About that List . . .
Today I am grateful for early morning quiet and for core strengthening exercises.
At the end of yesterday's post I mentioned that I was starting a gratitude list on a piece of paper right then and there. I did. Before I left the house for work I had over 20 things listed. By the time I headed home from work another 25 or so items had been added. Before bed, the list was over 60.
Things on the list ranged from blooming magnolia bushes to smiles and a good meeting at work. Also included were bananas and connections via phone, texts, and emails with people I care about.
I made a conscious effort to take action and record who and what I appreciated about my day. It made a significant difference in my day. I know it did. I had woken up early yesterday morning, with thoughts of work stuff that needed to get done. It was a busy and draining day at work. That set up will often leave me tired and irritable by day's end, and my family sometimes gets the brunt of my irritability.
Well, I was definitely tired yesterday by the time I got home from work, but I was pretty calm and quiet too.I give most of the credit for that to my intentional effort to actively practice gratitude throughout my day. I kept my mouth shut when on other days I might have fired off some unnecessary and harsh words.
Most days I don't keep a running list like I did yesterday, but it certainly is something I could do, that any of us could do. But we get caught up in the workings and happenings of that day and we lose some of the momentum of our good intentions.
That is where the action of pausing comes in. I am improving at this skill, but it takes practice. Brother David has more words of wisdom on that. I will turn to his words again tomorrow.
At the end of yesterday's post I mentioned that I was starting a gratitude list on a piece of paper right then and there. I did. Before I left the house for work I had over 20 things listed. By the time I headed home from work another 25 or so items had been added. Before bed, the list was over 60.
Things on the list ranged from blooming magnolia bushes to smiles and a good meeting at work. Also included were bananas and connections via phone, texts, and emails with people I care about.
I made a conscious effort to take action and record who and what I appreciated about my day. It made a significant difference in my day. I know it did. I had woken up early yesterday morning, with thoughts of work stuff that needed to get done. It was a busy and draining day at work. That set up will often leave me tired and irritable by day's end, and my family sometimes gets the brunt of my irritability.
Well, I was definitely tired yesterday by the time I got home from work, but I was pretty calm and quiet too.I give most of the credit for that to my intentional effort to actively practice gratitude throughout my day. I kept my mouth shut when on other days I might have fired off some unnecessary and harsh words.
Most days I don't keep a running list like I did yesterday, but it certainly is something I could do, that any of us could do. But we get caught up in the workings and happenings of that day and we lose some of the momentum of our good intentions.
That is where the action of pausing comes in. I am improving at this skill, but it takes practice. Brother David has more words of wisdom on that. I will turn to his words again tomorrow.
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