0:00Episode 3962, more than just words. Moms, it's time to rediscover, rejuvenate, and renew who you are in mind, body, and spirit. Welcome to Create Your Now, Your Best Selfie, the show that help you do just that. Here's your host, Certified Life Coach, personal trainer, and nutritionist, Christian Wardo. Happy every day. I hope you're having a fabulous start to your week. Can you believe it? It's inspiration, motivation day. And did you notice the news? Uh-huh. Yeah, the news. Boxytonic fill. Oh, yes. He saw a shadow. Shhh. Maybe he really didn't. More than just words. For those of you who are brand new to Create Your Now, welcome to this incredible family. I'm so delighted of your presence. If you already even had the opportunity, you'll want to head on over to CreateYourNow.com where you can learn more and sign up for the Kisses Newsletter to keep its simple strategy everyday solutions to live, love, and impact. Well, yes, I would like to think it's a little bit comedic that Boxytonic fill saw his shadow.

1:03That means six more weeks of winter, but you can believe whatever you want. I noticed on my feed, I don't know where I was, Instagram or Facebook, and they're not at all a sponsor here, but I will say that they said that Boxytonic fill was arrested because he saw his shadow. Kind of funny, not so funny, but however you live in life, I want you to be inspired today. I want your heart to be filled, and sometimes I think we have such a heavy heart because we forget what we need to fill it with. And it comes to something very simple. And it's saying thank you. You know, here I thank you, probably actually not enough, honestly. And I want to thank you for showing up. If you don't know already, we're on Pray.com every Tuesday morning, 11.30 a.m. Eastern 10.30 a.m. Central 8.30 a.m. Pacific and confined our TV show right there. And we are working on getting our new episodes up and also having them on our new website. So that's all in the process. But I think it's one of those things where we just keep going through

2:06life. We just keep doing the motions that we're used to doing. And it's been in the past few weeks, actually, honestly, through this frozen tender that we're in, literally I still have snow and ice around the pool. I kid you not. I have a driveway that is completely covered. And I could probably ice skate on it right now. I kid you not. But you know, even in the midst of all of it, it could be a lot worse because in areas like Nashville and Oxford, Mississippi, they got hit really hard with the ice storm. Now I've been through an ice storm back in Kentucky 2009 ice storm. It was horrible. I've shared that story before. I think I shared it. How maybe was it last week? I don't know. It all blends together. So if you didn't hear it, you can find it. I'm sure. But I won't go through the details in that. But it's one of those things where it hit me. And I was like, you know what? I am so grateful. I found myself walking

3:11around the house going, Lord, thank you. Just thank you for today. Thank you for protecting my house. Thank you for making it to where yes, for some strange reason, which I know it was him, that the little weather pattern passed us. And we got the snow in the sleet and we got rain, but not the freezing rain. And so we actually fared a lot better. We got bitter cold temperatures, but my house was able to withstand it. Sometimes it's that simple thank you. But sometimes also that simple thank you is just on autopilot, where we just offer a gratitude as a social nicety while we just rushed through life. But when was the last time you really felt it? You really meant it. You really said it from your heart. When did you pause long enough to notice how gratitude reshapes your heart? Gratitude is more than just words. Gratitude isn't just a polite exchange. It's a profound

4:15internal shift. It changes things. It changes you. It softens the rough edges inside the bitterness, the brokenness. All of that stuff that builds up from stress, disappointment, failure, or just the daily grind of struggle. Gratitude creates a crack in the wall that you've continually built around yourself. But when that crack is there, there's this little hope, there's light that comes through, allowing you wait, wait, maybe there's connection possibly. Maybe there is that strand of, I can get through the day with the smile on my face. This opening isn't just for others, it's a gift you give yourself. Think about your cup when it's empty. Kind of strange, I know. My good friend Dan Miller and coach and mentor. One of the things that we would have within our mastermind, he gave every member was this beautiful

5:18silver goblet. And it was about how do you see life? Do you see it half empty, half full? Where are you in your struggles? And it was a reminder that we cannot serve from an empty vessel. The cup is empty. What do I have to give? Think about your cup when it's empty. No energy, no hope, no joy. Really not much to share at all. But you see, gratitude is like a quiet refill. No flashy fireworks, but an undeniable boost. It doesn't just fill the cup, it strengthens the walls, making you more resilient, more peaceful, more present, more than just words. You see, finding gratitude every day doesn't need to be complicated. It can be a small moment, a breath, a smile, a thank you whisper to your own soul. Maybe it's a high five God,

6:19thanks so much. And to you, I know that may sound a little strange, a high five to God, but no. He wants to be a part of your every day. And I know me walking around my home with this crazy frozen tender going, Lord, thank you so much to this weather pattern past us. Thank you that I can see like maybe a total of three feet by three feet of my concrete. I mean, coming up my driveway, I've only done it once, I went down my driveway, I came back up, don't know what I'm going back at, I'm just saying, but I'm grateful I was able to get out the one time and I was able to come back the second time. I'll let you know what happens the next time we'll see. But you see, sometimes we just kind of go through and float through life like, oh well, you know, yeah, thanks. Wow, I'm just glad it happened. And you just kind of brush through it. Why are we brushing in Russian? What if we were to start looking at our hearts more and saying, maybe there's something to gratitude? More so than just a word. Maybe it's a heartbeat.

7:29Because done consistently, it rewires your perspective, turning what once felt heavy into something lighter, more manageable. Maybe you need something today, more manageable. My friend, the invitation is simple. Don't wait for perfect reason to be grateful. You don't have to have that perfect reason. Find the cracks where light can come in today. Start there. Let gratitude do the hard work of healing and watch what happens to your heart. Begin to understand what you feel. Why? Because it's gratitude's gift. Gratitude unclenches fists once tight, softened edges carved by fight or flight. It's a quiet key, no grand parade, that opens locked doors where shadows stayed. A cup once empty, parched and dry, receives this gift, a wellspring high. Not just for others, but for your

8:29soul, gratitude fills and makes you whole. It's the grace in a simple thank you said, the light that brightens were doubt once tread. A balm for hearts weathered and worn, and daily thanks, and new dawn is born. What do you think would happen if you could just say thank you to yourself? Thank you to your Heavenly Father, to see a blessing, a God-wink, and to be grateful. Maybe it is that you survived the frozen tendra. Maybe it is that you now have electricity and hey, I'm here hello, it's good to hear you. Good to see you, right? Maybe it's I feel warm again. Maybe it's I'm safe. What is it for you? What can you celebrate today? The little things it doesn't have to be major. It can be micro. It can be mini. Whatever you want, but be grateful.

9:33Because let me tell you, when you begin to heal those little nooks and crannies in your heart, that's been hurt and broken, it's amazing what happens. It's amazing what changes within you. You know, the biggest compliment I've ever received is when people say, I don't know what you have, but I wish I could bottle it up and have it. And they would most of the time reference that in my energy level and just my happy go lucky, a joy. Because that's really who I am. That doesn't mean I don't get mad because I do. Ask my children, ask my husband. I get flustered, oh, I do. I don't always like the way things are done. Do I have high expectations? You better believe it, thanks dad. And then you have that soft spot that says, I see you, I hear you. I want to hold

10:36you and hug you. Because life isn't always easy. But guess what, you can still have a smile on your face. Gratitude does that. Because it allows you to have the cred of the day be melted away by this beautiful sweetness called gratitude. And when you have that, it's amazing how honestly you can feel. And it doesn't take much, but it is going to require effort from you. And so I want to encourage you today. Don't let today go by without saying I'm grateful. Thank you. Whoever, whatever it is. And it may be a conversation you have with yourself while going to the bathroom. I know TMI, but we all do it right. I'm like, seriously, maybe it's taking a shower, maybe it's doing the dishes, doing the laundry, picking up the kids, you're in line. Maybe you're not going

11:40to school right now. Well, because school's canceled, it is for us. We've been shut down now. Seven days we've missed school. I know the kids are excited, but I'm not sure about the parents, right? Because everything changes. But gratitude shifts things better for the better. Change your direction today because you are grateful. Go on, peace. Be present. Be incredible. Be you. I love you so very much. I cannot wait to see you on the other side. Blessing tags and lots and lots of love. We'll talk to you real soon. Have a glorious birthday. Bye-bye.