1. < Just Want to Talk

Gratitude Discussion Group

Posted by Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor @debbraw, Nov 24, 2018

Hi everyone! Just before Thanksgiving @michellegraffradford posted a blog called Gratitude Changes Everything. She suggested three techniques to help incorporate gratitude into our daily lives:


  • Start the Day with Gratitude (before getting up think of three people you are grateful for)

  • Maintain a Gratitude Journal to record times when you are grateful

  • Count Blessings – not sheep! (Review the day and remember moments of gratitude)


Her blogpost was so inspiring that a lot of us decided we wanted to form a Gratitude Group to keep the attitude of gratitude going. The blogpost area is not an ideal space for a big discussion group so I am moving the discussion over here to the “Just Want to Talk” Group. Let’s use this space to share and discuss our Gratitude Journey. I’m going to suggest that we each try to take a minute from the day and post here what has made us feel thankful today. It can be as small as a stranger’s smile on the bus or as large as fulfilling a major life dream – or anywhere in between. We can also discuss how we are doing with the three techniques. Sometimes it is easier to form new habits with support from others.

Michelle's full blogpost is at the link below. You may want to review it or print it out to help get started!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/living-with-mild-cognitive-impairment-mci/newsfeed/gratitude-changes-everything/
I look forward to hearing from others in the Gratitude Group and to having others join us here! Thanks to those who already shared great stories. If you haven't yet, what gratitude will you share today?!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @lioness "@jenniferhunter that was a beautiful picture your really good I'm far from painting anything like that..." + (show)
@lioness

@jenniferhunter that was a beautiful picture your really good I'm far from painting anything like that good story of facing your fear ,That's where I'm at fear of the knife and needles Doesn't bother me to give a inj.or draw blood but not on me crazy right I think I've seen too many failures on back surgery I don't subject myself.

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@lioness I get it. Thanks! I have so much empathy, I can feel the pain that someone else is experiencing. I had to learn to give myself allergy shots, and I give them to my husband too. I've told him not to react if it hurts, because, I will feel it too, and I don't want to jump when I'm doing this. I'm glad you can relate to the story. I really listened to my body and had tracked my symptoms as they developed over time, so I knew going in that the surgery would fix it all. I know a lot of people do not have that level of body awareness. I knew from the first MRI that I would need surgery, and in seeing every doctor who turned me down, I was learning how to face that fear. Even though I was disappointed, I was also relieved because I escaped again. I was getting worse, and the last one who turned me down did upset me and I had invested so much energy in preparing to do surgery with him. That's also how I knew that I would be able to get through it. I had tested my sketching idea making a drawing of him off a website and showed it to him at the last appointment which made him giggle, and in that moment I realized I could do this. Later, he declined to help me, so he never received the drawing, but I had a plan on what I could do meeting a new surgeon at Mayo, and you know how that turned out. I guess sometimes we thank God for unanswered prayers. Because it turned out this way, I had a bit more time to be with my dad who was dying, and I got the call to come to Mayo right after he passed.

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1 reply
Parus | @parus | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @debbraw "@jenniferhunter - Congratulations! Beautiful artwork and beautiful story. I loved reading it - it was heartwarming...." + (show)
@debbraw

@jenniferhunter - Congratulations! Beautiful artwork and beautiful story. I loved reading it - it was heartwarming.

@parus - I'm sorry you scorched your dumplings. That is such a bummer when you are trying to do something nice and it gets ruined. Tomorrow is another day - maybe it will be a dumpling day!

Today I'm grateful that I got everything done. I had a huge "to do" list. Some of it was difficult and time-consuming. Some was kind of sensitive where I didn't want to hurt feelings or step on toes, but I'm going to bed with every single item having a check mark beside it. Yeah!!

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@debbraw Finishing a list is so very satisfying. The fun in making a list is marking things off. Grateful for those to do and completed lists.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @lioness "@hopeful33250 I,ve been spreading the good news from you" + (show)
@lioness

@hopeful33250 I,ve been spreading the good news from you

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Yes you are and you are doing it with your own personal experience, which makes it effective, @ lioness! I'm glad you enjoy it and find it helpful.

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lioness | @lioness | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@lioness I get it. Thanks! I have so much empathy, I can feel the pain that..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@lioness I get it. Thanks! I have so much empathy, I can feel the pain that someone else is experiencing. I had to learn to give myself allergy shots, and I give them to my husband too. I've told him not to react if it hurts, because, I will feel it too, and I don't want to jump when I'm doing this. I'm glad you can relate to the story. I really listened to my body and had tracked my symptoms as they developed over time, so I knew going in that the surgery would fix it all. I know a lot of people do not have that level of body awareness. I knew from the first MRI that I would need surgery, and in seeing every doctor who turned me down, I was learning how to face that fear. Even though I was disappointed, I was also relieved because I escaped again. I was getting worse, and the last one who turned me down did upset me and I had invested so much energy in preparing to do surgery with him. That's also how I knew that I would be able to get through it. I had tested my sketching idea making a drawing of him off a website and showed it to him at the last appointment which made him giggle, and in that moment I realized I could do this. Later, he declined to help me, so he never received the drawing, but I had a plan on what I could do meeting a new surgeon at Mayo, and you know how that turned out. I guess sometimes we thank God for unanswered prayers. Because it turned out this way, I had a bit more time to be with my dad who was dying, and I got the call to come to Mayo right after he passed.

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@jenniferhunter You are very intuitive ,we need to listen to ourselves good for you. I've made an appointment for P. T. I think it will help but this Tai Chai I'm doing is really helping I can feel the difference in not only my back but my mood Thanks to Theresa

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1 reply
Parus | @parus | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @lioness "@jenniferhunter You are very intuitive ,we need to listen to ourselves good for you. I've made..." + (show)
@lioness

@jenniferhunter You are very intuitive ,we need to listen to ourselves good for you. I've made an appointment for P. T. I think it will help but this Tai Chai I'm doing is really helping I can feel the difference in not only my back but my mood Thanks to Theresa

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@lioness I have noticed the inflammation around my bum knee has improved. Odd thing is the knee pain is worse. Going to take a while. I had been with Don for a long time. Glad to have him back in my life and happy you have gotten acquainted as well. Knowing someone else doing thus helps motivate me. @hopeful33250 Thank you for posting the info on Tai Chi, etc. I do all 3 techniques as well as some yoga. I prefer Tai Chi.

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2 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @parus "@lioness I have noticed the inflammation around my bum knee has improved. Odd thing is the..." + (show)
@parus

@lioness I have noticed the inflammation around my bum knee has improved. Odd thing is the knee pain is worse. Going to take a while. I had been with Don for a long time. Glad to have him back in my life and happy you have gotten acquainted as well. Knowing someone else doing thus helps motivate me. @hopeful33250 Thank you for posting the info on Tai Chi, etc. I do all 3 techniques as well as some yoga. I prefer Tai Chi.

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@parus and @lioness

It looks like Don is the leading man in our lives right now! I, for one, am glad to have him🎈

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jan 11, 2019

Today I am grateful for everyone here. You all have inspired me to look at Don Fiore videos on YouTube and I can see a lot of benefit, also. This morning I returned to a group that I had not been to since moving in July and that was in another town. It is inspiring, intimidating and a challenge for me to go back to this path to lose weight sensibly. It is a group called TOPS.
Ginger

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3 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @gingerw "Today I am grateful for everyone here. You all have inspired me to look at Don..." + (show)
@gingerw

Today I am grateful for everyone here. You all have inspired me to look at Don Fiore videos on YouTube and I can see a lot of benefit, also. This morning I returned to a group that I had not been to since moving in July and that was in another town. It is inspiring, intimidating and a challenge for me to go back to this path to lose weight sensibly. It is a group called TOPS.
Ginger

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I have heard good things about TOPS, @gingerw. I would be interested in hearing more about it. Will you report back as to how it is working for you?

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @hopeful33250 "I have heard good things about TOPS, @gingerw. I would be interested in hearing more about..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

I have heard good things about TOPS, @gingerw. I would be interested in hearing more about it. Will you report back as to how it is working for you?

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@hopeful33250 Absolutely. It was an interesting business meeting. This group has been together a long time, and came complete with little spats between members. The leader apologized to me. I told her I'd rather be in a meeting where there is no second guessing how someone feels! I have heard this organization is pretty non-judgmental, but very supportive.
Ginger

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lioness | @lioness | Jan 11, 2019
In reply to @parus "@lioness I have noticed the inflammation around my bum knee has improved. Odd thing is the..." + (show)
@parus

@lioness I have noticed the inflammation around my bum knee has improved. Odd thing is the knee pain is worse. Going to take a while. I had been with Don for a long time. Glad to have him back in my life and happy you have gotten acquainted as well. Knowing someone else doing thus helps motivate me. @hopeful33250 Thank you for posting the info on Tai Chi, etc. I do all 3 techniques as well as some yoga. I prefer Tai Chi.

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@Parus good for you I find it easy to make time for it

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