Gratitude is an Attitude!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

- Melody Beattie -

"Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire, If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary
Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings."

- Author Unknown -

Keep a Gratitude Book,

a notebook in which you write down the events of the day that have given you joy and for which you are grateful. Sit down at a quiet moment each day and write down what you were most grateful for that day. Relish just knowing that you had good in your life, and that no matter the other complications of the day, you found and rejoiced in the things that made it all worthwhile.

"I got out of bed on two strong legs. It might have been otherwise. I ate cereal, sweet milk, ripe flawless peach. It might have been otherwise. I took the dog uphill to the birch wood. All morning I did the work I love… But one day, I know, it will be otherwise."

- Jane Kenyon -

in her poem "Otherwise",
which she wrote after being diagnosed with terminal cancer

Tikkun Olam

An important counter-balance to all the bad news is to focus on specific deeds of care and loving-kindness that directly "repair the world". These acts can tilt the scales, emotionally and spiritually, and support hope and resilience, if not optimism.

Volunteer opportunities abound, and you can also create your own by offering to shop or clean for an elderly or disabled person, by serving meals at a homeless shelter, cleaning a public park or beach, or tutoring a child. These kinds of win/win opportunities can help us feel empowered, recognized, and appreciated.

Kids Korps USA is a resource for getting involved in service.

“To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude."

- Albert Schweitzer -

"The sun will not rise or set without my notice or thanks.”

- Winslow Homer -

"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."

- Sarah Breathnach -

"There are seven sins in the world: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, and politics without principle."

- Mahandas Gandhi -

Cicero said: "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."

We must be the world we
want to create.”

- Mahatma Gandhi -

"We make a living by what we get;
We make a life by what we give."

- Ronald Reagan -

"The Marines in 1/3 are amazing. I saw guys get shot in Iraq and then just laugh about it afterwards. I’m talking these Marines are crazy brave. I saw other Marines not let anyone know of their wounds for days so that they could stay with their men. And of course, I saw some Marines die. The level of courage all these Marines possess is hard to fathom sometimes. These men in 1/3 are the bravest of our generation, and wherever they go, I’m gonna go. I’m a corpsman by trade and a Lava Dog by heart.”

- Tim Gorman -
Petty Officer First Class

Support Operation Gratitude Sending Mail to the Troops.

The Gratitude Foundation

Believing strongly that "to whom much is given, much is required", Ellen Stiefler created the Gratitude Foundation as a means of giving back to those in need. Ellen donates 10% of the profits from the Stiefler Law Group to the Gratitude Foundation every year. Please join us in sponsoring the organizations whose links and information you find below!

The Gratitude Foundation's mission is to foster appreciation and gratitude in the world ; to promote health and wellness for all people ; and to help children get a good start in life .

HELPING CHILDREN

Helping all children get a good start in life is a primary mission of the Gratitude Foundation and purpose of Ellen's life.

Ellen has served on the National Board of Directors of Kids Korps USA for nine years, and was co-president for two years.

Kids Korps is a nonprofit youth volunteer organization which instills in America's youth the spirit of giving while providing valuable education in leadership and responsibility. 

Kids Korps helps children get involved in community service.  Lending a helping hand can make a difference in someone's life. Service and and doing for others gives children a sense of purpose and positive self-esteem.

« Tim works regularly at the Monarch School for homeless and at-risk kids

Ellen and Robby build houses for families in need »

« Gratitude Foundation members Tim, Zack and Robby Stiefler complete a work project.

From the age of six, Ellen was fortunate to attend the world-famous Juilliard School as a violin student.  Now, as an adult, Ellen is privileged to be able to sponsor other young musicians so they can share their beautiful music with the world.  Ellen recently hosted a fundraising event at her home to benefit the San Diego Youth Symphony featuring the talents of these young musical prodigies.

The San Diego Youth Symphony Orchestra

The Gratitude Foundation supports the following other charities to fulfill its mission to help children:

• The Monarch School
• Kids Included Together
• Kids Korps
• Casa de Amparo
• Youth With a Mission
• Rancho Feliz
• See Jane Foundation

Helping children get a good start in life begins at home - Ellen with her greatest blessings - sons Tim, Robby & Zack

The Gratitude Foundation makes grants to organizations that promote health and wellness . Ellen serves on the board of directors of Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine and supports many other health and wellness initiatives.

The Gratitude Foundation supports the following other charities to fulfill its mission to promote health and wellness:

• City of Hope
• Doctors without Borders
• Partners in Health
• San Diego Children's Hospital
• St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

APPRECIATION and GRATITUDE

Freedom is a gift we cannot take for granted. To express gratitude and appreciation for our freedom, the Gratitude Foundation supports the following charities:

• Free the Slaves
• Freedom is Not Free
• Enduring Freedom KIA Fund

Free the Slaves works to eradicate slavery around the world. Freedom is Not Free and Enduring Freedom KIA Fund meet the needs of wounded and injured military personnel, as well as families that have been affected by the injury or death of a loved one serving in the military.

A Grateful Nation

As individuals and a grateful nation, we are deeply indebted to our heroes who put so much on line and even sacrifice their lives so we can be free. Ellen and her sons have had the privilege of getting to know the families of some of the brave young servicemen killed in action in Iraq:

Let these brave heroes never be forgotten .

LCpl Jeremy D. Bow

LCpl David M. Branning

LCpl John T. Byrd, Jr.

Cpl Michael R. Cohen

LCpl Travis A. Fox

Cpl CHRISTOPHER J. Lapka

PFC John Lukac

LCpl JUSTIN McLEESE

LCpl Brian A. Medina

Sgt Rafael Peralta

LCpl Aaron C. Pickering

PFC Andrew G. Riedel

LCpl Michael.P. Scarborough

LCpl richard p. Slocum

Most of these Marines were members of a battalion called the "Lava Dogs" from Hawaii that fought in Fallujah in November 2004.  During the battle, the Lava Dogs found and rescued a tiny puppy they named Lava in an abandoned house.  Listen to National Public Radio correspondent Anne Garrels tell the story of how this tiny puppy boosted the morale and softened the hearts of these war-torn young Marines, or read the book, From Baghdad with Love about Lava's rescue.

At the request of one of these Marines, Jay Kopelman, Ellen started the process to get Lava out of Iraq and worked for fivef months to cut through the mountains of red tape to bring Lava home to sunny Southern California.  After months of "dogged" determination by Helen Woodward Animal Center, IAMS Pet Food Company, National Public Radio , Ellen and many others , this little Iraqi war refugee finally arrived in California in April 2005.  Good Morning America televised Lava's joyous arrival into the loving embrace of Ellen, her son Robby, their Golden Retriever, Lulu, and Jay Kopelman.

Marine Jay Kopelman and Ellen Stiefler welcome Lava to the USA

That any life survived the battle of Fallujah was a Miracle and Lava owes his life to the "Lava Dog" Marines who rescued him and his story should be a tribute to the brave military heroes who didn't make it home and be an expression of appreciation and gratitude for the service and ultimate sacrifice of those heroes.

The Gratitude Foundation has given over $5,000 - $2,500 to Freedom is Not Free. and $2,500 to Killed in Action Fund in the name of the brave Marines listed above who made the ultimate sacrifice. Ellen and her children gave another $2,500 to individual families of Marines who did not make it home.

The Gratitude Foundation also promotes and fosters creativity, invention and self-expression. Specific goals and activities of the Foundation are:

• Providing free or low-cost web-accessible information for creators and inventors;
• Providing free or low-cost assistance with legal and business needs of creators and inventors;
• Providing a web-generated database of information to assist creators and inventors to be able to protect, disseminate, share and reap reward from sharing the products of their creativity and invention with the world;
• Providing lectures and seminars with speakers who educate and inspire;
• Providing affordable workshops to learn new skills and resources;
• Providing peer mentors to creators and inventors.