Yes for sure! When I found this site it was a huge relief to me . Life at that time was overwhelming and I was not in a good place . I needed to find this site and learn & practice. I have less anxiety now and can focus more on the positives in my life. Thank you all for being a part of this great community.
My life has changed dramatically
since I began my sojourn with gratitude.
I have suffered severe bouts of depression
for as long as I remember . . .
even as a child
I was a brooder.
I started keeping a gratitude journal
in early 2000 after reading about it in ‘Simple Abundance’,
and within a few weeks,
I noticed that my perspective was beginning to change.
When I started,
I’d sit at the kitchen table,
searching for things to be grateful for,
not really believing it would make a difference.
I didn’t even try to feel more grateful . . .
I just did the homework,
and soon I could see much more clearly
how fortunate I am.
The gratefulness
sort of built on itself,
like a snowball rolling down a hill,
getting bigger and bigger
as it gains speed.
It’s not all roses and peach tea now,
but it has lifted me up
and taken me out of the dark places
(most of the time),
and not only made my life bearable,
but one where joy also lives.
I am kinder and operate with fewer expectations with my husband,
and he has grown kinder with me.
I’ve made better choices since then as well . . .
as I sit here now,
thinking about it,
I am almost stunned.
I never would have believed this could happen
twenty-five years ago. ♥
Thank you for this inspirational sharing, Sparrow! I have dabbled with gratitude journaling before, but your post makes me feel inspired to give it a more dedicated try.
Sparrow, your response is so touching.
I too, remember Simple Abundance. I believe she started me also on my gratefulness journey. Good stuff.
Have a peace filled day. ✨🙏🏻❤️
Your post today inspired me, today, as your posts so often do.
Thank you Sparrow.
PS. “ It’s not all roses and peach tea now”
Love that. Especially the peach tea! 🍑🥰
So many of your posts,
dear Mary,
inspire me too . . .
I may have mentioned this before.
Yes,
I liked the ‘peach tea’ mention too . . .
it just popped out of my head
as I was writing. ♥
Thank you, Sparrow. I need to work on “expectations” with my husband. It’s tough to navigate without expecting. Today is a day where it’s enough to get on here online and remember I can feel grateful even when I feel stressed.
Giving up on expectations.
dear Avril,
is really hard to do.
They are difficult to let go of,
as they make you think you have control,
but one you get the hang of it,
it becomes easier.
Start on one you’re not so invested in. ♥
Dropping expectations of my husband has improved my marriage so much.
I still have hope for things like greater intimacy.
But showing him that I appreciate him and love him
just as he is has been so helpful.
I have really been surprised to see how much it has helped.
Letting go of expectations
has improved my marriage immensely too,
dear Mary.
I too,
hope for greater intimacy as well,
and am finding it takes great restraint
and monumental patience.
We’ve been together for many years,
and when I look back
I can see that we have made great progress . . .
he is not nearly afraid of his own vulnerability
as he used to.
I think
seeing my vulnerabilities being exposed
frees him enough to share his with me.
We are both getting older,
and need to rely on each other more.
The glow of youth begins to fade,
and we both need more help.
November a year ago
I had a hip replacement,
(which was very frightening for me)
and since then
he senses my needs
and has more compassion for my failings.
That is increased intimacy,
for sure. ♥
Yes, I have noticed many positive changes in my life since I began a gratefulness practice.
I feel happier, more content, more satisfied, more peaceful, more present.
I have come to realize that everything in my life is a blessing (good, not so good). How I choose to look at life’s events is key. Having an attitude of gratitude adds so much richness & depth & peace to my days.
I am infinitely blessed. ✨🙏🏻❤️
Adding moments of reflection and gratitude to my daily life, have been a welcome addition.
Changing my daily habit, of waking up and feeding my negativity by reading the “news”, with this practice, has helped to add a much needed balance to my life.
Oh there’s still plenty of crankiness and negativity, but now I feel I have a little more control or maybe another tool to use when I am feeling out of control or sinking into depression. It’s helped a lot. And what really attracted me here, was the wisdom of the responses. So much good stuff.
Thank you all for sharing your wisdom here🙏
Charlie, I’m a routined person. I firmly believe that what we choose to start and end the day with goes a long ways. The news is the last thing needed. I find myself angrier when I hear about trends, because I get more negative vibes, so I deleted the News App.
Joseph, I remember reading a baseball memoir about a player name Yogi Berra. It talked about back then how journalists had to record accurate information only, because dad read the newspaper to everyone. Now, standards have changed. Everyone has access to information within the palm of our hands. Attraction becomes the standard. Therefore, no 1 can be trusted in modern society.
absolutely.
It is easier to make better choices – choices within my thoughts, my feelings — how I experience the moments I am in. In addition – and this is a bit of an aside, but I am also beginning to recognize that being able to “put feelings in to words” or trying to “describe thoughts and experience” tends to diminish or morph the experience, and so, I am more willing to simply allow myself to accept an experience without thinking or trying to define or “categorize” it too much. I can experience without expressing. Gratitude can be a lovely blanketing of prior confusions that are fine to just go away. Perhaps I am trying here, albeit poorly, to describe experiencing a better opportunity to “live in the present”. I just saw Carol’s response of change in perspective. It’s a relief to find her words, as they, too, apply. I will read what the others have commented, and I am sure I will find more resonance. I know that this community has certainly helped me, and I do feel more connected and aware of the Greater Divine. I feel hopeful…. And I am so grateful for that! thank you, Grateful Living🙏
I’ve been listening to a podcast by David Rock’s Neuroleadership Institute called Self-Regulation in a Complex World. They mentioned the value of labeling negative feelings to create some distance/space in which to manage our response. The act of labeling reduces the limbic system’s activation in the moment. However, we shouldn’t label *positive* feelings because that would have the same effect of reducing our response, and who wants to diminish a positive feeling?
With practice, gratefulness has become easier to reach. It used to feel like hand-cranking my brain into that state, now I can more easily find and exist in it. Also, I can stay in a state of gratefulness for longer.
When I wake up in the morning, I thank God for this day. I remind myself there will never be another one like this day.
When stressed, I can look around, touch the sofa, chair, or something nearby to help me get out of my head.
I can use my senses to notice the multitude of people, animals, and things, both within and around me.
Then I feel grateful, and I am feeling much less stress.
I can follow the same process when I’m in a more peaceful place. Then I feel so grateful, and feel love and joy.
Gratefulness allowed for embracing more what is, including facing fear, as well as for appreciating and being more vulnerabile in contact, allowing as well for heart´s opening up. To allow being vulnerable myself opened to sense, appreciate and respect the vulnerablity of all fellow human beings also, and dear friends of mine mentioned and noticed this as a positive change in contact.
My practice has helped me keep things simpler. Not everything needs to be deep and analytical. I’ve heard of the good old KISS akrynum(Keep it simple, stupid.) Another familiar saying I’ve heard before is “Paralysis by analysis.”
Joseph, this reminds me of a YouTube video from a Vietnamese guy who goes buy the title “Web 5 Ngày” translated into “Web 5 Days.” The video is called “How to cure stupidity.” There’s another video I watched about how he teaches English. The guy is very blunt, straight to the point, and has a great sense of humor. Asians are known to be very direct to the goal and greatly value improvement. It’s why people are known to study and get straight As and grow up becoming engineers or doctors. It’s all about family. High paying jobs gives them a better chance to sponsor their family members to the US.
I love “Sweetie” and “Sunshine” too. With individualism, it’s easier to use a gentler approach. We’re living life more for ourselves. There’s less pressure to live up to any standard. Luckily, the gentler approach feels more realistic. If I didn’t have bipolar or autism, I’d be almost like the standard Asian and very likely be living for my family. I’d have to use the harsher approach to accomplish my goals or the ones my family has for me faster. Hard work and relationships don’t exactly play nicely.
Yes, I have. The first thought that comes to me is that I have slowed down, actually stopped to appreciate someone, or something with focused attention. It’s wonderful.🩷
My practice has made me a stronger, happier person, and I love myself more than I used to. This has a lot to do with the rest of my path but practicing gratitude each day has definitely played a huge part in all of the positive changes. It has boosted my overall energy, which boosts the energy around me. It has also opened my mind to being grateful for literally everything, not just “oh this good thing happened” but the shining sun and also the rain, chirping birds, my dogs vying for my attention, holding hands with my husband, hearing my favorite song while in traffic, sharing OMs with other students at the yoga studio, finding this website and sharing gratitude and wisdom here with each of you… yes, this practice has offered many positive changes.
I love, “It has boosted my overall energy, which boosts the energy around me,” Sunnypatti! Such a beautiful way of expressing how we can positively affect our surroundings and those around us.
I did a kundalini class the other night, and the teacher said that the part of the purpose of yoga was to fill ourselves with joy so that we could share that joy everywhere we went… that people should feel it when we walk in. I really liked that! It’s how I want to live!
Being at least sometimes aware of gratefulness, I think I am somewhat more open with my wife especially about my recovery. It could still be better.
Along the same lines, my group has provided me with a safe place to practice being more open.
I could be wrong,
dear John,
but I think most women
(at least the ones who come here).
crave this intimacy from the men in their lives . . .
it’s a display of trust,
which means so very much to us. ♥
The greatest change I noticed in my life since practicing grateful living was extending my mindset beyond right or wrong, deserve or underserved. Each person has different experiences, and I would never fully understand them on their behalf. I softened my mind and opened my view to all opinions.
The pluses vs the negatives since I began this discovery has shifted the balance sheet. The pluses were always there. The deeper “I” was anesthetized by intoxication from alcohol, and they were blurred. I am grateful. A quote attributed to Samuel Clemens sorta sums it up, “I am an old man who has known many troubles. Most of which never came to pass.” May all encounter some positivity and peace on this gift of another day. Namaste.
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Yes for sure! When I found this site it was a huge relief to me . Life at that time was overwhelming and I was not in a good place . I needed to find this site and learn & practice. I have less anxiety now and can focus more on the positives in my life. Thank you all for being a part of this great community.
My life has changed dramatically
since I began my sojourn with gratitude.
I have suffered severe bouts of depression
for as long as I remember . . .
even as a child
I was a brooder.
I started keeping a gratitude journal
in early 2000 after reading about it in ‘Simple Abundance’,
and within a few weeks,
I noticed that my perspective was beginning to change.
When I started,
I’d sit at the kitchen table,
searching for things to be grateful for,
not really believing it would make a difference.
I didn’t even try to feel more grateful . . .
I just did the homework,
and soon I could see much more clearly
how fortunate I am.
The gratefulness
sort of built on itself,
like a snowball rolling down a hill,
getting bigger and bigger
as it gains speed.
It’s not all roses and peach tea now,
but it has lifted me up
and taken me out of the dark places
(most of the time),
and not only made my life bearable,
but one where joy also lives.
I am kinder and operate with fewer expectations with my husband,
and he has grown kinder with me.
I’ve made better choices since then as well . . .
as I sit here now,
thinking about it,
I am almost stunned.
I never would have believed this could happen
twenty-five years ago. ♥
Thank you for this inspirational sharing, Sparrow! I have dabbled with gratitude journaling before, but your post makes me feel inspired to give it a more dedicated try.
I do it on ‘good’ days
and ‘bad’ days . . .
on ‘bad’ days
it takes longer. 🙂
but it works,
dear Elizabeth. ♥
Sparrow, your response is so touching.
I too, remember Simple Abundance. I believe she started me also on my gratefulness journey. Good stuff.
Have a peace filled day. ✨🙏🏻❤️
I’m happy you found it too,
dear PKR . . . ♥
Your post today inspired me, today, as your posts so often do.
Thank you Sparrow.
PS. “ It’s not all roses and peach tea now”
Love that. Especially the peach tea! 🍑🥰
So many of your posts,
dear Mary,
inspire me too . . .
I may have mentioned this before.
Yes,
I liked the ‘peach tea’ mention too . . .
it just popped out of my head
as I was writing. ♥
Thank you, Sparrow. I need to work on “expectations” with my husband. It’s tough to navigate without expecting. Today is a day where it’s enough to get on here online and remember I can feel grateful even when I feel stressed.
Giving up on expectations.
dear Avril,
is really hard to do.
They are difficult to let go of,
as they make you think you have control,
but one you get the hang of it,
it becomes easier.
Start on one you’re not so invested in. ♥
Dropping expectations of my husband has improved my marriage so much.
I still have hope for things like greater intimacy.
But showing him that I appreciate him and love him
just as he is has been so helpful.
I have really been surprised to see how much it has helped.
Letting go of expectations
has improved my marriage immensely too,
dear Mary.
I too,
hope for greater intimacy as well,
and am finding it takes great restraint
and monumental patience.
We’ve been together for many years,
and when I look back
I can see that we have made great progress . . .
he is not nearly afraid of his own vulnerability
as he used to.
I think
seeing my vulnerabilities being exposed
frees him enough to share his with me.
We are both getting older,
and need to rely on each other more.
The glow of youth begins to fade,
and we both need more help.
November a year ago
I had a hip replacement,
(which was very frightening for me)
and since then
he senses my needs
and has more compassion for my failings.
That is increased intimacy,
for sure. ♥
Thank you Mary
Yes, I have noticed many positive changes in my life since I began a gratefulness practice.
I feel happier, more content, more satisfied, more peaceful, more present.
I have come to realize that everything in my life is a blessing (good, not so good). How I choose to look at life’s events is key. Having an attitude of gratitude adds so much richness & depth & peace to my days.
I am infinitely blessed. ✨🙏🏻❤️
Adding moments of reflection and gratitude to my daily life, have been a welcome addition.
Changing my daily habit, of waking up and feeding my negativity by reading the “news”, with this practice, has helped to add a much needed balance to my life.
Oh there’s still plenty of crankiness and negativity, but now I feel I have a little more control or maybe another tool to use when I am feeling out of control or sinking into depression. It’s helped a lot. And what really attracted me here, was the wisdom of the responses. So much good stuff.
Thank you all for sharing your wisdom here🙏
You are so right,
dear Charlie . . .
I feel the same way–
“so much good stuff.” ♥
Charlie, I’m a routined person. I firmly believe that what we choose to start and end the day with goes a long ways. The news is the last thing needed. I find myself angrier when I hear about trends, because I get more negative vibes, so I deleted the News App.
“The news is the last thing needed.” No kidding Loc Tran!
Joseph, I remember reading a baseball memoir about a player name Yogi Berra. It talked about back then how journalists had to record accurate information only, because dad read the newspaper to everyone. Now, standards have changed. Everyone has access to information within the palm of our hands. Attraction becomes the standard. Therefore, no 1 can be trusted in modern society.
Such a beautiful response. I love the way you keep it real Charlie!
absolutely.
It is easier to make better choices – choices within my thoughts, my feelings — how I experience the moments I am in. In addition – and this is a bit of an aside, but I am also beginning to recognize that being able to “put feelings in to words” or trying to “describe thoughts and experience” tends to diminish or morph the experience, and so, I am more willing to simply allow myself to accept an experience without thinking or trying to define or “categorize” it too much. I can experience without expressing. Gratitude can be a lovely blanketing of prior confusions that are fine to just go away. Perhaps I am trying here, albeit poorly, to describe experiencing a better opportunity to “live in the present”. I just saw Carol’s response of change in perspective. It’s a relief to find her words, as they, too, apply. I will read what the others have commented, and I am sure I will find more resonance. I know that this community has certainly helped me, and I do feel more connected and aware of the Greater Divine. I feel hopeful…. And I am so grateful for that! thank you, Grateful Living🙏
I’ve been listening to a podcast by David Rock’s Neuroleadership Institute called Self-Regulation in a Complex World. They mentioned the value of labeling negative feelings to create some distance/space in which to manage our response. The act of labeling reduces the limbic system’s activation in the moment. However, we shouldn’t label *positive* feelings because that would have the same effect of reducing our response, and who wants to diminish a positive feeling?
I find it quite comforting to observe our home earth and all it encompasses without using a label or word or conceptual thinking.
I don’t think you described it poorly at all 🙂
With practice, gratefulness has become easier to reach. It used to feel like hand-cranking my brain into that state, now I can more easily find and exist in it. Also, I can stay in a state of gratefulness for longer.
Drea, I love the “hand cranking my brain” metaphor.
Made laugh out loud. 😁
Drea that line gave me a good chuckle too.
Charlie, I am hesitant to name all the other areas in which I must still hand crank my brain into accepting good habits!
The key change is how my perspective has changed. I see with new eyes.
When I wake up in the morning, I thank God for this day. I remind myself there will never be another one like this day.
When stressed, I can look around, touch the sofa, chair, or something nearby to help me get out of my head.
I can use my senses to notice the multitude of people, animals, and things, both within and around me.
Then I feel grateful, and I am feeling much less stress.
I can follow the same process when I’m in a more peaceful place. Then I feel so grateful, and feel love and joy.
I really got sucked into some habituated stress. I just read your post and I remember it’s enough to just touch something real and ground myself.
It is surprising how much touching things around me helps.
Gratefulness allowed for embracing more what is, including facing fear, as well as for appreciating and being more vulnerabile in contact, allowing as well for heart´s opening up. To allow being vulnerable myself opened to sense, appreciate and respect the vulnerablity of all fellow human beings also, and dear friends of mine mentioned and noticed this as a positive change in contact.
My practice has helped me keep things simpler. Not everything needs to be deep and analytical. I’ve heard of the good old KISS akrynum(Keep it simple, stupid.) Another familiar saying I’ve heard before is “Paralysis by analysis.”
I prefer “Keep It Simple Sweetie!” Sounds so much kinder when I refer to myself as sweetie instead of stupid, dear Loc Tran.
Joseph, this reminds me of a YouTube video from a Vietnamese guy who goes buy the title “Web 5 Ngày” translated into “Web 5 Days.” The video is called “How to cure stupidity.” There’s another video I watched about how he teaches English. The guy is very blunt, straight to the point, and has a great sense of humor. Asians are known to be very direct to the goal and greatly value improvement. It’s why people are known to study and get straight As and grow up becoming engineers or doctors. It’s all about family. High paying jobs gives them a better chance to sponsor their family members to the US.
I love “Sweetie” and “Sunshine” too. With individualism, it’s easier to use a gentler approach. We’re living life more for ourselves. There’s less pressure to live up to any standard. Luckily, the gentler approach feels more realistic. If I didn’t have bipolar or autism, I’d be almost like the standard Asian and very likely be living for my family. I’d have to use the harsher approach to accomplish my goals or the ones my family has for me faster. Hard work and relationships don’t exactly play nicely.
how bout “Keep is Simple Sunshine” 🙂
Sounds good Michele……….rolls right off the tongue!
Michele, the sun is shining today in Mini.
Yes, I have. The first thought that comes to me is that I have slowed down, actually stopped to appreciate someone, or something with focused attention. It’s wonderful.🩷
My practice has made me a stronger, happier person, and I love myself more than I used to. This has a lot to do with the rest of my path but practicing gratitude each day has definitely played a huge part in all of the positive changes. It has boosted my overall energy, which boosts the energy around me. It has also opened my mind to being grateful for literally everything, not just “oh this good thing happened” but the shining sun and also the rain, chirping birds, my dogs vying for my attention, holding hands with my husband, hearing my favorite song while in traffic, sharing OMs with other students at the yoga studio, finding this website and sharing gratitude and wisdom here with each of you… yes, this practice has offered many positive changes.
I love, “It has boosted my overall energy, which boosts the energy around me,” Sunnypatti! Such a beautiful way of expressing how we can positively affect our surroundings and those around us.
I did a kundalini class the other night, and the teacher said that the part of the purpose of yoga was to fill ourselves with joy so that we could share that joy everywhere we went… that people should feel it when we walk in. I really liked that! It’s how I want to live!
I love this,
dear Sunnypatti . . . ♥️
Being at least sometimes aware of gratefulness, I think I am somewhat more open with my wife especially about my recovery. It could still be better.
Along the same lines, my group has provided me with a safe place to practice being more open.
I could be wrong,
dear John,
but I think most women
(at least the ones who come here).
crave this intimacy from the men in their lives . . .
it’s a display of trust,
which means so very much to us. ♥
The greatest change I noticed in my life since practicing grateful living was extending my mindset beyond right or wrong, deserve or underserved. Each person has different experiences, and I would never fully understand them on their behalf. I softened my mind and opened my view to all opinions.
Nonjudgement is a good place for the heart to dwell. Thank you, Ngoc.
Ngoc, yes, non duality thinking. Thanks for this reminder🙏
important for me to read this, Ngoc. so well said and applicable to my experience. thank you.
You are wise
My Ngoc, this mindset will work well for you on your social path for your career.
The pluses vs the negatives since I began this discovery has shifted the balance sheet. The pluses were always there. The deeper “I” was anesthetized by intoxication from alcohol, and they were blurred. I am grateful. A quote attributed to Samuel Clemens sorta sums it up, “I am an old man who has known many troubles. Most of which never came to pass.” May all encounter some positivity and peace on this gift of another day. Namaste.
Beautiful Joseph, thank you.
Great quote