I just read an interesting article about a guy who moved to Manhattan all gung-ho to make it and who became disheartened after a few weeks there when reality set in. (my same experience when I moved there, lol) so on an errand he started counting all the things that made him happy. A Mother walking a baby in a stroller all bundled up, a jet going over (fascination with flying) etc. etc.
He perked up and goes on to become successful in the years to come but always remembered his "gratitude walk".
The article goes on to cite a study with group A) those who counted things that made them happy as they went through their day, B) those who counted the hassles and C) those who just counted the days events.
Not surprising to hear the results...those who counted the things they were grateful for were happier, more productive, healthier, had less vices, were more willing to help others, were more successful, etc, etc.
It got me thinking...remember when gratitude journals were all the rage? Well, I could never keep one because I just cannot seem to journal (which is why I love to blog I suppose...techno-journaling) but I can certainly count things that make me happy. Now, I am a pretty positive person to begin with but I can get frustrated pretty easily too and I have to wonder how many of us take gratitude walks through their life, count hassles or just mark time with what-they-do.
Reading some blogs kind of tells the tale actually...Lol, ouch!
I am going to try to walk around counting the things and focusing on the things that I am grateful for...not just saying thanks in my prayers but in a perpetual state of thanksgiving.
If you want to try it to, I would love if you would email me in a few days and let me know and thoughts, stories or anything that comes out of it....then I'll put together an update post (keeping you anonymous if you wish) and re-post the results.
Come on, humor me! Get busy noticing things that make you happy and being thankful. I want to post a result that our lives were changed subtley or dramatically by just noticing things that make us happy and being grateful for them!
4 comments:
This is interesting that you write this now Steph. When you posted the other day about childhood memories and wondering if your children will remember the wonderful things that you do each day, I thought of posting a list of my favorite memories. I actually have a lot of great memories from when I was three and older! While I have been making that list I also started a list of the things I am thankful for each day. I was going to start posting them on my blog. Neat!
I'm going to try this. I definitely am one of those who counts her day by what she does and accomplishes. A productive day is a good day and an unproductive one a bad day. I am going to work at being grateful and will let you know how it goes.
Great post! I have a t-shirt that has a picture of a glass with water in it. The caption says, "Half Full". You wouldn't believe the number of people who come up to me and ask me what that means. LOL!
Years ago, I started a "Thankful Thursday journal. My Squires do this too. I do have a big dry eraser board, which I write, "Thankful Thursday". Then everyone gets to share something they are thankful for. They all like reading what the others have written.
I'm not a list keeper and I don't worry about how productive I've been. Years ago(19+), my Abuela Caky told me, that my focus should be on my Knight and my children. That everything else comes after. The house will still be around when I'm gone, but the memories we build with our family will linger on. It sounds much better in Spanish. LOL! That really stuck with me.
Yay! I'm glad to see some comments on this...I was thinking earlier that no one was going to do it but me and I already have a post about my doing it!
Let me know Tiffany! I do NOT like unproductive days either, (However productive may be defined for that particular day)...it doesn't have to mean a clean house...it can mean many different things! So I agree that an unproductive day is bad no matter how you define it...
Lady G- My Abuelita never gave me any words of wisdom as I could never understand her broken English, Lol. But she made some MEAN tortillas!! (About 400 by hand weekly and passed them out to family!)
I agree with what you say as well but am careful not to let it become an excuse not to do what we are called to do which is manage our house and be busy at HOME.(so that the word of God may not be maligned) Part of our focus on hubby and kids should be task oriented for comfort of hubby and training of girls to manage their own home well!
Funny you mention your "squires"... that confused me for a moment as Squires is my maiden name!! (step father who adopted us when I was 3, before that it was Lopez!)
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