate them all. It is perhaps a bit hard for me to accept others appreciating me but as I am appreciating myself more this is becoming easier.

     1. Yes Anne, I hear you. The step to appreciating ourselves seems to be a difficult one for some, me included. We need to make the effort to do this as I know it will bring such glory for us and our brothers. It is our deep responsibility to do this.

227. So many presents in every day that reflect something to us, yet it is up to us if we unwrap them or not. If we do, it’s like our birthday every day!

     1. True Marriette! So why do we hold us back from celebrating ourselves everyday?!
        Don´t we all love birthdays 🙂

     2. I’m really looking at appreciation at the moment and have realised I have not appreciated so many facets of myself and life … and that is a great insight. Now I am exposing the game I play with ‘appreciation’ not only does the level of appreciation not always sink in … but … often a countering voice will come in to squash or demean the initial ‘appreciation’. So feeling the confirmation of appreciation within my body is building a deeper connection.

228. This is beautiful Brendan, it’s a small package of words but it feels like wisdom for the ages. Thankyou. I can’t help but feel how different the world would be if we all lived this way.

229. When I read this I assumed it would be about learning things that highlight weaknesses or where change is needed, but what I realised is how little I appreciate or see life as nurturing me to appreciate all I am, instead interpreting my “packages” as always showing me something to work on, or pointing out something wrong with me. It’s great to uncover this perception and remember that life is not trying to catch me out in my failings, but to support me to surrender to the love all around me. It’s also uncovered my own tendency to be hard on myself and critical instead of appreciative.

230. This is so true Nicole, when we are offered these packages as you shared we do need to stop and acknowledge them even if at the time we don’t appreciate just what they are telling or offering us.. Thank you for the reminder to do so and to appreciate ourselves as well, we can often overlook the great changes we have made.

231. I have often had these moments where life presents situations for me to look at. If I choose to, I am able to take responsibility for why the situation was presented and see what needs to change. When I do not choose this, the situation, and its opportunity to learn and evolve, is presented again and again – this may not always be pleasant, but is a true gift.

232. You have presented an important ‘package’ in this blog Nicole, an opportunity to appreciate ‘me’ and an opportunity to expose more of what gets in the way of not being present and opening the package straight away. Often I will leave a situation and all the things that were presented come flooding in and I have allowed a beautiful moment of healing for myself and others involved to pass. Whilst the realisation and revelations that arise after still allow for healing, I am pondering what it is that gets in the way at the moment ‘it is all happening’. I feel going into the energy of ‘real’, ‘trying’ and ‘getting it right’ is whats stopping the openness to allow for the package to drop instantly. I appreciate the trigger to ‘reflect some more’ – Thank you for your gift today and the opportunity to go deeper

233. It is enormous how hurtful it is to another when they say something appreciative about us and we can’t accept it. Its like we literally shove their love back in their faces. In rejecting ourselves we are also rejecting them.
     Appreciating ourselves and confirming then, is super important, and of course there will always be another opportunity to stop and feel and accept when appreciation naturally and inevitably comes our way.

234. This is an inspiring comment Alison. When people pay us a compliment it is not necessarily for what we have done but for what we have reflected back to them.
     They are in fact saying they like our reflection, don’t spoil it for them by being blase’. thank them for their appreciation.

235. Appreciation is such a beautiful opportunity to deepen our love for ourselves, confirming who and all that we truly are. At times I overlook this opportunity when I get caught in ‘what’s next’. When in truth at times what is needed next is to stop, appreciate and confirm what is being lived.

236. Absolutely had those days Nicole, days when you see what is presented, and you accept the invitation to say yes, I’m worth all that’s on offer.

237. I don’t appreciate any where near as much as I could. This blog is a great reminder for me to see life’s gifts (usually right there in front me) and take in the wonder of God and nature.

238. I love how you describe the packages presented to us as opportunities to “…help me see what needs to be looked at in my life, or simply what needs to be accepted and appreciated.”

239. This is a work in progress for me and I hadn’t realised until relatively recently just how important an attitude of appreciation is to have – for myself, the people that support me and yes absolutely “the packages” for whatever learning and growth they bring.

     1. I’m the same Deborah, I’ve just clocked the importance of appreciation and it’s only been recently that I’ve felt the effects of what appreciation does. It was a major missing ingredient to my self love and care.

240. Beautifully expressed Nicole, this is a great blog to revisit and be reminded that we can always deepen our appreciation and acceptance of ourselves for the amazing changes we have made in our lives.

241. So beautiful Nicole. Self-appreciation is key; to hold back on confirming how amazing we are holds the whole world to ransom and is a loss of expansion for not only ourselves but for all of humanity. And it just feels glorious to accept it! I am working with this at the moment – expanding my acceptance of myself and deeply exploring why I can only go so far and then there’s a barrier. Why is the barrier there? Why have I put this barrier up? This may or may not come to me but by simply being aware it is there is slowly but surely breaking the barrier down. Awesome blog and thank you so very much for being able to work towards fully appreciating your glorious self; it has inspired me.

242. Thank you so much Nicole for this very needed reminder to appreciate oneself more deeply and often. You wrote: “Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me, instead choosing to brush them off thinking I was not good enough to accept compliments of any sort.” I wonder how often people say something like this. For me this is like a disease and because of that it is important to have someone like you who offered us an opportunity to show us how healthy it is to do so.

243. That is beautiful Nicole, I have BIG appreciation for what you share and how far you have come. You have an incredible strength that is palpable in your writing. Power is arising…

244. I like the point you have made about not feeling good enough to accept compliments, as I am sure this is very common with most people. There is nothing like the feeling of someone confirming how you already feel inside and after many years of not feeling good enough, I certainly appreciate those moments.

245. I love the term “earth school” too Carolien. This way of looking at difficulties we encounter is so much more empowering than thinking we are victims. Thank you Nicole for writing about appreciation and how loving and supportive it is when we take time to confirm who we are and how we are living.

246. Thank you Nicole for a great blog, I can really relate to what you are saying. I too, found compliments hard to accept, and would have to brush them off somehow. As I receive compliments now, I am coming to realise that this is an opportunity for me feel into how far I have come, to love and accept and appreciate who I have now become.

     1. I can so relate to what you are saying Jill, confirming and appreciating ourselves and how we are learning, growing and evolving as a person is something most of us do not do nearly enough of.

247. Awesome blog Nicole. I know the trick of seeing the changes I made, even accepting the compliments but to always have a ‘yes but’ up my sleeve having a very keen eye for what is ‘not yet right’. Your words have once again reminded me of how important it is to fully accept where we are at in any moment, flaws and all, knowing that I am always amazing no matter what instead of waiting for myself to be perfect before i can wholly and full-heartedly appreciate all that I am, bring and share in this world.

     1. It’s a great point you bring up Carolien about waiting till we are are perfect before we appreciate. It’s a trap one can get stuck in, ‘when I have this then I will be happier’, in doing this we miss the beauty that is already waiting to be appreciated.

        1. Yes Kim and I find the other one is..”When you give me your love, then and only then I will give you mine”. We hold the world to ransom to bring us the very thing that we have within us just waiting to be shared. What will the world begin to look like if we learn to take the first step, first, and make it our new normal.

248. Lovely reminder, thank you for making me realise that I can appreciate myself and where I am at, I forget that quite often actually.

249. It was pointed out to me recently that perhaps I hadn’t really appreciated how delicate I am. When it was mentioned I knew what they were saying was true, there was an intellectual understanding of it but I hadn’t really let it in. Appreciation is an amazing thing to feel in my body, it’s like giving myself permission to really feel and accept in every cell of my body the joy of feeling more of me. Appreciation when walked expands in my body and allows for more love to come in, not from the outside but from within, like an endless well that can only fill your body when you appreciate and accept the gift that you are, in your essence for all.

     1. That is beautiful Suzanne – thank you for sharing this. I love how you describe appreciation, when walked and how it expands from the inside out. I am currently on an appreciation program and it is totally changing the way I feel about myself, so understand first hand what you are saying – very beautiful indeed!

        1. I am so inspired by this Donna, thank you, an appreciation program – yes, mine begins today!

     2. Suzanne thank you for your beautiful words. I had never considered walking appreciation before. I loved the description of appreciation being about the joy of feeling more of ourselves in every cell, as opposed to it being an intellectual exercise.

250. Great observations Nicole. When I look back over my life there were pivotal moments in which I was offered clear and definitive choices.(sometimes daily). Some I listened to and some I did not. Either way there were always yet further choices and opportunities presented to me. Some saying “are you sure you want to continue going this way?” and others saying “the way is open, you know your way”. I was met most often by the first question, in the form of small accidents, unpleasant interactions with others, feeling bad about myself. More and more, as I redevelop the acceptance of love and acceptance of myself, it is the second one that reveals itself to me. The body never lies so the development of trust in oneself as love and acceptance is built within is the greatest signpost we can ever have. Enormous thanks to Universal Medicine from me as well Nicole for sharing this simple fact.

     1. That’s beautiful Jeanette, it’s really we ourselves who open up what package comes next based on the choices we make now and how lovingly we live with ourselves and the world.

        1. Thanks Melinda, Recently I got to see that I still have a need to control my life in order to not feel some hurts. I had not been able to allow myself to be vulnerable, continuing on the well worn path of being seen to be in control and independent and ‘together’.
           Today I got delivered a beautiful but painful ‘package’ (which I had asked for and was willing to open) which showed me the depth of what I had been burying, it brought me to tears, pretty much forcing me to be openly vulnerable with another person who in turn was so steady, supportive, loving and tender whilst this happened. They got more of the true me and for both of us, another step on the way to more love and acceptance.

     2. Hi Jeanette that is simply amazing. So often do we have those little moments and signs that present to us something to stop and look at, for we may be going down the wrong path or we may be on our way. These things have been happening all of my life and only now since being a student of Universal Medicine have I learned to read that what life may be showing me is something to learn, rather than something that ‘just happens’

251. I love the reminder Nicole to look at life and appreciate the gifts given for us to learn from .Life is the greatest University that we have!

     1. Awesome Roslyn. Yes we are all enrolled in the school of life and the myriad of learning and inspiring it has to share every moment. For me it is also about remembering to appreciate who I am and how far I have come. Nicole’s blog has reminded of this so beautifully. Thank you.

     2. So true – it is the best education around – and its free!

252. Thanks Nicole, your very right in saying we can loose sight of how far we have come and also I relate to brushing off or rushing past golden moments out of an unwillingness to want to stop and feel the moment. I am still re-training myself to stop and allow myself to feel things in full.

253. Your gorgeous Harry, it is so true that we can just be caught in half glass empty, this blog and your comment is a welcome shake up and wake up to get back on the appreciation train.

254. I like what you have shared Nicole as it offers another approach to the “poor me” mentality that is easy to go into when life presents these “packages”. Seeing them as an opportunity to bring more attention to a part of my life and an offering of growth is a refreshing reminder for me.

255. Thank you Nicole, reading your words helped me to become aware of how I brush away compliments, and how devastating that is for my connection to do that. When people express their love for me I do not take it seriously because of a long held pattern of believing myself to be less. When someone says something awful about me it sticks, time to change that and allow the love to stick!

256. When life comes and knocks on my door saying: expand, learn your next lesson! I used to think of it in terms of ‘am I going to get this right or am I going to fail’. After some time with Serge Benhayon, his family, Chris James and lots of friends that I met at Universal Medicine events, I am learning to embrace the opportunity and simply observe what unfolds. This is so much less straining and more fun!

257. A beautiful sharing Nicole that completely redefines appreciation. For me I have struggled with this as I used to see it as selfish or I’d always be waiting to better something about myself before I would appreciate.
     When really that was a game to keep me small. And that appreciation is a very loving act to hold.

258. Appreciation is such a wonderful stepping stone for so many things… and one of the most remarkable of these things is how it literally opens us up to life, to its beauty and its wonder, it is like spraying WD40 (one of those sprays that loosens up stuck bolts) all around, helping everyone to loosen up to feel, and to express the joy of living.

259. To truly feel the every day, every moment, constellations and what happens in our bodies is something for us to take responsibility for.
     I love reading your blog Nicole and am learning to appreciate and express “unashamedly”

260. This is a beautiful illustration of the constant offerings that life presents to us throughout the day.

     Everyday we are presented with opportunities to see where we haven’t chosen truth, or have held ourselves back in the past. Upon seeing this, we are then graced with the ability to choose differently now and in the future.

261. Nicole I can so easily relate to those “Why Me” moments, as well as the “Who me?” ones, usually on receiving some beautiful feedback about me. I used to struggle to know that they were actually talking about me; such was the depth of the dis-connection to myself that I could sadly not connect their words to the person I saw myself as. It honestly felt like they were talking about someone else; someone I didn’t know. Slowly, with the amazing presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, I have come to understand that, by learning to appreciate me first there is a natural and spontaneous flow on to the appreciation of others, and this for me has been the biggest building block in the foundation of the way I now live my life; a foundation that used to wobble and crumble quite regularly, but with the growing love and appreciation I now have for myself holds steady, most of the time, and the wobbles, when they happen, are nowhere as huge and as unsettling as in the past. And now when someone says something beautiful about me, I appreciate what they have shared, I accept it and I truly know that, yes, it is me they are talking about.

262. I really enjoyed reading this Nicole – How life presents little packages and how they ‘reflect to you a part of you or your life’. Of late I have been much more aware of these ‘little gifts’ and the joy that this brings to really feel and accept that those self loving changes which we allow into our everyday open up so much more to us.

263. This is a great blog to get us considering what we take notice of and appreciate. I have had a few experiences lately with people I used to know complimenting me on how I looked. I realise I do feel and look great compared to how I used to be. But I can relate to what you shared that I am happy to know I am reflecting this for others but only give a moment to appreciate this for me. When I was reading your story, I also noticed that other people’s ‘significant events’, such as illnesses or accidents stand out more for me than my own.

264. It’s incredible the extent to which we hold ourselves back by not accepting and appreciating how amazing we truly are.

265. Absolutely Nicole, I agree, when we express truth we feel who we truly are, as you comment, “It is through this sharing that I have been able to reconnect to who I truly am.”

266. So true Nicole, it is a sad reality that for most of us, including myself, why it is that we do find it so hard to accept and fully appreciate ourselves in how far we’ve come. Is it because if we do, a part of us is in denial of how we ‘once were’ (when we know we should ordinarily already have been in the (now current) great place?) and so in some way part of us doesn’t want to see, and therefore accept this? Equally, if we do accept and appreciate now, then in not accepting or appreciating, are we then resisting the ‘even more’ that’s to come I wonder? Hmm. Maybe there is responsibility allied with acceptance and appreciation then.

267. Great article, Nicole, so simple and easy to understand. It is is great when we take notice of the ‘little packages’ with which we are presented. I am increasingly finding it easier to not run ‘a hundred miles’ when the package is a truth that is challenging to face as I might of in the past but instead to welcome them more graciously. When I do I discover ‘there is more to it than what I have allowed myself to feel’.

268. It is interesting to feel how I find it still quite hard to appreciate myself even though the changes I have made in my life are amazing and I look and feel amazing too! Thank you for sharing Nicole, you inspired me to appreciate everything about me more.

269. I’m finding that the appreciation that I have for my development is what is needed to truly accept how much I have developed. What does appreciation look like? It’s more than a fleeting thought of approval. It’s holding dear the loving choices I have made.

270. I too have realised through my connections with Universal Medicine the importance (and joy) and recognising and celebrating all that is around me (and within me)…and not just for me. The person I am becoming then goes out to meet others and support them to realise all that is there for them and within them….and so the wheel continues.

271. Nicole you are so amazing and I know I tell you this every time I see you, I’m sure you can feel it in the way I speak to you. I light up when I see you and love reading all the blogs you write. You inspire me in so many ways and you are an extraordinary woman to have a conversation with and feel like we have really connected. There is so, so, so, SO much for you to appreciate and I love that you are doing this.

272. Nicole, appreciation is something that I always considered was selfish or bigheaded – in the main because of how false I felt my life to be – however thats meant I’ve not accepted or really appreciated the real changes that have occurred. A great remember that even if we think we have appreciated – have we really?

273. Thank you Nicole. Acceptance and appreciation – two opportunities that we have all the time to deepen our quality of living.

274. I agree Suzanne, why not shine in order to lead the way for others to start appreciating themselves, instead of playing small and trying to fit in.

275. I loved how you shared that it is not just for others to compliment and appreciate how far you have come but for you to appreciate it for yourself as well. Beautiful!

276. You make a great point here Nicole “Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me, instead choosing to brush them off thinking I was not good enough to accept compliments of any sort.”
     For me it has been more than just not feeling good enough to accept how amazing I am … There was more to it than that particularly here in Australia where to openly acknowledge and appreciate yourself in front of any one or group even when you were given a compliment, you would be instantly cut down to the knees. We have been fooled into thinking we have to keep each other at the same level to be equal when in fact those that shine are leading to way for others to also feel equally amazing, freeing us from a consciousness that cuts us all down to a size that is way smaller than we all naturally are. Tall poppies are divine and we are all equally the same size when we can truly appreciate ourselves and each other.

     1. Great comment Suzanne about the tall poppies, I love the way Nicole reminds us of the importance of self appreciation and self acceptance, something that is so foreign to most due to the fact that any sign of feeling great about yourself invariably gets cut down as you say.
        Getting ‘cut down to the knees’ doesn’t make you equal, it just makes you short!

277. Thank you Nicole. The love and appreciation you feel for yourself is deeply felt. How great is it to let go of the need of wanting and expecting the opinion of another to prop you up. To deeply feel your own amazingness and to stop and appreciate this is the truest relationship you can have.

278. This is the leading article for people making themselves dependent on the appreciation expressed by others. What a freeing to step towards self-appreciation! There is very much love expressed in your blog, Nicole.* Very lovely.*

     1. So true Christina – freeing ourselves from the need to have other people’s appreciation of us can only truly happen when we begin to truly appreciate our selves ✨✨

        1. True, Kathryn, giving time and space to truly appreciate ourselves is the art.

279. Your blog Nicole is such a lovely reminder to really appreciate moments in our lives that provide opportunities to evolve.
     These moments and constellations are so precious in that they also support us to really appreciate ourselves and others.

280. To stop and really feel the tension, as you are describing Nicole, when it is we who are refusing/resisting to appreciate how amazing we are, can be quite a revealing, and potentially empowering, point, can’t it…
     In true appreciation we are offered – or rather, we offer ourselves – the grace to allow all of the outer impositions and expectations we put upon ourselves, to drop. In true appreciation, the demands of ‘the world’ that would have us ever-expecting ourselves to ‘be more’, simply cannot be.
     Whenever I am finding something a challenge and/or I get hard on myself, appreciation is what I go back to – have I not been truly and deeply appreciating and taking stock of all that I bring to my day, its interactions, dedication, work, play…? Can I deepen in the foundation of this that I hold in myself? Can I just stop, and appreciate the fact that I am aware of so much, and if it’s challenging, well, I may well be learning a heap! I most surely can, and it is something I’ve found to have changed my life beyond measure.

     1. I could have not described it better Victoria. I love the tenderness you are summing everything up and reflecting on in. Beautifully expressed.

        1. Thank-you Steffi. And beautiful to return to this blog and the comment above – a welcome reminder, especially when one has had a day with much learning! I am just so darn amazing… appreciating how delicate and willing we are to commit to all that is in our life, is most surely the key…

     2. “and if it’s challenging, well, I may well be learning a heap!” Love this Victoria and so true. I am learning to see it like this instead of seeing challenging times in life as moments that I have done something wrong.

        1. Absolutely true Lieke. It’s ‘ok’ to learn, to see more – in ourselves and others… Sometimes it’s not easy – and then, we must appreciate our willingness to feel, and that we, and our love, are here on this earth.
           There is so much depth and so much joy for us all to live and bring to life.

     3. Thank you Nicole, Victoria, Steffi, Lieke and Annie, I agree, we bring the future to ourselves when the self-fulfilling prophecy becomes love and appreciation of the love we are in every moment.

     4. For me too, these words of Victoria’s are deeply meaningful and I can feel the dropping away of any outer imposition as I read them, and a sense of my own being.

281. Agree Thomas, the way Nicole appreciates and accepts herself in full is very powerfull and beautiful to read. Thank you for the reminder Nicole to fully claim the amazingness we are.

282. What an amazing confirmation to write a blog on how far you have come and how much you appreciate your self, wow thank you Nicole, that’s an awesome reflection for me. And how I don’t fully appreciate the changes I have made through the work of Universal Medicine.

283. Without any appreciation I cannot live the love and grandness I am. It is truly that simple, and I am learning we are educated to NOT appreciate when appreciation is a very natural way to live life.

284. I also feel how much life’s challenges are gifts although we may not see them as such at the time. Stopping every now and again when we don’t feel playful and light about life allows us to feel into what is going on and allow ourselves a greater perspective. Everything is there for us to accept and appreciate even if what we are facing is unacceptable and it is for us to stand up and say so with as much love as we can, of course.

285. I agree Nicole, we have many opportunities during the day where we get to learn a little bit more about ourselves. I know I can get caught up in situations and when this happens I can’t see beyond it, it becomes all encompassing or engulfing, more to the point. Appreciating ourselves is so simple and so effective, but I had never been taught how important this is to our well-being and how simple it is to commence.

     1. “Appreciating ourselves is so simple and so effective, but I had never been taught how important this is to our well-being and how simple it is to commence.” So true Jennifer, and words that I need to remind myself of regularly, as I have been a slow learner in the art of self appreciation: but I am learning, and my appreciation of me is growing day by day. And when I get out of my own way, it is very simple.

286. I am becoming aware of how everything that happens in my life is an opportunity to be appreciated. I found in the past,that it was easier to be appreciative of things that were going well for me, but this was not the case with life’s challenges. It is only recently that I have come to accept that when things are not going so smoothly, that I am learning invaluable lessons about me, my lifestyle or life in general, and this is indeed, well worth celebrating.

287. I understand acceptance and appreciation of one self but at times I struggle with this as I find disregard and criticism creeps in. Awareness of when this is happening supports me to stop and reflect as to what this means and then replace this with more love and appreciation for myself. If you can’t appreciate yourself then it is impossibe to appreciate others.

288. Hi Nicole, perfect timing to read your blog, so relevant… I had a very serious and challenging time last week at work. Later and on reflection I saw how steady and calm I was and how I stayed with myself. I could also feel that this situation was not so much about a lesson to be learned, but rather it was showing me how much I had changed and grown and where I was at. In comparsion to the past where I would have lost myself in the emotion and drama. With this powerful reflection came huge appreciation for myself, which was wonderful to stop and feel this.

289. Another timely piece for me as what you express here Nicole is that life presents us with opportunities to see and feel ourselves for where we are at. Sometimes even the most challenging experience (though not always welcome at the time) offers a deeper reflection for us. It’s in beginning to see we have a choice in the way we choose to live and respond to life.

290. It is so easy to run the criticisms and feelings of not being good enough, and it becomes so familiar that we don’t how harmful and crippling these are. I found appreciation very difficult at first, and it has highlighted just how loud the detractors voice can be in its constant undermining. I can also see now how it’s a great way of keeping ourselves small and disempowered even though we can feel miserable and frustrated at the same time. Nicole I love how you see each moment as an opportunity to learn and appreciate the growth and expansion that is on offer, rather than another potential judgement. If we could do that consistently with ourselves and others, how lovely would each day and each interaction become.

     1. Annie C this is a beautiful sharing that I am sure we can in many ways all relate to, thank you.

291. Life gives presents or packages every day. And what I experience is that the situations that seem quite intense and challenging in the moment, are actually the ones that bring so much learning, growing, love and understanding. Nothing happens without a reason and I realize more and more the importance of appreciation. For myself and for all those moments in life where I get the opportunity to be more of me.

292. I do agree, things happen to us or rather are presented to us, as you so beautiful put it, for us to learn and grow, and appreciation I too find is a big part of it. There are so many moments in life where a stop and deep appreciation is called for. Thank you Nicole for stopping and taking a moment to put your appreciation into words.

293. For me it is connected to trust and acceptance as well- that I trust that everything that happens in life has a reason. If I do so, I automatically stop and feel what is needed to be looked at and appreciated.

294. “Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?” This is a great question when those life difficulties come up; to realise that there is something to learn from each situation and to actually appreciate the problem isn’t a problem as is asking you to grow.

295. This is beautiful Nicole. Recently I have felt that I avoid fully appreciating and claiming my strengths in order to avoid having to take responsibility for myself and my choices. When we really claim our loveliness everything else becomes much easier and there is no room for excuses. Thank you for sharing your experience of claiming and appreciating the gorgeous woman you are.

296. In buiding my self-appreciation I had an awareness with a picture that was taken a few weeks ago. When the picture was taken I was very critical about it. Today I was looking at the same picture and really liked what I saw. The look in my eyes was actually beautiful. I realise that the picture has not changed, but the way I looked at me had changed and all because I am appreciating myself more and more.

297. Thank you Nicole for sharing your blog. What if every moment was a sign-post, a do-it-yourself way back to God?

298. I used to be very uncomfortable if someone expressed appreciation of me and would get embarrassed, because I did not have the self worth to accept what I was feeling and hearing. Practising self appreciation for oneself is an ongoing process but well worth the effort.

299. Nicole I have been lucky enough to watch you bring so much more love and harmony into your life and that of your families. You are an inspiration and I am blessed to have you in my life. Thanks for being you, you are stunning.

300. I can very much relate to not accepting or appreciating myself. I love that you have taken the time to write it down and allow yourself to begin to accept just how amazing you are. If we start to admit it to ourselves that we are amazing, we can also begin to accept this when other people see it and tell us.

301. Your Blog has been one of those packages for me. As soon as I read – ‘recently someone shared with me how life presents little packages, and these packages are presented to show you, to reflect to you a part of you or your life’, I knew as I read this, I was being offered the opportunity to see my life in a different way, not as a victim but as the ‘Star’, the one Centre stage. I can choose to put the ‘spotlight’ on me and allow myself to shine in all my amazingness or I can go into denial. Each beautiful gift or package invites me to get to know and feel more of who I truly am.

302. This is such a big one…. I used to be like that and it is something that I still have to keep to the fore and remind myself – stop and appreciate what I have changed and keep choosing. After a while these choices become second nature and we forget how seriously amazing they are and they become our normal way. Which is awesome but yes it is important to stop and appreciate which confirms that what you are choosing is seriously amazing. Which deepens those choices and even more loving choices are made. When you make a choice that isn’t – it sticks out like a sore thumb!

     1. Natalie, thank you for your words, that’s huge to know that those unloving choices stick out like a sore thumb and that in itself is a confirmation of how much has changed. I now see that, and rather than beat myself up about them, I can stop and know that my more loving choices have allowed me to see them – love begets more love and of course anything that’s not love stands out even more.

303. Nicole, your blog stopped me; to ask myself the question, ‘do I accept how far I’ve come and where I am now, or might I still be trying to live in an old way, and is that why it feels uncomfortable’? Yes and yes, and this reminded me that I can choose in this moment to see where I truly am and not waste time recreating a past I’ve moved away from.

     1. Huge words of wisdom Monica, thanks for sharing them, and in particular where you say, I can choose in this moment to see where I truly am and not waste time recreating a past I’ve moved away from.
        Love it.

304. To appreciate myself, to take in what others express about how far I have come and to really feel that what feels so natural to me is truly awesome is a process in itself. But when I do confirm this awesomeness, I can feel that there is much more to accept and to live.

305. Thank you Nicole for the gentle reminder to really appreciate and to fully claim the fact that the way my life is now is nothing short of a miracle, when I look back to where I had been, which was a place called planet ‘destructo’ in a galaxy far far away.

306. When I was reading your blog it occurred to me how we “teach” our children to respond to a compliment by saying thank you, because that is right and polite thing to do. Some people may dismiss the compliment in a self demeaning way in an attempt to practise humility. But the more common practise is to be proud and say thank you. Either of those responses is not stopping and really accepting what is being said. Is it possible that we effectively teach our kids to hear but dismiss the compliments that they receive, never truly accepting it or owning it. Which can potentially create an interesting cycle of being reliant on a source outside of ourselves to feel good about yourself. Which ultimately leads to not knowing how to truly accept a compliment.

307. Thank you Nicole, a very beautiful sharing. It is interesting how we hold back from owning up and confirming how awesome we are when we are being truly awesome and yet how proud we can be of stuff we do that is not awesome at all!!!

308. Yes, Nicole, life always presents us with opportunities to accept and appreciate. I am now learning to look at everything as being not a problem or an issue, but rather an opportunity for me to look deeper – what is it telling me about me, about life? Then I can accept and appreciate things even though they might not be so great as they should or could. And truly – is there any ‘should’ or ‘could’, or is that just pure illusion? Life is life.

309. Thanks Nicole for reminding us of how important it is to incorporate appreciation into our day. It is key to deepening and developing self love and regard, qualities that are indeed true medicine.

310. I also have not accepted and appreciated myself, most of my life. Really to see things that unfolded as gems for which to learn and grow from. I did somewhat, but always was so incredibly self critical in the process, very little love for myself. So when I get compliments or someone showing appreciation, I am unsure how to deal with it. Especially as I have not been used to appreciating myself. This has turned around over the past few years, bit by bit, but it is still a daily reminder to myself to appreciate my strengths, live my life looking and feeling myself from and through that lens and not from my weaknesses. This allows me to feel that appreciation more readily than just hoping it will be there by chance.

311. Thank you Nicole; for the reminder to regularly take stock of where we have been, and how far we have come. Each life package that is presented to us is a gift to be appreciated, no matter what form it comes in.

     1. Well said ingridward15, intermittently stopping to take stock of where we have been and how far we have come is vital for our growth and ongoing development.

312. A great reminder Nicole of how far we have come. If we hadn’t stopped and listened we would not be where we are today. We are offered so many opportunities to evolve. I appreciate what has been presented by Serge Benhayon and I appreciate myself for allowing myself to shine.

313. Just today someone told me how amazing something was that I had done and I found myself wanting to correct them – like it might have been good but not amazing. This blog reminds me to allow others their thoughts and feelings and to not react with a judgement and to fully appreciate myself.

314. Nicole, I am particularly drawn to your words ‘I now see these opportunities as blessings that help me see what needs to be looked at in my life, or simply what needs to be accepted and appreciated.’. This a huge area of development for me as I learn to unhook myself from emotional expectations and reactions and instead focus on accepting myself for who I am and where I am at and fully appreciating myself moment by moment. Impatience gets in the way but thanks to the ever steady support of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine I know I am definitely on track.

315. I have had the feeling many times that there is more acceptance and appreciation to be done for myself, and reading your blog has reminded me of that fact, that although we appreciate ourselves, it might not be fully and there is more, deeper and greater level of acceptance for us to do.

316. Learning to feel into what those little everyday events that occur are showing me and not to take them as a criticism of me but a gentle reminder of how much more potential I have is fascinating. Appreciation of myself has been and is a slow but steady change in the way I am with myself.

317. Appreciating ourselves and each other is so vitally important but as your reminded us Nicole we do not do it often enough.

318. Thanks Nicole, I love how you share that you yourself had to appreciate and claim how far you’ve come – this is such a beautiful reminder for everyone, don’t rely or wait for others to appreciate you – appreciate yourself!

319. Appreciation is something relatively new for me; my steps towards it are fairly tentative and inconsistent, and yet oh my goodness, they have still shown me the instant supercharged power of me simply appreciating me and what is around me. I am starting to know the power of appreciation to change how I see things and how I feel, in a good way. Interesting, because all of my life the message that seems to have been ‘out there’ is that it is wrong to focus on what we have done well, that it is the ‘done thing’ to put ourselves down. Now that I am starting to appreciate the power of appreciation I see how deeply harmful this is.

320. I too struggled to accept and appreciate any kind of attention that was shared to me, but since deepening my relationship with myself by the enormous support of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine I can openly hear a beautiful appreciation towards me and feel it is worth and value because I know the way I am choosing to be in connection with all of me is what they are seeing. From here I know my beauty is worth every second of appreciation which I too have for myself and keep deepening as I can feel there are many layers there to work with. The deeper I connect the deeper the appreciation.

     1. “The deeper I connect the deeper the appreciation.” Something I am needing to appreciate here I can feel 🙂 as I am still sometimes not allowing that deepening to truly deepen so that there is more appreciation. It’s a “what goes around comes around” thing that is truly beautiful and supportive when I allow it. Yes it is an ever evolving process, not something that just happens and then it’s over; many layers to work with as you say, which actually makes it quite a beautiful unfolding, in itself something to truly appreciate. Lovely, thanks Natalie.

321. This is a very timely reminder, ‘Life is continually presenting so much to us. Do we ever truly stop to feel what we are really being shown?’ I have been caught up in the drama and issues of life recently, taking things personally and not seeing that there is a reason that these events are happening and that they are an opportunity to learn, thank you Nicole.

322. Thank you Nicole for the great reminder for us for stop and feel what life is presenting to us: be that something that is to appreciate, or to consider that something is no longer working for us!

323. I am sill learning Appreciation is a valuable part of my day when moments can be filled with appreciation rather than other thoughts that can take over. Thank you for the reminder, Nicole.

324. Appreciation of myself has been a big hurdle for me too and I’m not sure that I have quite mastered this yet. I have always shied away from any compliment thrown my way and would make light of it, look the other way, change the subject or brush the comment off. It is time to truly appreciate me.

325. To appreciate things that happen in life – good or bad – is relatively easy for me. But to appreciate myself, appreciate where I am at – that’s a little different. Acknowledging it, yes, I can clock and stock take no problem; but appreciation – for me it feels to be a heady experience, and is something I could go deeper with in my whole body.

326. A beautiful observation and I can feel an aliveness and vitality in your writing. This just happened to me today: I met someone I knew and had a chat with them and afterwards I could feel loads of old ideals, beliefs and behaviours I was holding onto about relationships, so it was an opportunity for a healing. Also when I read your comment “I was not good enough to accept compliments of any sort” it made me remember many times when I have complimented different women – on how they look or say that what they are wearing is lovely and a lot of women are unable to accept the compliment and try to shrug it off saying something like “oh this old thing”. So being able to appreciate and accept ourselves and how far we have come is huge.

327. Reading your post Nicole I realise just how much more I could be appreciating, I remember someone sharing how in each spare moment instead of going into dramas and issues they would appreciate things. It’s a fitting reminder as there is indeed much to appreciate. Yet the time I spend appreciating is a fraction of that I spend doing other things. Thank you and I certainly appreciate taking the time for myself to read your blog!

328. It is very important to stop and appreciate where we are truly at. When I find I am struggling with some life event or I have gone into overwhelm, I often stop and appreciate just how far I have come in the past few years. I then resume what I was doing, and can see that the source of my struggle or overwhelm, as a gift that life is presenting to me. Also it is a beautiful gift of love to ourselves when we appreciate where we are at.

329. I have always felt that things happen for a reason – to show us something. Every time something did happen to me, I could really see how this was to show me more than just what had happened but to look at the situation as a whole. Universal Medicine only confirmed this for me – And now I really do consider what happens to me as ‘a gift’ and something to learn from. How beautiful is that!

     1. Absolutely Amita – I am really enjoying trusting how I feel and seeing how true that is. The more I allow this, the more this feeling is offered to me and the clearer it is to see what is really going on.

330. Beautiful Nicole, ‘Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?’ This is great for me to ponder on, I can feel that everything happens for a reason and it’s great to be reminded of this and to take responsibility for what happens in my life and see this as an opportunity to learn and evolve.

331. Nicole it is lovely to read this as it feels like it gives everyone the opportunity to appreciate and accept themselves just that little bit more and that can make all the difference – appreciate, appreciate, appreciate you are enough, just as you are.

332. This is lovely Nicole. It explains so well that when ‘packages’ occur, we can see them as reflections, an opportunity to make changes to improve our life rather than ignoring or blaming someone or something for them. The Way of the Livingness is a living way for us to learn this, to take responsibility for choices and make the changes, what we can call evolution.

333. I have been put on notice of this again recently. Everything is a gift if we could but see it that way.

334. A lovely reminder for us to stop and appreciate. The world does not do this enough. It is a simple act that is very supportive but we don’t really want to acknowledge just how amazing we are sometimes. As I start to accept that this is a game that keeps me small, I can start to appreciate more of me and of others because it is a simple act of love, and not of ego.

335. Awesome Nicole – I can completely say that there have been times, good and bad, in my life that i have brushed aside, either unwilling to accept and appreciate something, or not wanting to look at what might not be working. Thank you for sharing your blog.

336. There are many of us making much more loving choices and thus looking and feeling great. I feel that it is our responsibility to accept it because we have turned the tide and by claiming it we can share with others that they can do it too.

337. Recently I have found that these compliments which people share with me, can often rise up in my mind and just for that moment they are like a gift handed to me and they make me stop and say yes, that is true, I am amazing.

338. Thank you Nicole and I appreciate you for writing and sharing this blog with us as it is a timely reminder once again for me to take stock and deeply appreciate how far I have come, thanks to the life and work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine.
     My issue up until recently was that I would ‘dismiss’ all the hard work and effort I have made to change my life and inspire others through my work. It really is incredible how much I have changed so far and the daily choices I make that support me, which then allows me to support others.

     Being dismissive left no room for accepting the great woman that I am and I had to slowly start to really appreciate me and the small things which is now a daily practice for me. I take time to appreciate how opportunities are presented to me to learn and it’s not a bad thing if I am challenged as there is something here for me. I am a work in progress in the appreciation and acceptance department, but I have come a long way and I realise it is needed if I am to truly evolve in life.

339. So true Nicole. I can hear a compliment but not really appreciate for myself what is being felt by others in the changes I am making in the way I live. Time to start complimenting myself on the choices I make and how gorgeous this feels.

340. Wow, this is a great blog and is a gift in itself to stop and appreciate how far I have come and an opportunity to see how much there is to unfold. With the inspiration and support of Universal Medicine and how I choose to live, I know this is possible. Thank for Nicole, I love what you share through your writings!

341. Nicole, today reading your blog again I got to feel and see how I’ve changed even since I last read and commented here. Reading it again I see that life is not just about things to look at, but also things to accept and appreciate, and I can feel how touched I am reading this today and how I can accept and appreciate more deeply what you have shared, and accept myself in that appreciation. Thank you.

342. Reading your blog Nicole has brought me to a stop – to appreciate. So much of the time can be spent looking at what’s not right and whilst we need to be open to seeing what is not working, I can feel in my own life, through the love and support from Universal Medicine, Serge Benhayon, Universal Medicine practitioners and the changes that I have made as a result that there is a lot to appreciate in my life now – which was not the same ten years ago.

343. Yes, a beautiful reminder to stop and appreciate our lives and all of those around us. Thank you.

344. I am becoming more aware of my reluctance to accept compliments and when this happens,how much my body hardens, and, not least, the effect on the person expressing appreciation…..A great article Nicole, thank you

345. Thank you Nicole. I hadn’t realised how much I haven’t appreciated how far I’ve come. Sometimes I am able to accept compliments, but this is not nearly enough, and I can feel quite embarrassed when attention is focussed on me in an appreciative way.

346. Lovely to read your blog Nicole.I also feel that the more I appreciate myself the more I can appreciate others. There is so much to appreciate in life, and not only when things are going well.There are “silver linings” in every situation in life.I appreciate that I can feel for those too.

347. Thanks again Nicole, on rereading your blog I realised that for me it was because of self worth issues that I wasn’t able to accept a compliment with grace. I can only move forward from here.

348. Great sharing Nicole. Thank you. Stopping to ponder and feel into what situations and experiences life offers brings such magic. I have been feeling the beauty of this more and more, and seemingly upsetting or even at times distressing experiences, as we know, bring the most profound learning and growth. Being open to life and all that it constellates brings a spectrum of appreciation and colour to life.

349. Great to re-read this blog as a reminder to stop and appreciate everything that we are and have been blessed with. As others have shared, it is not about constantly looking at what is wrong or still needs work, because that all gets taken care of when we start to appreciate how much love there is in our lives, and take that out into the world.

350. Beautiful Nicole, you speak for many, many people who have also made huge changes in their lives due to attending and being attentive to the work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, myself included. It is such a valid and beautiful moment when we can stand and accept the love and appreciation from another, allow it in and feel the truth and appreciate ourselves for making choices in our lives that reflect true vitality to others. In a world where most of our reflections in society are ones of ill health, abuse, disease, stress and exhaustion, to be reflecting health and vitality is a precious thing. It shows everyone there is another way to live life. Thank you for sharing and appreciating yourself, you are definitely worth it.

351. Nicole such a beautiful reminder to bring appreciation into our daily lives.

     Thank you

352. Nicole, the timing of ” life’s little packages ” can be quite impressive sometimes.
     Upon leaving a restaurant after a marvellous evening with Maryline, at the very beginning of our relationship many years ago, the quiet, still , evening air,
     was shattered by a highly colourful firework display which commenced the second
     we stepped outside! We laughed because it seemed so exclusively for us at that moment. The sort of moment, if shown in a film, would be dismissed as sheer
     Hollywood!

353. I love what you’ve said here Nicole and can relate to it very much, thank you. Certainly one to come back and re-read.

354. Hi Nicole, this sounds very much like my story. I too was part of a ‘before and after’ presentation at a Universal Medicine event and it is only reading your blog that I realised I still haven’t appreciated how huge this is. The changes I have made in my life are immense and I thank you for inspiring me to value and appreciate myself for how far I have come.

355. Nicole, your article has a definite resonance to it. I think it is hard to appreciate
     the significance of a moment which presents itself, often, until well after the event.
     Then some time later, during a moment of reflection, you think, ‘so that’s what all that
     was about’!

356. Thank you Nicole, what you have written in this article really resonates with me, particularly “Never was I comfortable accepting or appreciating what was said to me, instead choosing to brush them off thinking I was not good enough to accept compliments of any sort.” I am slowly learning to appreciate myself just for being me and the more I appreciate me, the more there is to appreciate about me and everyone else.

357. Your question Nicole re: whether there is more to certain situations, is spot on! I can feel that in applying this to recent events in my life there is a seed of liberation – in what could be seen as a catastrophe feels like it is bringing me closer to who I really am, but only through accepting that the choices I was making have been very unwise and resolving to not make the same choices.

358. Nicole, thank you for this reminder to appreciate myself and everything else, too. Just the simple act of appreciating changes everything, I find. And when I am not appreciating the whole word seems a little greyer.

359. Thank you Nicole. Until recently I hadn’t really appreciated compliments of myself, due to feelings of lack of self-worth. I am finding to appreciate is so important and reading your article, I feel a real surge of appreciation which is uplifting.

360. Hi Nicole, thanks for this blog I know sometimes I positively squirm when I receive appreciation as I do not know how to handle it and your blog really brought it home to me how I often push it aside! Thank you, time to feel that and accept the appreciation!

361. Accepting a compliment is a great reminder of the beautiful beings that we are. I fully appreciate it because I am worth that compliment and because it is true. Thank you Nicole for such a great blog.

362. Awesome Nicole. A great reminder of the power of appreciation. I relate well to what you say and now catch myself if I brush off a compliment. It is so beautiful to accept a compliment and as you say to appreciate this about ourselves and the choices we have made.

363. Have you ever had life present a situation to you where you never bothered to stop and consider that maybe there is more to it than what you have allowed yourself to feel?

     I’m going to keep rereading this piece – it’s so poignant to me. Each time a different sentence or paragraph pops out at me – today it’s this one! Yes, is the answer, its so easy to stay on the treadmill and not get off to appreciate how far you’ve actually come or where you have been. Or equally to not stop and feel the severity of the situation and it’s consequences. Either way, it shows the importance and power behind appreciating each moment for what it is and fully feeling the length and breadth of it!

     1. Funny you should say that because I’ve been struggling with that very example! You just dropped a little drip of heaven right before me. Thank you.

364. This is so true. More often than not I feel and look at the areas that need work, this is a great trait and I will never stop. However in doing this I often fail to appreciate where I am and the beauty that surrounds me in all that I am in this moment. We are all beautiful and deserve to stop and feel this.

365. Nicole, I love this blog and it’s so opportune as I’d been feeling how much I’d changed but not always appreciating the power of that and me for making those choices. Your blog really struck me, especially when you talk about accepting yourself as you are now. That stopped me and I realised that’s not something I always do and right now as I write I feel the possibilities of just accepting where I am at now, and the huge appreciation and freedom in that, thank you.

366. Well said Alison – it is all too easy to dismiss all the gifts and messages we are constantly being given. Universal Medicine has helped me too to re-claim who I am and appreciate what I can and do bring.

367. Hi Nicole, another inspiring blog – thank you. Accepting and appreciating are two great things to keep coming back to because otherwise, as you so rightly say, we can miss out on the truth of how amazing we are… and the enjoyment of it.

368. It’s also amazing how hard we can find accepting compliments, that this compliment is merely a confirmation of what we reflect out coming back to us – as you say an amazing opportunity to accept, appreciate, claim and celebrate! the huge or small changes we have made.

     1. I agree Gyl – it’s soo easy to brush compliments off, or dress them down instead of standing there and accepting them for what they are, and in doing so appreciating ourselves, who we are and the choices we have made more fully.

369. Nicole I love this, thank you for sharing, all too often we can be hard or tough on ourselves; not feeling we are enough or simply not allowing ourselves to stop and appreciate really how far we have come with the amazing changes in our lives. Then along come some awesome reflections, moments and people to offer us an opportunity to stop and reflect, to realise, appreciate and accept the awesome changes we have made and the love that we reflect – with absolute love and appreciation for all you have shared and for Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine.

     1. Agree Gyl, I am learning that no matter how much appreciation we have from others, if we do not appreciate ourselves (and instead give ourselves a hard time) as well, it does not change how we feel. I am learning slowly to appreciate myself everyday.

370. Thankyou Nicole for your great article. A standout line for me was ‘Of course I knew I had changed, but I still had not accepted myself as I am now, or how I now allow myself to be me’.

371. Thank you for this blog, a great reminder to just stop for a moment and consider and appreciate the fact that I can and have made positive choices in my life. The fact that I DO receive compliments is a sign that I am not ‘bad’ or ‘unworthy’ as my mind likes to only focus on when I allow it to. This is something I am learning to accept more and more.

372. I really appreciate your post too Nicole, I too, thanks to Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine have come a long way but I have a way to go to fully appreciate it and be able to accept a compliment.

373. Nicole, really love your article and it is soooo true – it’s about learning to appreciate ourselves and what we choose.

374. Thanks Nicole… I am just sitting here appreciating how exposing this blog is for me! It’s time for me to appreciate me and how far I have come in the last 4 years!

375. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I think I am presented with situations like this often. I try to be as genuine as possible when I interact with people, no matter where I am or who I’m talking to, but sometimes I get a bit side-tracked. My mind is elsewhere and I am not totally present. When this happens I sort of go through the motions of talking to people, even when I am facilitating a group of people. I seem to set my emotions aside during those moments and choose not to fully reflect on what is going on in the present moment until later. I am currently pregnant and I think lately hormones might have a bit to do with it… but ultimately I do think it would be healthy for me to stop and appreciate what I am doing, who I am and where I’ve taken myself in this lifetime. Thank you again and congratulations on the baby! Namaste, Kaycie.

376. Awesome Nicole!

377. Thank you Nicole… I really ‘appreciate’ your post! I’ve received compliments throughout my life and previously felt embarrassed and awkward about how to respond – probably due to not feeling worthy of them. But now… bring them on!

     I’ve also found that taking time out to appreciate is indeed an uplifting experience, whether it’s appreciation for myself, my life, my relationships or nature and humanity.

     1. I love stopping and appreciating all that’s around me Rod, from nature, relationships, just feeling blessed, to loving life, people I meet and observe, to humanity and much more. It can be found in the tiniest of little moments such as appreciating an awesome lunch we’ve made, to how we have been in a situation as in choosing a different way, simply appreciating how we have been with ourselves and others that day, or appreciating another in the reflection they share, the changes they have made or their commitment to serving humanity.

     2. Me too Rod! Thank you Nicole for sharing and inspiring me to reflect as well. It is amazing how simply appreciating ourselves, confirms where we are and creates the space to be more open and loving. It also puts a stop to ill momentums/patterns or thoughts which we may be carrying from the past, that may be stopping us fully expressing.

     3. Very true Rod. Thats exactly how I used to feel when receiving a compliment. A part of me liked the recognition but because of my lack of self worth, a part of me always felt uncomfortable. Now, because I have more appreciation for myself and others, the compliments are very welcome and greatly received.

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