Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The Good, Bad and the Ugly Edition! Summer 2014!

In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy

This feature has been M.I.A for awhile - don't get me wrong it's not because I haven't had things to be grateful for, because I have.

This summer flew by in a blur, some good, and some not so good stuff.

Not So Good:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I attended an event, recapped it, and then had someone threaten to sue me because they wanted me to remove their photo and my synopsis. And maybe it's because I started in Newspapers but I felt the need to dig my heels in and stand my ground. I will not be bossed around by anyone when it comes to my digital home and how it's maintained. Especially since this has always been a place about empowerment and I have worked hard to keep snark and negativity from invading my digital home.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have been so busy it has made writing pithy content feel more like a chore. Something I absolutely hate feeling.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The level of bad Public Relations and Pitches this summer made me want to shut my digital doors and just escape the stupidity of my inbox completely.

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events that did provide unique experiences as lately those have been few and far between.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Brands that actually wanted real partnerships and not just a free mouthpiece.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Taking a Digital Camera Course at Best Buy that allowed me to improve my DSLR skills making the investment in a good camera totally worth it. (Check out the DSLR Learning Center at BestBuy)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Being featured by SheSpeaks which I wrote about on Thursday was definitely a great reminder that all my plugging away is not in vain! Sometimes it's just nice to know that your work is appreciated.

Ask yourself at the end of each day: What am I grateful for Today?

My Take:

I have been a bit too close to things lately and I have tried to detach myself spiritually from a lot of it, but I realized just how much I missed this feature and how much I missed taking time to actually stop and remember how good things are in the here and now.

Having someone threaten to sue me for just doing my job brought on an incredible range of emotions, not all of them good ones. But I instantly went straight into 'pitbull' mode, and at least that let me know that writing and this space I have carved out for myself still meant more to me than I realized. And while I'm not grateful for the undue stress at a point where I least needed it in my life, I am grateful that the experience helped me see just how much this space and my integrity means to me. I was unwilling to compromise and I remembered that sometimes you need to assess what is and isn't worth fighting for.

Experimenting with Photography this summer has been engrossing and fun. I also realized I didn't have to share it all. While getting better at it was something I wanted to do initially to improve my blog photos, playing with it more frequently has opened up a more creative eye and while I love writing, I needed a jolt of creativity in my life lately, something that wasn't necessarily all about Ascending Butterfly.

Happy to bring my favorite feature back and speaking of which, on Monday another favorite feature returns from a long hiatus with a giveaway too, so stay tuned!

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. Nor are there any affiliate links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: Last SUNDAY of the year edition!

Have a Beautiful Sunday, Butterfly Fairy Wings

Butterflies it is the last Sunday before the New Year! So much gratitude and so little time left before a new year begins!

What I am Grateful For:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - YOU! - There has been a weekly moment of gratitude since 2009 in this space, and it's meant so much to me each time you all join in and share with me something you are grateful for. It's been an amazing glimpse into one another's life and I am very grateful for each and every one of you!

From Every Wound There Is A Scar And Every Scar Tells A Story. A Story That Says, I Survived.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SCARS + LIFE! - New Year's Eve before 2012 began I was battling for my life and that was the absolute worst New Year I had ever known. I am grateful for my life of course, grateful to be ringing in another new year when doctor's didn't seem so sure I would. But most importantly that year was a defining moment that taught me how strong I really am. We all think we know what we will think, feel and do in certain situations, but until life puts you to the test, you really don't know. Trials are life lessons that help to uncover hidden strengths.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ASCENDING BUTTERFLY! - In many ways it is hard to say if I've grown into this site or if this site has grown with me. It's probably a mix of both but I'm grateful for every moment of it. It will change in 2014. I am changing in many ways and I'm sure those changes will reflect here. But being a butterfly has always been about transformation. I am excited to welcome in a new phase of my journey and share it all with you!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - VISION BOARD! - I am planning on creating a Vision Board and making my New Year's Wishlist something Visual I can tap into when the day-to-day needs of the present moment try to side-track me from my long term goals.

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GIVEAWAY ALERT:

 New Year, New Jacket!

For all you give to me, I love to offer fun giveaways as a way to thank you all for sharing this journey of gratitude and transformation with me! Our wonderful friends at Wilsons Leather are closing out the year with us and want one of our lucky followers to enjoy a $100 gift card to start the new year with a new jacket, or a new handbag or a new accessory of choice! But much like the lottery you've got to be in it to win it, so be sure to put in your entry HERE ASAP! And if you aren't already doing so, sign up for their newsletter as they host regular giveaways of their own, AND they offer exclusive discounts to newsletter subscribers, so trust me when I tell you that a $100 with them can really go a long way, and with styles for both men and women as well as fashionable and functional accessories, there is literally something for everyone!

                             ˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

I wish each and every one of you a year filled with peace, happiness, love, joy, health, abundance and prosperity. May each new day that unfolds in 2014 bring you something new to be grateful for!

  ˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received? What do you want 2014 to bring?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: My newest #Blogger Brand Ambassadorship, Getting Home and Not Getting Shot and stay away from @Optimum Edition!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - My Newest Blogger Brand Ambassadorship! - I am a member of the Family Arches Community, (You do NOT have to be a blogger to join the community!) and they put out a call for members of the community to apply to become an RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities) Brand Ambassador. The community is over 6,000 members strong and I was one of the bloggers selected to become an Ambassador! My fellow Ambassadors include: Brittany of The Domestic Geek Blog, Melanie from Melanie in the Middle, Meagan of Sunshine and Sippy Cups, and Kathy of Sparkles and a Stove. All of us have made a year long commitment to help support the efforts of Ronald McDonald House Charities and immerse ourselves in volunteer opportunities and fundraising activities for our local houses. We are NOT being compensated for our efforts, and I want to applaud my fellow Ambassadors for making such an incredible commitment of both time and resources to support this cause and help families who are experiencing the stress of having a child in the hospital stay together at such a daunting and emotionally draining moment. This is a labor of love for us all, and I promise to share about our immersion trip to Chicago. I am grateful for the opportunity to be of service, especially since I can empathize with what it feels like to spend a long period of time in the hospital! Touring the hospitals and the houses has a way of putting our own day to day petty problems into perspective that's for sure!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Making it home safe last night! - As a life long New Yorker, this is something I actually never take for granted, it's a dangerous City, but last night cops were chasing a perp and opened fire in a crowded public area, I was on the crosstown bus at the moment and we saw people running and screaming and had no idea what was happening. (After surviving 09/11 many of us on the bus assumed the worst). 2 innocent bystanders were not so lucky and were shot by the officers, not the criminal. And after getting off the crosstown bus to connect to an express bus that takes me home, which I just missed by a hair because the crosstown couldn't get through traffic, the weight of all the stress and pressure I've been under lately hit me, and when I finally got home at almost one in the morning in a City that boasts itself on it's fast and supposedly reliable public transportation, it was all it took to keep myself from just bursting into tears! When I saw the news and found out that two people were shot I thought a bullet could have just as easily hit the bus I was in as we were right in the thick of all the running and chaos. I am grateful I made it home, but am aware that two people didn't. Two people ended up in a hospital shot. Shot by the folks that our parents tell us to trust, a cop. This is a gritty city for sure and sometimes just making it home safely is a lot to be grateful for.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lousy Service! - Sometimes bad people, places and things, help us appreciate the good ones even more. My Cable Company has tested every ounce of my patience this past month as the expensive high speed broadband internet I pay good money for hasn't been working. The tech made me stay home an entire day and NEVER showed, they didn't have the courtesy to call and I'm considering sending them a BILL for not showing. But their lack of professionalism has made me realize it's time to change providers. I should get what I pay for, and if they can't provide it, you can best believe I will find someone who will. When I have called them and contacted them via social media, their actual attitude is 'so we didn't show up, what do you want us to do about that, that's the past.' (the past is Friday by the way). I'd like (1) for the service I pay for to work, (2) when a tech makes an appointment he should keep it or call to promptly cancel 24 hours in advance and (3) I'd like an apology when you f*%k up. Simple as that. So those of you toying with having Optimum Online from Cablevision installed in your home, do yourself a favor and DON'T!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - A very mixed bag of non-stop events that I will recap shortly.

This month is moving super fast and somehow October is almost here!

Stay tuned more great giveaways coming soon!

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 What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

  ˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The like @JLo song says "My Love Don't Cost a Thing" but my time sure does + Hello September Edition!

I know you are probably thinking that's a weird title for our weekly moment of gratitude, but this week's post is more about lessons learned and putting my foot down, it's about schooling others on what I will and won't accept. This isn't my flowery list about happy moments during the week. So if you were hoping for a list of inspiring sunrises, awesome sunsets and hugs, today isn't it. (I give you the chance to run and come back tomorrow if you wish). I do hope that some of these will resonate with you.

Beware of the Spiritual Vampires in your life!

(A) I have CHANGED - I don't know if it's my latest near death experience, the wisdom that comes with age and experience, or a fair mixture of both, but I have less patience and tolerance for 'Spiritual Vampires' lately. I am clearing my personal and professional life of those who want something from me for nothing. Those who just the act of speaking to leave me deflated, un-happy, sad and emotionally drained.

Here are a list of NO's! for this week:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I am not interested in 'hopping on a call' and giving you free social media consulting. I don't want to tell you how to run your event, conference or summit, you are getting paid to do it, and if you want my time you will do the same. Why do people think calling it 'bending my ear' or 'picking my brain' entitles them to free social media consulting? There is a reason that since the moment I started blogging, I made it very hard to find my number on purpose. It helps weed out those seeking the benefits of Social Media Management that they don't want to pay for.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - You go first, stop sending me requests to "Like" your page. When I notice someone has liked my page I go do the same automatically. So sending me a request to go like your page when you haven't yet done the same doesn't work for me. Again, I am back to quid pro quo. Stop asking me for things you yourself aren't willing to do.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - Me offering to share event photos, does NOT give you carte blanche to actually go ahead and remove my watermark and pass my photo off as your own. That's stealing! And don't you just love how the ones that do it, get super enraged when it's done to them?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I will not post your infographic or give your upcoming event 'pre-coverage'. Let's all drop the pretense, stop playing games and call a spade a spade, 'pre-coverage' is ADVERTISING. If you want to advertise, then you will PAY for it. Don't send me a snippy email telling me your infographic is of benefit to my readers. And please stop being dense and telling me I should pay YOU for the work you have put into the infographic and that you are doing ME the favor of not charging me for it. I DON'T WANT IT so don't send it to me and don't expect me to post your infographic, widget or rafflecopter contest for free. No one goes into blogging or any other form of digital media to become a 'free calendar of events' or a free contest notification site, that is certainly not my prime editorial content. Nor is the contest on a website that I am not personally hosting. This is a Lifestyle Blog, not a calendar of events blog, not a post about every contest on the planet blog or a place for you to come for free advertising.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - Don't sign me up for your newsletter just because you have access to my email address! If I want your emails I will sign up for them on my own. I don't sign you up automatically for mine, so please do not send me yours. Handing you my card does not give you the right to add me to a newsletter.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I am NOT required to give any event, fundraiser or Not-For-Profit free coverage or 'pre-coverage' either. I do have charities I am passionate about, but at the end of the day I can't pay my ISP (or any other bill for that matter) with anyone's good intentions, and that includes my own. Your employer doesn't pay you in gum, swag or good intentions and I prefer not to be paid for my time that way either.

So how is (A) something that goes into a gratitude post? Does it sound like a rant instead of a gratitude post? Perhaps to others it might be perceived that way, but as for me I am grateful for the new me that is emerging, a lot about me has changed throughout the past two years, and I am placing a lot more value on my time. And in this case, I do expect the Universe (and those trying to circle my orbit), to rise up to meet ME. There is a reason that the expression 'You can't get blood from a stone' still exists. It's sad that 'nice' is still perceived as stupid.

It still amazes me that a woman who knows exactly what she will and won't accept can still be insulted and offended by others for knowing not only her own mind, but setting the terms by which she will do business. I keep emphasizing that relationships are a two way street. Because when there is all take and no give, it's not a two way street anymore, it's a collision course and that gets both parties no where.

(B) You don't have a budget - I don't have the 'free' time, let's call it an impasse and walk away from the table with civility instead of hostility. I am grateful to have reached a point in my life where I don't have any trouble about being clear about where I stand personally or professionally.

(C) Hello September! - The first day of a new month really does always fill me with possibility, so I greet September knowing that I expect the best possible outcome in all of my endeavors, and invite you all to do the same. Approach this month like you did as a child going back to school sitting at a desk with a brand new clean notebook in front of you. Soak it all up like a sponge (and much like sponge, you can always squeeze out the excess water if it's weighing you down!)

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 We have a winner!

Join me in wishing Congrats to Kathy P. who won our $100 In Bloom By Jonquil Shopping Spree! Kathy's entry was #716!

Just a reminder, some entries were deleted before the rafflecopter draw because they were not following the main entry instructions! Please do the main entry BEFORE doing any other entry so you don't skip the most important step.

Stay tuned more great giveaways coming soon!

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 My Take:

There are brands and PR reps that do get it, and there are bloggers out there that actually ASK before 'borrowing' your photos, and for those people in my life who do show me the appreciation, gratitude and respect I deserve I am grateful for you all beyond measure!

Whether my list of NO!'s sit with you as a list of pet peeves, a meme, a rant or just insights into what drives THIS particular blogger nuts, I'm sure a few of them resonated with you, and I'm sure some of you have your own to add, so please feel free to let me know which resonated with you or which didn't and why, or add some of your own! Don't get me wrong, despite an inbox filled with PR fails and requests for my work and time for free, there is much that I am grateful for this week. Just remember one rule to relationships that never fails, don't expect of others what you are un-willing or un-able to offer or provide yourself. QUID PRO QUO my friends, QUID PRO QUO!

I am grateful for all the negative experiences and abrasive people who rubbed me the wrong way this year, it helped me to appreciate the ones that don't even more.

What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

  ˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Few people want to pay for the truth.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude + Giveaway Winner for the @Ascending1 July Monthly Book Club Title!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ? - These past four days have been so bad, that I have nothing to say. I guess with the year I had last year, I'm supposed to say 'getting one more day', but right now that doesn't feel like much of a consolation or a gift considering this has been an entirely un-bearable past week. Sorry butterflies, usually I'm good at finding silver linings, but I'm just plain not feeling very inspired. So I spent a few days not writing hoping I could find a way to put things in perspective for myself. Hopefully you have been having a better week than I have had and that you have great things to share to be grateful for. Maybe I can find some inspiration in your stories this week.

What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Giveaway Winner:

Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club July 2013 Title

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club is Back and we have a winner for our July title, the winner's name is posted in the rafflecopter widget HERE, please join me in congratulating the winner, entry #14, Anita Yancey!

Please Note: Just a reminder to giveaway entrants, please follow mandatory entry instructions very carefully, some of you are not doing the mandatory entry which means you are not entered in the final draw. We eliminate the entries that do not follow the mandatory entry instructions BEFORE we go to draw the winner which means that those going into the final draw have followed all the entry instructions! (We like to keep things fair!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - UPCOMING GIVEAWAYS!: Our next giveaway is going to be another pick your prize promotion from one of our favorite intimate brand partners, so stay tuned! From Bridal lingerie, to loungewear to beachwear this giveaway will have you covered,

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Our Featured Monthly Handbag in the Spotlight is back too in case you missed July's featured handbag, click HERE. 

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Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!) You don't have to wait until January 1st to buy a new journal. I actually like to re-set my year and re-visit my goals on my birthday instead of new years eve, so make this a birthday gift for your spirit that you give yourself!

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude + Winner Announcement, begining of June Edition!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - June! - I'm so ready to welcome in the new month! For me this new month is filled with new opportunities! As I spent so much time last year in the hospital, this is 'my summer of freedom' and I just can't wait for long summer days, sunshine, and days at the BEACH!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Theatre! - I have a theatre recap coming of a performance I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend!

I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!

What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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Giveaway Winner!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join me in congratulating Selinda M. who is our Gorton's Seafood Prize Pack Giveaway Winner, she was entry #1046! We are working on processing the entries for the Got Milk? Basket winners and will announce them shortly.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Reminder: You must be a public follower for your giveaway entries to be processed, we ended with 1,850 entries and after I deleted all dis-qualified entries we ended with 1,593. I delete all the dis-qualified entries BEFORE I draw a winner. Please double check that you see your avatar and that you are following, and as per instructions do the MAIN entry first before the extra credits. If  you are not a public follower, all entries will be deleted.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And I just want to bust about the upcoming Accessories Giveaway, but I'm going to keep it a surprise until it launches, so stay tuned, you won't want to miss this one!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!):

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude + Active #Giveaway: Happy Cinco de Mayo Edition!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Girl Time! -  I got to spend some time after an event hanging out with one of my favorite bloggy buddies, Milena from beyourbestmom.com, she tagged me on a great post she wrote called the '10 Things I learned this week'. We spent time hanging out at a pub that I had heard the name of, but had never visited, Pig 'N' Whistle (36th Street in New York City). I highly recommend the Calamari there, and I'm pretty picky about my Fried Calamari! It's definitely enough to share! It's actually not far from Macy's, so if you are shopping and want to wet your whistle, I'd definitely recommend them. I get to hang out with such amazing New York City Bloggers, but mostly at events, which means we don't always get a chance to just have girl talk and really connect, so I'm super grateful that Milena and I got to take a moment that wasn't event related to break bread and just talk! (Well it was somewhat event related, because we hung out after an event, that I will recap here soon!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Veg Time! - I spent some downtime catching up on movies I hadn't seen yet on cable, totally dis-connected and just watching some Movies, just what the doctor ordered!

I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!

What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Active Giveaway!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Just in time to get my butterflies ready for swimsuit season, this month's Ascending Butterfly Book Club title is The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy, don't forget to enter, you've got to be in it to win it!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Entries are currently being processed, and we hope to announce a winner soon for the $100 Wilsons Leather Gift Card Giveaway.

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!):

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude! + Active #Giveaway + Winner Announcement!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - A Week of Pampering Fun! -  I got transported to Morocco (for #MoroccanSpaDay check out the tweets!) and I spent a day Getting Gorgeous (at #GettingGorgeous 2013), it's been a fun week of events that will get their own recaps for sure, but they allowed me to take some time for me and reminded me that I don't do that nearly enough! I even got my first Henna Tattoo!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Simple Things! - Time spent with family and spiritual reflection is the exact fuel I needed this weekend, it will help me approach a new week and a growing list of 'to-do's' with a much more positive perspective. It's hard to have it all butterflies, and work/life balance will always be a 'rat race' but downtime and time to recharge is the only way you can really get through it all with a better balance.

I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!

What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Active Giveaway!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - As you know every April is 'It's MY Birthday, But YOU Get the Gifts' time and our current giveaway is for a $100 Gift Card to Wilson's Leather which sells Leather (and non-leather for those of you that don't wear Leather) accessories, apparel, jackets, gloves and more for both men or women, if you haven't already entered, make sure you ENTER, you have to be in it to win it!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In case you missed it, Please join me in congratulating Dawn S. who is Ascending Butterfly's We Take the Cake Giveaway Winner! 

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!):

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: The OH NO they didn't edition!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! NO! NO! -  I have decided NOT to let someone tell me how to operate MY business, trust that more details will be forthcoming, but butterflies I warn you, if you give someone an un-deserved inch, you best believe they will try for that mile, so reign it in at the first and early signs! But I am thankful for the lessons and the chance to see this so called partner's true stripes. I don't suffer fools or hypocrites lightly and this week gave me the chance to cut off some very dead weight. The word NO! seems to keep getting re-played over and over this year!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - I have attended some fun and wonderful events lately and I will be sure to post the recaps as quickly as possible!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - DUH WINNING! - I have received some of the prizes I won recently, and got notification of a few more since my last posts, I won a great Merci Chocolates Prize Pack from a blog contest recently and a $50 Target Gift Card from a Twitter Party! Not only is it fun hosting twitter parties, but I love entering and participating in them too!

Sorry it's been so long since my last Gratitude Post Butterflies, it's not that I haven't had things to be grateful for, quite the contrary in fact, but I have been taking more time away from blogging and social media and giving myself some much needed time! It has been leaving me scrambling to catch up a bit on posts, so this feature got cut for awhile while I got caught up. I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!

What are YOU most grateful for this week Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Giveaways!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ascending Butterfly Book Club will be returning, and our first title will actually a special title for the little ones in your life, stay tuned!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: The Just say NO! Edition!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! -  It's an empowering word, and I can tell you that I have been using it a lot more lately! I've learned the hard way to value time more than money and I am a lot more selective now when it comes to what I take on. Butterflies it's OK to say No, don't worry about people dis-liking you, worry about whether or not saying yes, will make YOU dislike you more! I keep bumping this post because I think it's important to understand the value behind your work bloggers, you have worked long hard hours at building your community, value it!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - New Year New ME! - I have to tell you I am still loving my new hair! I really absorbed Mark's lesson on how to more effectively blow out my hair, because now that I have tried to re-create the blow out at home, this is the first time I've been so happy with my own blow out, it came out pretty darn close! Thanks Mark!

What are YOU most grateful for this week Butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Giveaways!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Entries are being processed for the Jane Iredale Giveaway and a winner will be notified shortly!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html