Gratitude Journal

[itsallgrand]

May I?

 

1) The relationship I have with my brother. That his life is going well and he is happy.

 

2) Feeling secure in my employment. And that I can provide for myself.

 

3) Enough extra money these days where I don't have to worry about every little thing.

 

4) Each and every one of my friends.

 

5) That my father was in my life. His birthday is coming up - it is hard to believe he has been gone as long as he has. I am just so grateful to be HIS daughter. I lucked out with that.

 

6) Clean sheets and a very comfy blanket on a very comfy bed on this chilly fall night. And a place to live that feels like a home; even if it is only myself and the cat here.

 

7) Knowing that though I do have to get up very early and go to work, my co worker will run out and get us coffee and we will have time to ourselves for a while in those wee hours to work and chat before everyone else shows up. I like those early morning chats and I like my co worker not only as a worker - but as a person. That doesn't happen every time and I'm grateful for how it has this time.

[journeynow]

Yes, please do itsallgrand! Gratitude sharing is always welcome. Reading these make me happy because I can imagine them, too.

[mhowe]

I am grateful that:

 

1. I am continuing my mothers legacy of giving to those that need it.

2. That the reconciliation with my bf continues to bring the relationship to new heights.

3. That myself and my siblings have come through the last year stronger and resilient...and forged stronger bonds with each other.

[journeynow]

1. A kind word and understanding from a friend

 

2. My dog companions today

 

3. Dry firewood burning in the wood stove

 

4. This day is done, the unpleasant moments passed, and I don't have to do it again

 

5. An audio book to listen to, and a comfortable bed to sleep in

[journeynow]

1. Gratitude changes things in a very good way

 

2. I found my watch

 

3. My compassionate friends

[itsallgrand]

1. This gratitude journal and it's constancy. JN yourself; for starting it and your calm voice on this forum.

 

2. This new friend - actually my brothers girlfriends mother - there is mutual fondness there. Feels like a warm, lovely addition to the good people in my life. Today she sent me a Christmas tablecloth : she made three, one for each of her daugthers, and one for me. That touched me - that she thought of me and did that.

 

3. The peace I have made with my 'nemesis' at work. Not really; nothing has changed. Except it doesn't upset me anymore. I can let it be and not carry it inside me. I think it's permanent; it's been weeks and weeks now. Win!

 

4. Peace and quiet and a good book before bed.

[mhowe]

1. A beautiful fall day with a walk on the beach.

2. A big bowl of mashed potatoes!

3. How far my life and outlook has come this time last year.

[journeynow]

1. A good night with happy meetings and friendly faces

 

2. Sun, comfortable temperatures, and a great walk

 

3. A fabulous sunset

 

4. My good ol' car

[Silverbirch]

Mashed potatoes with lots of black pepper

chocolate almond milk

[journeynow]

1) Being here, having a life and it's opportunities

 

2) The color blue

 

3) Beautiful weather today

 

4) Gathering with and celebrating with nice friends

 

5) Nice people all around

 

6) Good chili

 

7) Gardening

[journeynow]

1) Even when something goes wrong, there are so many other things that are just right, or even amazing. Thank goodness!

 

2) Found a comfortable and new winter jacket at the resale shop when dropping off books today. Just what I needed at a price I could swing.

 

3) Friendships

 

4) My walk...the road, my feet and legs, the weather, the surprising colors, my canine companion, fresh air, finding time...

 

5) Fage yogurt

 

6) Work

 

7) I can get another season out of my winter tires.

 

8 ) Gratitude companions on eNA

[journeynow]

1) This link removed

 

2) and from that, this: " one of the bigger assignments a challenging person teaches is how painful it feels to be on their receiving end. Let this pain remind you how essential it is to not become anything like this challenging person!"

[journeynow]

This podcast "When somebody says one thing, does another, thinks something else": link removed

 

Putting it here as a reminder to myself to be aware of this, pay attention to all of the messages I receive, not just what I hear.

 

" The key thing is for you to match what you think with what you do and with what you say because as long as you’re doing this, you’re being you ."

 

And the blog post it is based upon (from baggagereclaim.co.uk)

link removed

[journeynow]

1) Daylight hours these days that are getting shorter and shorter

 

2) Getting outdoors day or night

 

3) Freedom

 

4) Everything else. It's a good day.

[journeynow]

1) this clear night

 

2) and bright moon

 

3) water under the bridge (Literally. Walked over a foot bridge in the moonlight and the sound of water under the bridge was soothing and peaceful and lifted me out of an down state of mind. I let the feeling of peace settle in, tension dropped away, and I chuckled at the expression "water under the bridge". I hadn't thought of it as a tranquil expression before.)

 

4) the well made (and designed) foot bridge I enjoyed this evening. Perfect sport for it.

 

5) positive news from my dentist

[journeynow]

1) A roof over my head on a rainy windy night

 

2) Sleeping a full 8 hours

 

3) Hearing, Seeing, Touching, Smelling, Tasting

 

4) Breathing just fine

 

5) Companionship

 

6) Solitude

[Silverbirch]

starry nights

the sounds of crickets, cycattas, frogs and the night sounds of nature.

[luminousone]

Today I am thankful for:

 

Great friends near and far

A cozy warm bed on a cold chilly morning

Yummy fresh crisp sweet and tart apples

My family

A nice clean house

[journeynow]

Kind and generous folks who share creativity and inspiration online. A few of my long-time favorites are

 

Danny Gregory link removed

 

Roz Stendahl link removed

 

Nina Johansson link removed

 

And the Google Art Project where you can explore museums around the world. link removed

[Silverbirch]

My special ENA friends!

[journeynow]

My special ENA friends!

 

^I agree, Silver!

[journeynow]

Gratitude and Thankfulness are both good, but are different.

Gratefulness enables us to find peace in all circumstances by freeing us from resentment. As long as we are merely thankful, we give thanks for what we perceive to be beneficial, yet we retain the lurking fear that something harmful may come our way instead. To be grateful is more. It is our courageous trust that life itself – kind or harsh, happy or sad – is good, if only we receive it as gift. The gift is the opportunity either to fully accept or to change what the moment brings.

 

link removed

[90_hour_sleep]

Hey JN,

 

I'm curious how this journal has affected your life. Have you noticed a significant change in how you view the world?

[journeynow]

Hi 90,

 

Yes, practicing gratitude has had an significant affect. I'm happier, more relaxed, more optimistic, and live in a "better" world, if that makes sense.

 

When starting this project, I was reading "Buddha's Brain" by Rick Hanson, which talks about how the brain is wired to recognize and remember negative events, and even repeat them through imagination. Positive and negative events are retained differently by the brain. A negative event can be very brief but it's impact on memory can be strong. A positive event, in order to have a strong impact on memory, needs to be experienced longer than a negative one. I hope I'm explaining that right. Practicing gratitude is a way retaining more of the positive, and the brain makes more positive associations as a result. That's been true for me.

 

It may appear that sometimes I'm fishing for things to be grateful about, but in reality when I stop to notice gratitude of even the simplest of things it comes with an amazement of things around me, plus an appreciation for the actions, events, people, luck, or whatever, that has made them possible. I realize that nothing in my life is here because of me alone, that I am connected to innumerable people extending in all directions here and now, and back into the past. And not just people, but all of life.

[Silverbirch]

And I'm grateful for your Gratitude Journal JN because it has helped me too when my mind gets caught up in the things I want and I have forgotten the good things I do have.