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Gratitude: Today, I'm grateful for...
Studies have found that expressing daily gratitude improves both physical and emotional well-being. It helps us focus on what is good in our lives, the world and others. It also helps us find the silver lining in our challenges. Gratitude turns what we already have into enough. Gratitude brings us joy. I’d love it if you can share something you’re grateful for today. I’ll start.
I’m grateful I have both the ability and luxury of taking long daily gratitude walks through the beautiful nature that surrounds my home.
I’ll take you through my typical walk:
When I open my front door to leave, I’m usually greeted by a few adorable squirrels, three crow friends, juncos and wrens who all hope for a walnut treat before I go. My walk along the creek down the street brings me peace with a variety of 100-foot trees, flowers of every shape and color, grass, fascinating wildlife, sounds of a babbling brook, birds calling, squirrels chasing, etc. Each day, I also see bunnies, ducks with ducklings, egrets, lizards, turtles, a variety of small birds, butterflies, and sometimes coyotes and hawks.
I meet new people along the way as we share our love of nature. I am also greeted by their happy, adorable dogs. Sometimes I learn something new. Sometimes I feel like I was able to bring joy to someone by letting them know they are worth a few minutes of my time. That brings me joy. Half the people in my large retirement community live alone as I do. Today, I met a lovely 96-year-old woman who walks a half mile with her cane and sweet rescue poodle every day. Impressive! She didn’t look a day over 80. I never miss an opportunity to smile and say hello to everyone who passes by. When I arrive home after an hour or so, some of my wildlife buddies are usually there to welcome me back with the enthusiasm of a dog.
When my last dog went to Heaven a few months ago, my camera became my new walking companion. Once I’m home, it’s time to upload my latest nature photos. I relive my walk all over again through the eyes of a zoom lens and a 32” monitor that together reveal extraordinary colors, patterns, textures and wildlife expressions the naked eye can’t see. I’m sharing a few pix from today. Can’t wait to go again tomorrow! 🙂
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I am grateful I woke up with dog resting her head on my shoulder (though could have done without the dog breath).
I am grateful I got to go for a long bike ride today.
I am grateful my meds were switched to something more tolerable.
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3 ReactionsThanks for sharing your thoughts on gratitude. It’s been a challenging time in my life the past two years. By I’m embracing gratitude, I can enjoy my day and lifestyle.
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3 ReactionsIn line with the Body Mind connection, our cells are eavesdropping on our thoughts. If I complain and list all that is wrong, it's a negative way to live and maybe makes us ill and sick.
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3 ReactionsGratitude. I was taught that as a child in religion class. But over the years it got pushed to the back of my mind as I climbed the career ladder in pursuit of the American dream. Always wanting more. Now that I have experienced cancer, I have to pull out gratitude, make an effort to identify it and learn to practice it.
I'm still in the middle of chemotherapy. Last week was a really difficult week emotionally. Not that anything new or different happened to me. I think it was just all that has ravished my body getting to me. But I was on a war path. Then on Monday which was my 5 therapy. I woke up in a great mood. On Tuesday I actually felt gratitude. It's strange because what I was grateful for was the fact that I had three medical appointments in one day and I could do all of that without having to travel 200 mi to get my care. I was grateful to have choices of where I could have my care.
Today I wake up and my mouth's a little sore and my stomach feels a little queasy and I'm grateful that I know how to get ahead of all this. I'm grateful that I have not had terrible physical reactions to the drugs I've been taking. I'm grateful that the people who live around me are supportive of me even when I'm on the warpath. I'm grateful to have them in my life.
Thank you so much for giving us a beautiful picture of your gratitude walk. I could see you greeting everything that came your way. So here's to having another grateful day
Denise
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12 Reactions@denisestlouie
Thank you for your wonderful entry. I love your grateful attitude and pray for a good outcome for you. It really is all about what we focus on. It took me a long time to realize that during stressful times. Cancer (me too) and life can be a rollercoaster ride so we need to take the wheel.
A few months ago my car was having more and more failed starts. As I sat in the waiting room at the dealer instead of preparing for weeklong company coming the next day, I found I wasn’t upset about it. I was filled with gratitude for the following reasons. The dealer brought me in right away. My car misbehaved for the mechanic on the first try so he could diagnose a starter issue. They had the part in stock. The advisor put a rush on it so I was out in two hours. I had the $1200 to pay for the repair. I now had a safe car to drive my company around. Thank goodness because all those things could have gone the other way. 😊
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5 ReactionsI try to be grateful for lots of stuff every day. It's a good habit, and infinitely better than a daily habit of ingratitude.
Lately, I am *very* grateful that a local rehab hospital has asked me to give a talk to their staff about my stroke recovery experience. I am thrilled to help their staff get a better idea of what it can be like for a long-term recovery journey. (The talk will be in January.)
P.S. If you haven't already, check out my YouTube channel, "From Recovery to Discovery":
https://www.youtube.com/@srlucado/videos
New videos coming soon!
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4 ReactionsYour YouTube channel is really good. I subscribed today
Denise
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3 ReactionsSo easy to have seen that differently.
It's going to practice.
Do you find yourself tearing up as you think what you are grateful. I do. My voice quivers and my eyes tear bit I'm not sad. I'm grateful
Denise
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2 ReactionsThat’s heartwarming to hear. Being grateful leaves me happy and smiling all the time. Even though my life really has not gone at all how I would ever have imagined, I feel so lucky in so many ways. Sometimes those unexpected detours lead to the best surprises that would never have happened in plan A.
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2 ReactionsThank you, Denise!
Tell your friends.
If there are people out there who are hurting and need encouragement or inspiration, I'd like to reach as many as I can.
Thanks again!
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2 Reactions