HP- Week 30

[AnnieClaus]

Welcome to our 8th month of The Happiness Project. This month's theme is: Contemplate the Heavens. Corresponding reading pgs: 194-220.
This week's resolution is: Keep a Gratitude Notebook. Corresponding reading pgs: 202-206.

Not having a religious background, Gretchen thought it was time to challenge herself in her beliefs and to contemplate the spiritual side of life.

She says: "I'd come to see that spiritual states- such as elevation, awe, gratitude, mindfulness, and contemplation of death-are essential to happiness."

Gretchen came to realize that not facing a catastrophe made her extremly grateful. She wanted to record these thoughts in a notebook.

For ex: Her husband has a health issue. On a checkup he came home and reported: No change. Usually this would drive Gretchen crazy because she would want more details. But now, she decided to be grateful because: No news meant good news.

Gretchen's notebook also helped her to not take things for granted.

Surprisingly, after a couple of weeks Gretchen noticed the notebook wasn't working so she tried other ways to be in a grateful frame of mind.
One strategy she used was to have grateful thoughts as she waited for something- the bus, or her computer to boot up.
Another strategy she used was following her third commandment which was: "Act the way I want to feel."
You have to read to the end of this section to see the adorable thing her daughter says.

This week's thought: Gratitude brings freedom from envy, because when you're grateful for what you have, you're not consumed with wanting something different or something more.

This week's Resolution: Keep a Gratitude notebook. Or: Figure out ways to be in a more grateful state of mind.

Share your journey, thoughts here this week.

 

[MrsSoup]

I think i'll start a notebook. I'm very bad at keeping up with anything like that regularly, just look at my blogs. LOL But i'm going to try.

I do think about things in a more grateful perspective these days. Like when my basement flooded, I was upset and overwhelmed but it could definitely have been way worse than it was and I kept telling myself that and being glad that it was only what it was.

Or when I want to gripe about the heat, I think about my DH over in Iraq with temperatures around 120* or higher everyday which is bad enough, but then add about 50-70lbs of gear that they have to wear and work in and that makes it unimaginably hot for someone whose never been in that kind of heat.

 

[teachermomof2]

A few years ago, I kept a gratitude journal daily. I was really good at listing 5 things I was thankful for at the end of each day. Then it went to the wayside. I was blogging each Thursday for quite awhile for Thankful Thursday. Each week was related to a bible passage...

Right now I tend to be grateful when I experience or hear of someone else's situation/tragedy/heartbreak, it makes me realize how blessed I really am. It's like a nudge...be grateful! lol I do thank the Lord each day for my wonderful husband, healthy and bright children, family and true friends as well as a hundred other things....rain/sun/snow/food on the table/a cool or warm house/a roof over our heads/the ability to pay the bills/for our soldiers keeping the world in order/for employment/for cars that run and so on.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Like, Lisa, I too used to keep a Gratitude Journal and list 5 things that I was grateful for at the end of the day.

I've also done the exercise where you write a list of 100 things you're grateful for- that's kind of fun coming up with stuff!

Now, I just try to live more gratefully. And I definetly am in a more grateful state of mind since being ill.

I definetly have so very much to be grateful for.

Annie

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I've tried this several times. It makes me really depressed. Not sure why but I will not be keeping this type of journal. lol I feel very blessed with not having to write it down I guess.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I have done a journal some as well but nothing detailed or often. Maybe I will work on Thankful Thrusday on my blog. That will help keep me going on both. I try to remind the boys of the things to be thankful for when they get grouchy (like we have food to eat, legs to walk if we have to park far out, we are living in a house w/ AC/electricity/running water when many are not....) but am not always thankful my self.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Mid-week check in.

I noticed that on my evening walks I am taking time to be grateful for so much beauty in the natural world.

The moon right now- a huge crescent- takes my breath away!

Annie