Posts tagged ‘gratitude practice’
Searching is A Good Way To Review Gratitude
We’ve had 17 days of ideas. That is a lot of information. Let’s take today and do a review about some of the ways we can start, enhance, and grow gratitude in our hearts and minds.
Let’s do a gratitude word search. Each of the words has been mentioned in the past 17 days or will be mentioned sometime this month. As you read each word, see if you can remember the BIG idea associated with it. What did that word have to do with this 30 Days of Thanks Living series?
Go to this link to make your own gratitude word search: shorturl.at/lsK45
Your Turn …
- Did you find all the words?
- Did you remember all the BIG ideas?
- Did you make up your own word search? If you did, be sure to share it here so we can also play along.
Related Posts …
Gratitude BINGO Game Conversation Starter
Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss – a book review
Gratitude BINGO Game Conversation Starter
Next week is Thanksgiving. Many of us are gathering in person or via Zoom to celebrate. Playing games is a great way to pass the time and have fun.
I put together a simple Gratitude BINGO game that is also a conversation starter. Not only is this a fun way to pass the time. We get to know more about each other. And hearing others share what they are grateful for enhances our own gratitude.
If you want to make your own categories, go to this link: https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator
Directions
- Put the following categories on slips of paper. Activity … Book … City … Clothing … Friend … Hero … Music … Nation … Tradition
- Put the slips into a bowl.
- Print the needed number of BINGO cards. There are 30 different cards to choose from. The links are down below.
- Gather markers for the cards, like M&M’s or pennies. Or use a pen or a crayon to X out the squares.
- Pull out a slip and read the category. Have one player share why are they grateful for that thing/person.
- Every player puts a marker on that square on their board. Do not put that slip of paper back into the bowl.
- Pull out the next slip. One person answers it. Everyone puts a marker on that square. And so on.
- The game usually lasts for only 3-4 slips of paper.
These are the free Individual Links to the BINGO cards.
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/1
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/2
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/3
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/4
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/5
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/6
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/7
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/8
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/9
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/10
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/11
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/12
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/13
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/14
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/15
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/16
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/17
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/18
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/19
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/20
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/21
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/22
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/23
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/24
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/25
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/26
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/27
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/28
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/29
https://mfbc.us/m/dyzxg8m/30
Your Turn …
- What games do you play when you gather with friends and/or family?
- Tell us your experience if you play this game.
Related Posts …
Grateful 43 – Games
Finding Laughter: 9 More Ideas to Bring on Laughter (day 14 part two)
Making Gratitude Permanent
Quote Note Book Helps Broaden Gratitude Definition
Words hold power. Certain sentences are worth saving.
This is because we are impacted by the feelings, the insight, or the information they impart. Some of us collect quotes.
- We underline them in the material we read.
- We share them on Facebook and Twitter.
- We find the perfect picture to go with the quote and post on Instagram.
- We write them on random pieces of paper.
- The well-organized, collect the quotes in a WORD document or in a notebook.
I like to periodically reread them. That reminds me of WHY I saved that quote. Then I feel motivated, or more healing happens, or I laugh. In the case of a gratitude quote notebook, the sentences help broaden my view of gratitude.
I am usually one of those that writes quotes everywhere. Sometimes, I write them in a WORD document and then my computer crashes. And then, oh, no, no more quote file. I ‘ve written blog posts with quotes. I’ve even used my naked wood TV tray as a place for quotes.
But now, I want to keep a notebook dedicated to gratitude quotes. I will sort them according to the author’s last name. I even have a place to keep the notebook and pen.
Your Turn …
- If you collect quotes where do you keep them?
- Do you have a gratiude quote notebook?
- Please share a favourite quote or a recent in the comments.
Related Posts …
1. Quotes from “A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman”
2. Favourite Quotes from Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott
3. Why I Put Quotes With My Signature
Smell Your Way To Gratitude
The other day I was listening to NPR about the effect of smell on our everyday lives. One thing it does is help us remember events from the past. A woman called in to say that every time she had a profound life change, (like getting married or having a baby), she changed her perfume. That way whenever she smelled that particular scent, she would remember the happy event.
Normally I don’t associate scents with much of anything. You could say I have an underdeveloped sense of smell. But I thought I would try something new. During November, whenever I write about gratitude, I am going to burn a cinnamon candle.
I already associate cinnamon with pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving. At the end of the month, I’ll let you know if I also think about gratitude.
Your Turn …
- Tell us if a particular scent brings back memories for you.
- Will you try this cinnamon experiment with me?
Related Posts …
Track Gratitude On The Calendar
Write it down, they say. Most gratitude articles say that writing down what we’re grateful for is a helpful practice. They suggest daily activities like capturing three things from each day in a journal or write one thing on a slip of paper and put it into a gratitude jar and reread them at the end of the year. Even writing a weekly list gratitude list is beneficial.
Too hard or too much work? But sometimes those ideas seem like huge endeavors; at least to me. I need a more manageable idea. I have a friend, Denise, who takes this idea and downsizes it. She turns this writing idea into a baby step that even I can manage.
Tiny Planner to the rescue. Denise buys a dollar store purse-sized planner; you know those ones that are like 6″ x 4″. She writes in the day’s space something for which she is grateful. You know how small those spaces are? You are not able to write much; just a few words to indicate a snap shot of the gratitude.
Convenient spot. Denise keeps this planner with her Bible study materials because she sees it every day. You could …
- Keep it in the visor in your car.
- Stash it in your purse.
- Place it in your gym bag.
- Use a magnet to attach it to the inside of your gym locker door.
- Where else could you put it?
Three Rules. Make sure that wherever you keep it you follow three rules. (1) Clip a pen to the tiny calendar. (2) Put it somewhere you will see it every day. (3) And of course, dedicate 30 seconds to writing.
You have 30 seconds. Writing in this planner would literally take 30 seconds or less. Go ahead and try it. Time yourself. And then let us know how long it took to complete this baby step. What do you think?
Your Turn …
Do you write about thankfulness every day? If yes, in what format?
If no, consider using a tiny planner. …… Where will you keep it?
Related Posts …
Choosing Gratitude And Why It Matters
3 Ways to Get More Gratitude Into Your Life
Set Up Your Environment To Encourage Gratitude
We know that many are impacted by their environment. Clutter and dark colours can be especially distressing. Whereas tidy, bright areas bring joy and peace.
Since our environmnet can be so powerful, why not use decor to influence gratitude?
- Put out throw pillows with “Give Thanks” stitched on them.
- Hang a plaque that says, “Be Grateful.”
- Arrange an item on your fireplace mantle that says, “Grateful. Thankful. Blessed. “
- Use festive paper napkins that say the same.
- Wear a tee shirt that has a similar sentiment.
Robert A. Emmons, gratitude researcher and author, wrote Thanks: How The New Science Of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. In it there is a chapter on Practicing Gratitude. He gives us 10 different techniques for developing and experiencing gratitude. Organizing our environment is one way we can do this.
Emmons says “two of the primary obstacles to being grateful are (1) forgetfulness and (2) a lack of mindful awareness.… Awareness is a precondition for gratitude.” Emmons support the idea of using décor to cue us to gratitude. As we carefully observe what’s around us, these cues can lead to thoughts of gratitude.
I want to purposefully put things in my home, office, and car that prompt me towards thankfulness.
- Recently, I bought a picture for my mantel that says. “Let our lives be full of both thanks and giving.”
- This week I will gather six photos from the past year that highlight God’s faithfulness. I will put them in a collage frame.
- I’d also like to do something with the words from the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
Your Turn …
- How does your environment impact you?
- What do you have out that sparks gratitude?
- What will you add to your home/office/car as a visual gratitude reminder?
Related Posts …
9 Environmental Tips to Help Lift Depression
Choosing Gratitude As a Way of Living & Feeling
Questions, Prompts, & Colouring Pages Help Gratitude Flow
Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal has 151 pages. It is written by Lori Deschene. It is an interactive medium to help remind us and to help us reminisce about the things worth appreciating.
I will complete at least one page a week as part of my daily gratitude practice during November. I will also date the page so when I look back I can see when it was done. I probably will not go through the book in order from page 1-151.
Tonight I am doing page 69. The prompt is as follows: I appreciate sleep because …
What an appropriate page. I spent the last hour shopping for a specific sleep aid. My sleep has been especially horrible and I am getting desperate now. I think writing about sleep will be a good way to wind down.
Your Turn …
- Answer the following: I appreciate sleep because …
- What do you do when you have chronic sleep issues?
- Have you ever used an interactive journal as part of your own gratitude practice?
Related Posts …
April’s New Habit is about Sleep
Walk and Be Grateful for Everything
“Gratitude can pull a person out of a slump.” ~ Max Lucado
Being kind, praying for others, and thanking God for people is one way to change our own moods for the better.
Recently, Max Lucado (pastor, speaker, and best-selling author) felt down because of being diagnosed with a heart condition. So he came up with a plan. As Max took a walk, he determined to thank God for everything and every person he saw.
This worked. Max said, “Not only does being friendly and kind make the recipient feel good, but it’s also a health booster for the one bestowing the kindness.”
Being outside is also a mood booster all by itself. So take a walk outdoors, especially if you are feeling blue. And, like Max, determine to thank God for everything and everyone you see.
I usually walk indoors, around the church sanctuary or in the hall at home. It is safer, free from pollutants, I can do this at night, and the flooring is smooth. But I am going to take at least two walks a week outside. Maybe I’ll see some folks that I can greet and smile at.
Won’t you join me?
Your Turn …
- Have you ever noticed that engaging in gratitude can improve your mood?
- Will you join me in walking, praying, and greeting this week?
Related Posts …
Grateful 43 – Things about Walking a 5K
3 Ways to Get More Gratitude Into Your Life
Ten Ways to Practice Self-Care
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Using Photos to Document Gratitude
Cell phone cameras ae amazing. Since we almost always have a cell with us, we have multiple opportunities to take photos. This is especially great when outdoors.
Several of my friends are outdoor enthusiasts. They thrive – emotionally, spiritually, physically, and intellectually – from being outside. They are blessed by and grateful for nature.
One way they express gratitude is by taking photos. And then they share the best ones on social media. They show us photos of birds, flowers, mountains, insects, clouds, and fungi. Because of these photos, I can also feel grateful for nature.
On this second day of Thanks Living, I am purposefully choosing to document gratitude with my camera.
What do you think about this quote?
“God creates the beauty.
My camera and I are witness.”
~ Mark Denman
Your Turn ……
- Do you photo-document your thankfulness for the natural world?
- If yes, show us what you appreciate by sharing a photo.
Related Posts ……
5 Reasons I Love Fall
Grateful 43 – Things about the Ocean
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Making Gratitude Permanent
What comes to mind when you think of November? I think of the following ….
- Crunchy leaves
- Purple and orange anything
- Fuzzy slippers
- Hot chocolate with whipped cream
- Flickering candles
- and of course, Thanksgiving.
This month I am going to add something else, Thanks Living!
I will spend my month reading, crafting, saying, thinking, and doing whatever I can to promote an attitude of gratitude in me and in my environment.
On this first day of Thanks Living, I am purposefully choosing to be a thanks-giver.
I have a bossy Fitbit. Throughout the day, it reminds me to take just a few hundred steps. However, that small amount of movement done multiple times in a day adds up and helps me to get healthier. I’ve decided to pare my steps with thankfulness. Every time my Fitbit buzzes, I will get up and step my way into miles and speak my way into gratitude. I will say one thing for which I am grateful.
Your Turn ….
- What comes to mind when you hear the words Thanks Living?
- Will you join me this month as I build stronger gratitude muscles?
- If yes, what is your first step?
Related Posts ….
Friday’s Fave Five – September 27, 2019
Friday is here and it’s time to recount five blessings from this past week. Read on to see why I do this.
A gratitude practice is “like polishing your nails. If you want them to always look good, you have to keep up with it. Visit the manicurist once and you’ll look great for a week. But if you fail to make a return visit, your hands will soon look pretty grim.” (Deborah Norville)
“Writing a gratitude letter or jotting down what you’re grateful for might make you feel good for a day or a week. But if you don’t keep up with it, Your outlook can become dark.
“If you try it on for size for one month and you notice good changes, you can’t assume those are permanent changes. It takes intentional; effort. It needs to be sort of woven into your daily habits and daily ways.” (Dr. Barbara Fredrickson)
Writing my FFF is part of my weekly habit.
ONE. Airport Pick UP. I went with my brother-in-law to pick up my sister and their daughter from the airport in San Francisco. They had been to Cuba for 18 days. They were there to support a local church. My 17-year-old niece was one of the translators. It was so fun to hear about some of her adventures with food, sites, and cool people. We didn’t talk a lot because it was almost 1am when they disembarked. I am looking forward to photos as both my sister and niece are great photographers. I am grateful they got to go on this trip. They were a blessing and were themselves blessed.
TWO. Donner Lake Day Trip. Normally the women from my church spend a summer day at the beach at San Francisco. This year we went to Donner Lake (near Truckee). It is much easier to get there; none of that horrid Bay area traffic with its tons of pedestrians. Several women asked if we could go there again. YEP!
10 CNC women enjoyed this place. The time sped by. … We walked (and some of us may or may not have gotten lost) … ate … told stories … played dominoes or Boggle … toured the little museum… took photos … read … snoozed … enjoyed quiet time … gazed at the lake. … It was a busy, refreshing, fun day. I am grateful for the time I got to spend in nature and time with women from my church.
THREE. Screenshots. I have finally mastered how to take a screenshot on my cell phone. Before this week, it was hit-or-miss. NOW, however. I can get a screenshot every time. I am grateful when I can learn new things especially when the mastery is harder than I expected.
FOUR. Shows and food. One afternoon, Marsha and I made up a YUMMY salad and then settled in to watch The Good Witch. We finally have only two episodes left. When we finish this series, we will then get to watching The Midwives. I am grateful for a clean show that is pleasant with a touch of suspense. And I am grateful for a friend who likes to watch TV, eat salad, and visit.
FIVE. Critique Group. Twice a month I meet up with my writer’s group. Because of my shoulder, I haven’t been able to write much. But because of this group at least I am writing some. And each time I go, I learn more about the craft of writing. I am grateful for that, and I’m grateful for their friendship.
Leave a blessing or two in the comment section. Or write your own post and link at Susanne’s Living to Tell the Story.
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 