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.

Today I'm grateful for my neighbors who have been so supportive while I was not feeling well last week - actually for several weeks since my surgery. I really feel fortunate to live in a place where I know I could get help night or day in a matter of moments. I wanted to do something to thank them, so I invited all of my close neighbors over next weekend for a little celebratory get together. I'm looking forward to making some special treats and letting them know how much I value them.

This process made me think further about gratitude. For me, it's been very helpful to commit to identifying something I'm grateful for every day. But does it end there, or is there a way to repay the kindness? pay it forward? or expand it in some way? I'm wondering if others have any insight on your experiences with this?

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@debbraw

Today I'm grateful for my neighbors who have been so supportive while I was not feeling well last week - actually for several weeks since my surgery. I really feel fortunate to live in a place where I know I could get help night or day in a matter of moments. I wanted to do something to thank them, so I invited all of my close neighbors over next weekend for a little celebratory get together. I'm looking forward to making some special treats and letting them know how much I value them.

This process made me think further about gratitude. For me, it's been very helpful to commit to identifying something I'm grateful for every day. But does it end there, or is there a way to repay the kindness? pay it forward? or expand it in some way? I'm wondering if others have any insight on your experiences with this?

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@debbraw You'll find the right thing that works for you. It may be a combination of all three you mentioned. Glad to hear you are on the mend more and more each day, and that you had community there to assist. We should all be so lucky!
Ginger

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@gingerw

@debbraw You'll find the right thing that works for you. It may be a combination of all three you mentioned. Glad to hear you are on the mend more and more each day, and that you had community there to assist. We should all be so lucky!
Ginger

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@gingerw I'm so glad you posted 3 speed ,so cute

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Once again grateful for my cozy little habitat. Wind roaring as a locomotive through the pines. Also reminds me of the roar of the mighty Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia I loved so in my youth and shared their worlds with my children. Up, up and away!! The visual is going back to the drawing board.
Grateful for my cyber buddies too. 😊

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@parus

Once again grateful for my cozy little habitat. Wind roaring as a locomotive through the pines. Also reminds me of the roar of the mighty Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia I loved so in my youth and shared their worlds with my children. Up, up and away!! The visual is going back to the drawing board.
Grateful for my cyber buddies too. 😊

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@parus That visual is awesome. We want to see what comes out of your imagination and pen with it!
Ginger

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@gingerw This visual is not at the drawing board. I was referring to myself as a visual. I like the idea now that you mentioned thus. Thank you!!

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One thing for certain the white pines out back are not whispering today. They may be pleading for mercy!! I am tucked away in the back and I ain’t a breakin’ camp!!

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@debbraw

Today I'm grateful for my neighbors who have been so supportive while I was not feeling well last week - actually for several weeks since my surgery. I really feel fortunate to live in a place where I know I could get help night or day in a matter of moments. I wanted to do something to thank them, so I invited all of my close neighbors over next weekend for a little celebratory get together. I'm looking forward to making some special treats and letting them know how much I value them.

This process made me think further about gratitude. For me, it's been very helpful to commit to identifying something I'm grateful for every day. But does it end there, or is there a way to repay the kindness? pay it forward? or expand it in some way? I'm wondering if others have any insight on your experiences with this?

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@debbraw You are a special lady glad you are getting better with all the help you need . I'm grateful for same as I had help from new neighbors when I fractured my back we didn't know each other that well my son was here in Calif. I was in Pa. just sold my house and moved into my mobile home when I fractured my back neighbors where great helped me a lot so appreciative of good neighbors know you are also . That's a past gratitude . On to now I have another recipe Very simple 1,2,3,cake recipe . Buy your favorite cake mix ,mix it with angle food cake mix. Mix well. Add 3 T cake mix in mug, 2T. water mix well put in micro 1 min. eat and enjoy .

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I work at a stained glass studio and my friends there are so talented. They threw a little surprise "get well" party for me and brought me an amazing gift that incorporates so many rich and beautiful symbols of friendship and caring: Our annual lobster bisque lunches, drinking wine and breaking bread together, the Tree of Life, lemons from the Mayer lemon tree in our front yard. They put so much love in such a limited space! And around the border you can see that everyone wrote a special personal note. I will treasure this forever. I am grateful beyond belief.

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@debbraw

I work at a stained glass studio and my friends there are so talented. They threw a little surprise "get well" party for me and brought me an amazing gift that incorporates so many rich and beautiful symbols of friendship and caring: Our annual lobster bisque lunches, drinking wine and breaking bread together, the Tree of Life, lemons from the Mayer lemon tree in our front yard. They put so much love in such a limited space! And around the border you can see that everyone wrote a special personal note. I will treasure this forever. I am grateful beyond belief.

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@debbraw That is beautiful I love stain glass Have a picture my grandson did in color stain glass you could say

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