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Picking up from my reply to Joseph–
I just finished the wonderful book “Becoming Wise” by Krista Tippett. I’m going back through to write down the many lines I want to remember. This one, about hope, is also true of gratitude: “Hope, like every virtue, is a choice that becomes habit that becomes spiritual muscle memory.”
I was raised to appreciate the “big things”: family, home, education, access to opportunity. Being consciously grateful, supported by coming to this site daily, tunes me into the small and everyday things like hot coffee, bird calls, cold fresh water, the gentle fog wrapping around our house this morning and softening everything, being able to move my body through an ashtanga yoga practice this morning. Even if I’m not as strong and flexible as I was when I first started doing yoga I can appreciate today without beating myself up for how much “better” I would be if I’d maintained a consistent practice all these years. I can be grateful for what is without dwelling on what isn’t.
“Hope, like every virtue, is a choice that becomes habit that becomes spiritual muscle memory.”
So true,
dear Barb . . .
you remind me
that Hope is something I really need to work on.
Thank you . . . ♥
I appreciate more & complain less.
🕊️♥️
♥
I was reading Richard Rohr’s meditation in which he reminds us that Jesus invites us to “follow him.” St Paul says we are called to have the mind that was in Christ Jesus. One line from the essay smacked me right between the eyes! “The best protection from the next word of God is the last word of God. We take what we heard from God last year (or from authority figures in our first half of life) and we build a whole system around it—and then we sit there for the rest of our lives.” I just read that line over and over and thought how hard it has been for me to truly “change” in even the smallest ways because of messages I incorporated as a child. They still are capable of haunting me.
I agree that living gratefully changes my attitude in a very positive way. . As Dr. Robert Holden says “The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.” A grateful perspective is creative. What we allow our mind to dwell on will manifest.
During this illness, my head has wandered into the past so much, old behaviors have surfaced. As always this calls me to be willing, to be open, to trust and be eternally grateful. No matter what your religious faith, today Rohr reading should be helpful.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/follow-me/
Illness and disability
always seem to bring up old stuff for me too,
dear Carol Ann.
You remind me
to be willing.
Thank you . . . ♥
I was conditioned to become entranced by worry, fear, and judgment. This mindset had an immutable quality; it seemed both correct and permanent. Gratefulness has eased me out of that mindset so many times that I realize perspective is fluid, and I have choices in the matter.
“Perspective is fluid.” Thanks for that, Drea!
❤️
Drea, Very succinctly and well said.
Thank you Carol Ann.
This practice has given me a tool to balance the negativity and suffering that is so plentiful and available. So much of this is about perspective. It turns out, we can choose our perspective. We can choose to live with gratitude, to see through grateful eyes. We can choose to see all of it and try to see things as they are. Including the good and beautiful. The true nature of things.
When we change our perspective,
dear Charlie,
sometimes
things don’t look as bad as we thought,
especially when we see through ‘grateful eyes’.
I love that . . .
thank you for this gift. ♥
Well put, Charlie. I just posted something similar without having read yours, as sometimes happens. Yes on choosing perspective.
Ah yes! I always write before I read. And it’s fun to see how others answered the same question with their own perspective. Interpreting it and filter it through their own experiences and perspectives.
And yes, it seems we are on the same page this morning. 😁
I hope you have a peaceful and relaxing Sunday. 🙏
Looking at the syllabi of the four classes I’m taking this semester, I felt a sense of overwhelm. On the other hand, being grateful for the opportunity to be in college has shifted my perspective and made me joyful for the knowledge I’m going to learn. While it’s not just a perspective, shifting emotions toward occurrences in my life is crucial for a healthy mind. Happy Sunday, everyone!
My Ngoc, I’ve noticed a calmer shift in you. Your style of care has modernized too. The advice lapses are to be expected, but overall, your listening has improved. I’m always happy to be your lab-rat. The things you’re learning in college aligns perfectly with our discussions.
The phrase that came to mind was “I get to do this and not I should do this ” That sets up room for gratefulness.
Exactly,
dear Yram!♥
Yram, You have a gift for expressing the “bottom line.”
Yram, it’s just like how work can feel boring at times. Money may not buy happiness, but it does get me to do more of what I want like dining out with Ngoc. Like I said from my answer, that’s what helps piano feel somewhat more enjoyable. I work harder with higher pay is because I come from a positive root. The root is everything.
Today is my Menards piano day. I’ve had many boring moments before with piano. I prefer basketball and football over piano, because the former 2 are competitive. I have a competitive foundation. Piano was what I was born to do and gives me the best avenue for a career and making money. Therefore, living gratefully has shifted my perspective in a meanningful way by helping me identify my strengths.
Overcoming bordom in responsibility has always been a strong area for me. The more I know that a task is important, the more effort I put in to get it done. Activities are different unless I’m still a newby in an area like Football. I have a lot to learn there, and I’m grateful to have members in this community such as: Michele, Sunnypatti, and Joseph who can teach me about the game, specifically the NFL.
I agree with SunnyPatti, even though my EAGLES didn’t make it past their playoff game, I’m still their fan. The fact that Nick benched starter players to rest appeared not to have worked. The 49ers looked much better that game and deserved their play-off game. Looking forward to whomever gets in the Superbowl- that’s always a night of fun, between the game, commercials, half-time show.
My husband always says if the Steelers don’t make it that he wants the Eagles to go. True Pennsylvania man! Too bad neither of the PA teams moved on. Maybe next year! My Super Bowl prediction is Seahawks vs Patriots. (it was seahawks vs rams until I remembered that can’t happen since they’re the same division) We shall see!
I’m grateful to be in this community with all of you, Loc! And even though the Steelers didn’t make it past their playoff game, we are still watching and rooting for other teams. My husband has always “hated” the Patriots, but we were happy to see them win yesterday as their rookie quarterback is from Charlotte. I was hoping to see the Bills advance, as I really like Josh Allen, but that was a sad ending the other day!
Sunnypatti, same for Bears. My college friend, Angela, is from Chicago. Bears fell short to Chargers 20-17, but it was still a very good season. Great improvement from last year.
I fell asleep watching that game, but even though it would have been great for the Bears to win after not doing well for so long, I’m happy the Rams won (the other LA team! My husband confuses them all the time!). I’m a big fan of Matt Stafford and Devonte Adams, but I’m also known to be a fan of players on all sorts of teams. That’s what my husband gets for teaching me the game and making me love football!
I overheard a conversation yesterday between a mother and her young adult daughter. The daughter was complaining nonstop about her college work, her lack of money, on and on. The mother kept pretty silent – not agreeing, not validating, not giving advice – only saying “You’ll be fine.” I kept wondering how the mother could have encouraged some gratitude in the midst of the conversation and how or if that would have been received by the daughter. I might add that since these are family members I know this is a pattern for the young daughter. Once the phone conversation was over the mother turned to me and began to complain about the daughter’s complaining. Yep, definitely a pattern there…Now it was my turn to interject some gratitude into the conversation. I admit I missed the opportunity. I didn’t continue with the complaining, but I didn’t offer gratitude in the midst of it all. I need to up my game on practice gratitude on “giving thanks in all circumstances” in creative way, and learning to share it with others.
I’ve found asking “how/what” questions helpful in changing the vibe of a conversation where one person is in a stream of complaints. Ie. “how could you manage your workload differently,” etc. It encourages the other party to think differently about their situation, if they truly are interested in becoming unstuck.
it’s so much easier said than done. how to guide ourselves and in this case someone else toward gratitude when they’re stuck in an emotion. im going to think of some out of the box ways one might be able to inject the idea of gratitude in a moment without it feeling preachy. how can we lead ourselves and others there in a gentle way. i wish us both luck in our efforts.
For me, I lead by example. I can’t help anyone if I can’t help myself with or experienced the same problem before.
Living gratefully has shifted my perspective in a meaningful way by learning to focus on being present, having a positive attitude and knowing that the saying ‘and this too shall pass’ has meaning.
It dawned on me recently that reading grateful.org daily for several years (how many, 4 or 5?) has been truly life-changing. My days are full of numerous pauses to appreciate and feel gratitude.
Same, Joseph. I think I came here originally sometime in 2021. It’s now a habit. I just read something by Krista Tippett in her wonderful book Becoming Wise: “Hope, like every virtue, is a choice that becomes habit that becomes spiritual muscle memory.” The same is true of gratitude.
Living gratefully has shifted my perspective in a meaningful way by learning to focus on being present, having a positive attitude and knowing that the saying ‘and this too shall pass’ has meaning.
https://nationaltoday.com/national-gourmet-coffee-day/
https://nationaltoday.com/national-michigan-day/
https://nationaltoday.com/today/
I look through the natural lens of love and compassion rather than the ego-created lens of fear and judgement.
Patti, You hit the nail on the head. My ego has been so forceful in recent weeks and that creates a cycle that is hard to break.
Hard to break, but still breakable! I know it’s been tough, but I hope you are feeling better.
When I am in a place of living gratefully, my heart opens wider. More calm, more creativity, more possibility.. 🩷
More contentment, less dourness. Peace, Love & Light.
I don’t see you as ‘dour’ at all,
dear Joseph. 🙂
Gratefulness and no alcohol has helped immensely, dear Sparrow.
Having gotten myself free of drugs myself,
dear Joseph,
I can truly appreciate your journey,
and am proud of you. ♥