Today begins my apprenticeship in gratitude training. You’ve most likely read advice about how to be more grateful and it usually centers around keeping a gratitude journal. Honestly, I’ve never made it even an entire week doing that! What happens is that it’s time for bed, I’m tired and sleepy and realize, “Oh, damn, I haven’t written in this wretched journal!” In other words, it becomes a chore, which isn’t conducive to sincere gratitude. So, I’m trying something new but before I explain, see my first recorded reason for gratitude below …
Aren’t they gorgeous?
So let’s get started on why (I hope) this time my gratitude practice will be different. It begins with Pam Grout’s book Thank and Grow Rich.
What I Dislike About This Gratitude Book
#1: She damages her book by political references. For instance, she talks about sitting in Chick-fil-A – and then has to mention that’s before she boycotted it. That diminishes her writing and it’s not because I agree or disagree with her views. What I don’t like is that I bought this book to learn about gratitude, not politics. WHY DOES POLITICS HAVE TO INVADE EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF OUR LIVES?
#2. She makes several disparaging remarks about money. Yet she mentions such goodies as zip lining in the Dominican Republic and eating fresh-caught barbecued lobster at a resort. So we can conclude that she doesn’t exactly live in poverty. An affirmation I read recently sums up the money topic perfectly: “Money is not everything but money makes things better”. Amen to that.
What I Like About This Gratitude Book
Having said all that, Thank And Grow Rich is a treasure of a book. It has a multitude of valuable insights, games and ways to increase our gratitude towards life and everything and everyone in it. So I’m using it as a treasure map to the magic land of gratitude.
Games begin with “Chapter 7, The Only Party Game You Really Need”.
Step #1: Admit that something really awesome and splendid is going to happen to you today. That’s easy. First thing in the morning, focus on feeling terrific and expecting magical happenings, counting on something special happening during your splendiferous day. This is a way to “pre-pave” your day in a totally positive way.
Step #2: Become a blessings and miracles detective by finding all the beauty and joy in the world. Record three blessings of amazing awesomeness each day. Hence this blog. Today and the next 29 days I am DETERMINED to record three wonderful happenings until being grateful for my life becomes a habit.
Blessing 1 today: I’m in love with my gorgeous roses pictured above. The bushes are at least 20 years old (I don’t remember exactly when I planted them). And with about three applications of natural fertilizer during the warm months, they keep on exuberantly producing gorgeous flowers like those above. There are literally hundreds of blooms on my bushes and my heart feels warm and expanded every time I truly notice them. Thank you beautiful roses.
Blessing 2: our weather has been magnificent. Some years we turn on the air conditioning in February but it’s almost May and I’m still sleeping with a blanket and comforter on my bed. It’s been cool, sunny and spectacular and every day makes me glad to be alive. Thank you Mother Nature.
Blessing 3: every morning I go to Quik Trip and buy a Dr. Pepper. Yep, I’m an addict so I never have that wonderful drink in my home because I’d drink it all day long. Instead I go and buy just one. During this stupid corona virus interval, QT has remained open and I haven’t missed my fav drink even once. The employees are friendly, the place is clean and it’s the ‘official’ start of my day. Thank you QT for remaining open.
Quote of the day: Accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.
Leave a Reply