Posts tagged ‘cultivating gratitude’
Friday’s Fave Five – October 27, 2018
“In our world of greed, people measure success by accumulation. Christians [should] measure it by appreciations. We’re thankful for what we have, understanding that ‘a merry heart has a continual feast,’ Proverbs 15:15.”
Having a conditional feast sounds like a great way to live; so here are five appreciations from my last week. If you want to join this Friday meme. go to Susanne’s place. There is plenty of room.
ONE. Pizza and Pictionary. Once a year or so, the women at my church gather for a game night. This time we added pizza. YUMMY! I am a terrible drawer, and I do mean terrible. And I am not so hot at guessing, either. So I wasn’t expecting to really enjoy myself that much. BOY, was I WRONG! There were many times of laughter, deep belly laughter. Endorphins flowed all night long.
TWO. Pumpkin Patch. My daughter and I joined my daughter-in-law and her three kiddos at a pumpkin patch in Petaluma (1hr, 45mins away). On the way up I listened to my audio book. My son joined us later in the afternoon. We stayed there 4 hours, playing in a corn kernel pit, running through the hay maze, taking a tractor ride, eating lunch, milking cows and climbing tall stacks of hay bales. Then we went to a local brewery for dinner. Their nachos were so TASTY! There were many photo ops, lots of hugs, and many smiles.
THREE. Reverse Trick-or-Treating. I want to get to know my neighbors, so I spent two evenings going to their doors giving THEM treats. Although I was extremely nervous and my first night didn’t work out so well, I did persevere. Read this post to see what happened.
This is a sample of what I left by the door, when no-one answered.
FOUR. Audio Books. I listen to audio books when I drive a lot or when I get fed up with getting in my daily steps. Last week I was in the “fed up” stage and so listened to Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Talk about plot twists! This is not the normal kind of book I read. It was on Reese Witherspoon’s book club choice for September.
FIVE. #Write31Days. I wrote 6/7 posts for my series on Acts of Kindness. I hope to get caught up this weekend. What I wrote last week . . .
Friday’s Fave Five October 12, 2018
Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. ~Anne Lamott
The week always comes and goes so quickly. If I don’t pay attention, the blessings come and go just as quickly. So I stop and think about them. Join some of us who do that on Friday’s at Susanne’s place.
ONE. Holiday visit. I was able to spend time with family in Berkeley. We created (a Popsicle puzzle as a present for daddy), played (at Blake Garden), snuggled, and talked. It was a fun, busy holiday.
My youngest granddaughter is learning to scoot (mainly backwards), and eat finger foods. I have to smile when I am around her.
TWO. Bullet proof coffee. I have enjoyed a cup many days, Besides the soothing warmth it brings to a morning, it is a great way for me to get collagen into my diet.
THREE. Getting up to speed. The air quality is much better now that CA fires are mostly contained. Therefore, I’ve been able to walk outside. I am not up to my 14,000 step goal, but I am almost at 9,000 steps daily. It is amazing how quickly you can lose exercise-ground when you don’t do it.
It is always a joy to cuddle, especially with grandchildren
FOUR. Audio books. When I don’t walk with someone, I frequently listen to an audio book. This week I finished Slim by Design:Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life by Brian Wansink. The author and his team experimented with mostly easy to implement tweaks we could all make to help us eat a better diet in our various environments (home, office, school, and in the restaurants/grocery stores we frequent the most). Check out their website and also check out the book. I bet you’ll get an easy tip or two to help you eat more mindlessly like slim folks. And if you already eat that way, you can get tips to share.
FIVE. Pandora. There are times when I want to listen to background music (I usually like it quiet). For those times, it is great to have Pandora. I can choose the station that best fits my mood. This morning it is piano-dominated pieces.
Your Turn . . . What are your fave blessings from this week? It will encourage you to share and it will encourage us to read it.
Friday’s Fave Five – September 28, 2018
“It is easy to forget how blessed we are! Maintaining an attitude of gratitude is something we need to do on purpose.” Joyce Meyer
It is time to tell about this week’s fave five blessings. Join us here.
ONE. Delicious food.
- Veggies. Friends gave us some produce (purple egg-plant, yellow and green striped zucchini, and plump red tomatoes) from their garden. I oven roasted them. My daughter and I ate them all in one go. So of course, I made another batch.
- Pudding. While in Berkeley last weekend, my daughter (Elizabeth) bought 8 beautifully shaped, big avocados for $0.80 each. (STEAL!) This week she made dairy-free chocolate mousse with the avocados. Wow, our taste buds were so happy. We need more avocados so Elizabeth can make another batch.
TWO. Two art projects. It didn’t work out for us to go camping, so Elizabeth and I spent the weekend in Berkeley with my son and his family. When I am a good grandma, I bring art projects for us to do. This time I was a GREAT grandma as I brought two projects for us to do.I brought a Crazy Character Make-a-Face sticker pad. First, we used the stickers the traditional way by adhering the facial body stickers on the paper faces. Then Elizabeth had us put the stickers onto our faces. This was hilarious.
I also brought a kit where we poured plaster-of-paris
magnets and then painted them. The whole family (minus the baby) participated in the magnet art. Of course my grand daughters were thrilled with us 4 grownups doing the same thing as them.
THREE. Small groups at church. Last Sunday was our kick off. There are 8 groups doing one of 3 topics (The Art of Neighboring, Acts and The Shack). It is so exciting to see the church connecting in this way.
My small group also started up. This week was an overview of our new book. And since we already know each other, we didn’t have to spend a lot of time on getting to know you activities. Instead we made cards. I think it is awesome to help ladies see that they TOO can create. It is not an innate talent.
FOUR. Critique Group. I’ve been part of a bi-weekly writing group for about 8 months. We send each other our work and then meet to go over our suggestions. My writing has improved and I’ve been more diligent about sitting down at the keyboard. Now that #Write31Days is almost here (starts October 1st), it will be good to have this encouraging group, of talented writers backing me up.
My series will be: The Kindness Diary: Exploring 31 RAK’s.
FIVE. PEP Notes: Encouragement Through Cards. 8 ladies and I wrote notes to the folks in our church who are 55 years and older. We call that group P.E.P 55+. PEP stands for People Encouraging People. We finished before 2 hours elapsed. That is the first time we’ve gone through all the names in one sitting. We even had time to chat and eat snacks.
Posts I Wrote This Week: Fun Fall Bucket List 2018
Books I Read This Week:
- How We Eat With Our Eyes and Think With Our Stomach: The Hidden Influences That Shape Your Eating Habits by
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Your Turn . . . What brought you joy through shared experiences, laughter, and encouragement?
Friday’s Fave Five September 21, 2018
A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude. ~ Bruce Wilkinson
It’s Friday and time to spill my blessings – just five, though, from this past week. Join the gang at Living to Tell the Story.
ONE. All Church Camping Retreat. These are some of the ladies I laughed with. I dyed my hair with lavender dye. Can you see it? I am in the back, on the right.
TWO. Computing again. Last week my computer broke. This week I have a new computer with office suite and I figured out which printer to use. I also started using a mouse again. I FORGOT how much I LOVE using one.
THREE. Our group packed 17 Operation Christmas Child boxes. We’ve been collecting things year round. I wanted to see what we have and what we need. One lady gave us 3 soccer balls and pumps and a bunch of little toys. Next time we will fill 12 plastic OCC boxes like the one pictured below.
FOUR. Tile. I received a tile for Christmas and I LOVE it. I use it to find my keys and my cell phone. This device has been a life saver at least once a week.
FIVE. Successfully Serving your Aging Congregation Seminar. We learned about health. legal and housing resources. … I learned that there are SEVENTY types of dementia, … I want to read these two books on dying better: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande and When Breath Becomes Air: What Makes Life Worth Living in the Face of Death by Paul Kalanithi. … And the below quote is well worth listening to, Depression is not normal aging! This was reiterated by a speaker who is geriatric psychiatric,
THANKS for reading. Be sure to comment on YOUR fave blessings or a reaction to something I shared. … Sorry, I am not very chatty this week. 😉
Friday’s Fave Five – Sept 14, 2018
“It’s easier to make your way if you choose your own soundtrack”
~ My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry
Today my sound track is. “My Favorite Things” sung by Julie Andrews. I am linking this post to Friday’s Fave Five at Living to Tell the Story. Don’t feel pressured to answer my questions. I do hope you’ll reflect on your own faves, though.
ONE. Book. I finished My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by
And it affirms the power of grandmothers: “Having a grandmother is like having an army. This is a grandchild’s ultimate privilege: knowing that someone is on your side, always, whatever the details. Even when you are wrong. Especially then, in fact.”
Your Turn . . . Do you know the power of chocolate and/or grandparents?
TWO. Birthday Fun. We celebrated my niece’s birthday. And like all birthday celebrations we had an ice cream waffle breakfast. We also had a birthday dinner with friends. Happy birthday to my much-loved Samantha. Your Turn . . . What is a fun birthday tradition you have?
THREE. Book Club. We met this week and discussed Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth.
Wolgemuth lists 45 lies but emphasizes that there are probably more. Reading and then talking about these lies helped me to SEE the lies I believe. I appreciated that the author included the antidotes to the lies – the Truth (found in Scripture).
Your Turn . . . How have you countered lies that you believe?
FOUR. Lemon Cucumbers. My one vine is still growing in my standing garden. One vine is more than enough for a family of two. … This tennis ball-shaped vegetable is lemon coloured with no lemon taste. It is crunchy and does not cause me to burp. It is often seen in ethnic Indian markets. Your Turn . . . Do you have a standing garden?
Five. Cake. Do you know that there are kiddos in America who don’t get a cake on their birthday? That is why #Cake4Kids was created. This non-profit organization bakes and delivers birthday cakes to youngsters in the foster care system and to at risk youth. My daughter and I delivered our first cakes (chocolate, of course). This first go around we both were asked to bake vegan cakes.
This is my daughter’s cake. We made the same cake just decorated differently. It’s a vegan, gluten free, chocolate cake with vegan buttercream frosting.
I am learning so much … vegan cake … dirty icing … marbled frosting … chocolate letters … piping designs … and a bench scraper. … And this is just the tip of the information iceberg. Your Turn . . . What is your favourite birthday cake?
Friday’s Fave Five
It’s time to share my five favourite blessings from the week gone by. Hopefully something I share will spark a gratitude memory or you’ll learn something you can use. I am linking up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.
ONE. Quote. I finished “An Acceptable Time” by Madeleine L’Engle. It is the last book in the Wrinkle in Time quintet. A fave quote is as follows: “From this moment on, your behaviour must be such that when you go to bed at night you will be happy with what you have done during the day.” The Bishop said this to Zachary. … I like the idea of reviewing my daily behaviours to make sure I have done well.
Your Turn . . . Do you save quotes? Do you have a quote to share?
TWO. Afternoon Nap. Twice I was able to take a nap. This is such a treat especially since I don’t always sleep well at night.
Your Turn . . . When was the last time you had a nap? Is a nap torture or a treat?
THREE. Walk. These past summer months our area has been overwhelmed with smoke from the fires that surround where I live in northern CA. Therefore, I haven’t done much walking. Finally this week, I am back on track to getting my daily steps in. I sleep better and my blood sugar is better.
Your Turn . . . What are you doing to take care of your health? Is it going well?
FOUR. Small Group Leaders Meeting. Our church is starting a church wide small group campaign. We are going to read “The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door by
Your Turn . . . What was the last small group book you read? How did it make a difference in your life?
FIVE. Rotisserie Chicken. Sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking. That’s when “easy” foods are a blessing. Rotisserie chicken is easy food to buy and use. I ate it straight from the bird for the fist meal. I will strip the chicken and make 2 more meals: chicken curry and chicken soup.
Your Turn . . . What is your easy food and why?
Answer one question or answer them all. Or answer none. I hope you do take time to think about your blessings from this past week.
Friday’s Fave Five – December 1, 2017
It has been several weeks since I have participated in Friday’s Fave Five. I’ve been on a vacation and then settled back in. Now I am settling back into the routine of writing my Fave List. To join us go to Susanne’s blog, Living to Tell the Story.
One example of something beautiful. I hope to do a post soon of fave sights.
ONE. Vacation. I don’t normally take an extended vacation in November. But I had the pleasurable opportunity to spend time in Madrid, Barcelona, and on a cruise in the Mediterranean. Highlights of the trip included Scotti’s skill in finding us unbelievable deals for airfare and the cruise … architectural and historical delights in each place we visited … making friends on the cruise … eating delicious food withOUT gaining any weight … spending time with Scotti and Cheryl (a new friend) … and time away to grieve the loss of a long time friend. I am grateful for these new experiences, time with friends (old and new) and time alone.
Mary and I were thrilled to be a part of this ministry and opportunity to strut our stuff.
TWO. Thanksgiving. In the morning, my walking buddy and I walked a 10K in Run to Feed the Hungry with 29, 117 others. Then we went home to our families. Like many others, we had delicious food (some old time faves and a new recipe: Apple Pumpkin Dump Cake (gluten free) and time with loving family. Everyone was able to be at my sister’s home this year and that is always meaningful. I am grateful when we all visit to play, catch up with life and get to know each other better.
THREE. Grandma time. I was able to spend a full day at my son’s home. We did an art project, visited a nearby carousel that was decorated for the holidays, and then decorated their home for Christmas. I am grateful when I get to participate in their life.
We had this treat at San Gines. It is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
FOUR. Auntie time. While in Spain we had hot chocolate and churros (twice). I brought back chocolate for my sister’s three girls. On Sunday we made up a batch of the hot chocolate. My daughter and I brought over Taco Bell churros and french fries for their family and us to try with the hot drink. The taste experience was a fail: the chocolate was not THICK like we had in Spain and the churros were not great. This was the 1st time I’d had an American churro. In Spain they are salty and doughy. But the time together was FUN. And I am grateful when I get to try new things with them.
FIVE. Decluttering. I am continuing on that goal. When we put out the Christmas decorations, my daughter helped me to rearrange my priorities (declutter) regarding the boxes and boxes of decorations. I am mostly done with that task. I read that more decluttering happens at the Holidays than any other time. I am grateful my daughter is able to help with the decluttering process and that she likes to decorate for Christmas as much as I do.
BONUS: Instead of shopping on Black Friday, my daughter, a friend (Rachel) and I went for a hike. We celebrated #OptOutside and #GreenFriday. I am grateful that I tried something new and that it was an active something new.
Your Turn … Please share what made your list this week.
What I Wrote Last Week … Apple Pumpkin Dump Cake (gluten free) … 40 Days Until 2018 – What Will You Do?
What I Finished Reading … War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and Year of No Clutter: a memoir by Eve O. Schaub
Related Post … Decorations Can be Emotional Bombs
Friday’s Fave Five October 27, 2017
I am going on vacation on Sunday. With packing, finishing up things at work, decluttering, writing my decluttering and #wWrite31Days posts and dealing with asthma/allergies, I thought I didn’t have time to write my weekly 5 Blessings post. I am glad I rethought that idea and put this together. To join us for Susanne’s Friday’s Fave Five, go here.
ONE. I finished my series of 43 gratitude prompts. Go here to see why I was grateful for this writing endeavor. I am going on vacation and won’t be back until mid-November. So I decided to do my gratitude project early.
These are the boxes I collected for this year. As you can tell, I LOVE this ministry.
TWO. Operation Christmas Child Boxes. Since I am going on vacation on Sunday and coming back after our church collects the boxes, my OCC sewing group met to finish up odds-and-ends for the boxes. We also made sure the boxes were FULL and put the rubber bands and labels in the correct spot. Our OCC group made enough items and our church collected enough items to fill 47 boxes. This is even before individual church members fill up their own boxes.
THREE. Last movie of the year. Every 5th Tuesday (which happens 4 times a year), the senior group from church watches one of Pastor Mike’s favourite movies. This past Tuesday 20 of us watched Breaking Away. While the language is naughty, there are some worthwhile themes to ponder. We also laughed, chatted and ate some tasty snacks together. We had our movie on the 4th Tuesday because of scheduling conflicts.
FOUR. Decluttering. I have stayed true to my 31 minutes a day of decluttering. I am actually seeing progress. Now I am getting down to the hardest layer to declutter: Christmas items, books and art/crafts supplies. Since I am going on vacation, I will finish up my decluttering series for #Write31Days in mid-November. I can’t write them ahead, because I need to declutter for each post, too.
FIVE. Unexpected time with family. I have been advertising on my Facebook page what our OCC group is collecting and making for this year’s boxes. Two folks not associated with my church contacted me and donated items. One lady is my precious niece, Jennifer. We haven’t seen each other in a year. So we met up at Chick-Fil-A, made the handoff and the five of us had linner together. She is a patient, happy mommy and has a caring, generous heart.
Your Turn . . . Share what tops your gratitude chart for this week.
WHAT I WROTE LAST WEEK . . .
#Write31Days Series
- Books on Decluttering
- Using a Declutter To-Do ListDay 21 –Dealing With “I Might Need It Some Day”
- Know Your Decluttering Purpose
- Decluttering Doesn’t Have To Be Linear; You Can Zigzag
- Grateful 4 3 Reasons about Decluttering
- There is No Perfect Moment to Begin
43 Days of Gratitude JOURNAL Prompts
- I am grateful for three things in my house.
- I am grateful for three things in my office.
- I am grateful for three things in my car.
- I am grateful for three musicals.
- I am grateful for three things about my daughter-in-law.
- I am grateful for three things that will happen soon.
- I am grateful for these three things from this series.
Friday’s Fave Five October 6, 2017
“Real life isn’t always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgement of what is working in our lives can help us not only to survive but surmount our difficulties.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach
I am linking today’s gratitude post to Friday’s Fave Five. I hope you join us or leave a comment to share what makes your gratitude list. Here are mine.
ONE. Family time. My daughter and I drove to Berkeley and spent a day with my son and his family. We had a blast: crafts, photos, dinner, chatting, Mary Poppins with popcorn, and snuggles with the two grand daughters.
TWO. Breakfast/Farmer’s Market with Bip & Lori. We’ve wanted to meet up since August. This was the earliest that all of us could get together. And it was worth the wait! We talked, moaned, encouraged, laughed, and connected.
THREE. Gratitude 43. I am on day 24/43 for my gratitude practice. I’ve picked some topics and I write three reasons I am grateful for that topic. I have been faithfully pondering and writing. And I feel that my gratitude level has been upped.
FOUR. Writing date. My daughter has joined me in #Write31Days. Her topic for the month is “How backpacking has enriched my daily life.” This week we had two writing dates. It was encouraging to spend a couple of hours (each time) with a writing buddy at a local coffee shop so we could dedicate time to our blogs.
FIVE. Heating pad. A heating pad is great “medicine” for a hurting back.
Your Turn . . . Share what tops your gratitude list.
What I Wrote This Week . . .
- MORE vs less: Check the Expiration Date – it’s not what you think
- Grateful 43 – Things in my Bathroom
- MORE vs less: 7 Fears Contribute to Clutter
- Grateful 43 – Books
- MORE vs less: Does This Belong in My Dream Home?
- Grateful 43 – Ever-Present Things.
- MORE vs less: How to Think Clutter-Free
- Grateful 43 – Lessons I’ve Learned This Year
- MORE vs less: 31 Days of Decluttering – Introduction
- Grateful 43 – Recipes
- Grateful 43 – Office Supplies
- Grateful 43 – Things about my #MultiplyCNC Small Group
Related Post . . . 43 Days of Gratitude JOURNAL Prompts
Friday’s Fave Five August 11th, 2017
This purple yam ice cream with small chunks of cheese is a delightful discovery. My daughter bought it at a local Asian market.
This week has flown and it is already time to look for five highlights. It is time to count some blessings.
“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” ~ Eric Hoffer
ONE. Ube Ice Cream. Trying new foods is such a fun and simple joy. This particular Ube (purple yam from the Philippines) ice cream is ube queso (with cheese). It is surprisingly good.
TWO. Memorial Service. A much beloved woman, Alice Gibbons, went home to her Saviour. Besides being a caring wife, mom, grandma, friend, (ETC), she was also a pioneer missionary (from the C&MA) in Papua, Indonesia for 40+ years. Alice and her husband, Don, mainly served the people of the stone aged tribe Damal. Alice wrote 2 books, although I have only read one, The People Time Forgot. Her legacy and example will live on as will the sacrifice and love she gave to many, many people.
THREE. Friend Time. My friend, Pam, went with me to Alice’s memorial service which was held in Paradise, CA (Pam’s hometown). Pam moved to SoCal last year and so I haven’t seen much of her. We spent a lot of time talking, eating yummy food, and then seeing Wonder Woman. I can see why Wonder Woman got so many rave reviews.
FOUR. Excursions Planned. One other thing I did in Paradise was visit with another friend, Scotti. We are going on a cruise in the Fall (starting in Madrid, Spain and ending in Barcelona, Spain). We finalized our six excursions. I cannot believe I get to do this!
FIVE. Crisis Intervention Training. I had the opportunity and privilege of attending a three-day course with first responders about . . .
- Understanding the basic symptomology of mental illnesses
- Considerations and tactics for communicating with mentally ill subjects
- Importance of self-care
- Identifying signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Reviewing healthy coping habits for first responder stress and self-care
I was reminded again of how much stress and sacrifice law enforcement personal and police chaplains go through. I was reminded again of how thankful I am for these folks in my community.
Note: I am a pastor and church chaplain. I am grateful for this training because I gained information on how to deescalate a potentially threatening situation and the importance of self-care.
Your Turn . . . Leave a comment, please. Or write your own Friday’s Fave Five and link up at Susanne’s place.
What I am reading . . .
- I finished Northanger Abbey and am almost finished with The Jane Austin Book Club: A Novel by Karen Joy Fowler.
- Why Austen books? I am participating in the Austen in August reading challenge.
What I Wrote This Week . . .
Friday’s Fave Five July 14
ONE. One-year-old birthday. My youngest grand-daughter is now one. Sienna has a mellow, happy, busy attitude. Mama made her a watermelon cake because Sienna doesn’t prefer sweet. So this cake was very appreciated by our one-year-old. I’ve never had a fruit cake before and I must say I also appreciated it. EDITED TO ADD: Here is the watermelon cake recipe.
The tire is completely gone.
TWO. Two flat tires. How is this a fave? On the passenger side both tires went flat … while I was going west on Hwy 80 … at 65 miles an hour … where traffic was congested! I didn’t hurt myself, anyone else, or my car – other than tires and a rim. … The other tire lost all the rubber but there was no damage to that rim.
The two sisters have matching outfits and LIKE it.
THREE. Three matching dresses. My 4-year-old grand-daughter picked out items for an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. … I bought 3 matching tee shirts (2 size 4’s and one 12 months) and 1 yard of material. A friend (Lucy) turned the tee shirts into dresses. … One of the 4T dresses will go into the box. … I snapped a photo of my two grand daughters in the other dresses. And I will include that photo with a note in the box as well.
I will make this for Cheryl soon. This is actually a photo of Sienna’s birthday cake.
FOUR. All play and no work for four. Last Sunday the women’s ministry team met just to play, (Bip, Cheryl, Lina and me)! We’ve never done that before.
We had a lovely BBQ, garden grown veggies, and potluck. One of the fave dishes was an asparagus salad (with LOTS of avocado). I bought red skin potato salad from the store and it was surprisingly tasty.
We each gave a one minute speech about something we are passionate about. And we ended our time in the pool. It was a refreshing, encouraging, fun time.
Share your fave moments from this week. Share them in the comments or on your blog.
FIVE. (almost) Five hour meeting with a mentor. I met my mentor, Nancy, in Modesto last week (half-way point for both of us).I had 14 questions I wanted her input on. She said she had all the time I needed. I was so surprised that we talked and prayed for almost 5 hours.
One of the cool things is that she brought up topics, before I did, that were on my list. I.e. How to stay “topped up” for ministry … Chaplain hints (she has been a chaplain for many, many years and I am starting such a program at my church) … and how to love God better.
One way that helps me to love God better, is to stay consistent with a gratitude practice. Friday’s Fave Five is one thing I incorporate into my gratitude practice.
Your Turn . . . Leave a comment about a fave or anything you read.
What I Wrote this Week . . .
5 Items to Include on Every Bucket List: More Gratitude
When I choose a thankful outlook, I can have freedom from negativity’s grip.
What do you think everyone ought to have on their bucket list? I think having activities that cause personal growth are key. Thus I have written this series.
- Sunday’s post was an introduction to this series.
- Next Sunday’s post is about Loving God Better.
- Today’s post (Tuesday) is about incorporating MORE GRATITUDE into life.
Do you have a gratitude practice? Having an ongoing, grateful attitude lessens the strangle-holds from fear, worry, and pessimism. We are then free to choose peace, positivity, and proactive actions. It is no secret that practicing gratitude is good for your health, your relationships, and your success.
Related Internet Articles.
- Can Gratitude Improve Health? . . . The Health Effects of Gratitude
- Why Gratitude is Good
- Gratitude Can Change Your Life
How to do this . . .
ONE. Participate in internet memes like Friday’s Fave Five. In this weekly post you share five things from the previous week for which you are grateful. Doing this mental exercise helps you focus on the good. This is especially helpful when it has been a tough or even just a blah week. Did you know that you get a mood boost by READING such a list others write? So double for your effort: write your own list and then read the lists of others.
TWO. Write in a gratitude journal: daily, month end recaps, or whenever the mood strikes. Many people end their day by writing down 3 good things from their day. For Lent one year I wrote in a gratitude notebook every night before bed. Read my post on 3 Benefits of Month-Long Gratitude-Fest.
THREE. Photograph your gratitude. Join others in a year long journal of photographing a daily blessing. Or be like me and do a month-long photographic journal of blessings. At the bottom of this post are links to the photos I took.
FOUR. Read up on the subject. Especially find out how practicing gratitude benefits your life. I have a small library of books on gratitude. Here is one link, Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss – a book review. There are at least 3 other books that have made a huge impact on me. I will do a review on these soon. Check out this link: 11 Children’s Books to Instill an Attitude of Gratitude.
FIVE. Hang around others who have a grateful spirit. Do you know someone like that? Interview them to find out the why and how of their gratitude practice. Make it a point to let their gratitude outlook rub off on you.
SIX. Look for mentors from books who have “gratitude” attitudes. One book on my list is Pollyanna. But on further reflection, does she exhibit gratitude or a positive attitude? I need to reread this book to find out more clearly. I asked friends to chip in with their ideas and below are some of their answers.
- Anne Shirley in “Anne of Green Gables”
- Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tiny in “A Christmas Carol”
- Celie in “The Color Purple”
- Charlie in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
- Jamie Sullivan in “A Walk To Remember”
- Sam Gamgee in “Lord of the Rings”
- Can you list any other characters that fit this criteria?
For some of the above and others from the original list, I need to go back and (re)read the books to determine if it is gratitude at work or positivity. I think this would be a good project for me. I will report back on my conclusions.
Your Turn . . .
- Are you a grateful person? How do you keep that as an ongoing trait? What are some of the benefits?
- What would you add to this list?
- What will you add into your life to help you notice and express the good in life more often?
Related Fruitful Words posts . . .
Fruitful Words 