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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.

TERESA LOGAN | @quiteachiver75 | Apr 6, 2019
In reply to @becsbuddy "Things are good today! I’m able to read and go from one line to the next—had..." + (show)
@becsbuddy

Things are good today! I’m able to read and go from one line to the next—had a spell where I would read the same line multiple times! Learned to hold a ruler under the line to help me move along. See my ophthalmologist in 2 weeks. Thank you for asking! Vision is so precious
Becky

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BECKY HELLO VISION IS VERY PRECIOUS ITS MY ONE DREAD WITH MY EYES GRAVES DISEASE I AM 😦 SCARED NOT SO GOOD DAYS WITH MY EYES LATLEY. IS HOLDING A RULER KEEP YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE ON THE PAGE GOOD LUCK 😉 KEEP SMILING TERESA🌹

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Apr 6, 2019
In reply to @quiteachiver75 "BECKY HELLO VISION IS VERY PRECIOUS ITS MY ONE DREAD WITH MY EYES GRAVES DISEASE I..." + (show)
@quiteachiver75

BECKY HELLO VISION IS VERY PRECIOUS ITS MY ONE DREAD WITH MY EYES GRAVES DISEASE I AM 😦 SCARED NOT SO GOOD DAYS WITH MY EYES LATLEY. IS HOLDING A RULER KEEP YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE ON THE PAGE GOOD LUCK 😉 KEEP SMILING TERESA🌹

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GOOD MORNING! DO YOU SEE AN OPTHAMOLOGIST? MINE SUGGESTED SEEING A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST IF THINGS DIDNT IMPROVE. LUCKILY, THINGS HAVE IMPROVED IN GENERAL, AND I ONLY HAVE SOME BAD DAYS—MOSTLY WHEN I WANT TO SEW. I ALSO HAVE A COMDITION CALLED MAP DOT FINGERPRINT DYSTROPHY. CRAZY NAME! WORDS AND BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES ALL HAVE SHADOWS. IVE GOTTEN SO USED TO IT THAT IT REALLY DOESNT BOTHER ME TOO MUCH AS LONG AS THE LETTERS ARE BIG ENOUGH. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!

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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Apr 6, 2019
In reply to @becsbuddy "GOOD MORNING! DO YOU SEE AN OPTHAMOLOGIST? MINE SUGGESTED SEEING A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST IF THINGS DIDNT IMPROVE...." + (show)
@becsbuddy

GOOD MORNING! DO YOU SEE AN OPTHAMOLOGIST? MINE SUGGESTED SEEING A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST IF THINGS DIDNT IMPROVE. LUCKILY, THINGS HAVE IMPROVED IN GENERAL, AND I ONLY HAVE SOME BAD DAYS—MOSTLY WHEN I WANT TO SEW. I ALSO HAVE A COMDITION CALLED MAP DOT FINGERPRINT DYSTROPHY. CRAZY NAME! WORDS AND BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES ALL HAVE SHADOWS. IVE GOTTEN SO USED TO IT THAT IT REALLY DOESNT BOTHER ME TOO MUCH AS LONG AS THE LETTERS ARE BIG ENOUGH. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!

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Hello @becsbuddy

I had never heard of Map Dot Fingerprint Dystrophy before. When I looked it up I saw that it could be inherited. Does anyone else in your family have it? How long have you had it and has it gotten progressively worse or stayed the same?

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Apr 6, 2019
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @becsbuddy I had never heard of Map Dot Fingerprint Dystrophy before. When I looked it..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @becsbuddy

I had never heard of Map Dot Fingerprint Dystrophy before. When I looked it up I saw that it could be inherited. Does anyone else in your family have it? How long have you had it and has it gotten progressively worse or stayed the same?

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Map dot fingerprint dystrophy isn’t very common—no one in my family has it. No one else wears glasses! One positive thing about it is, Medicare covers an ophthalmologist visit each year! So with my autoimmune disease, the eye doc can keep a close eye on my eyes! That sounds funny. When I got CLIPPERS last year, the steroids caused my vision to change 3 times!! And that can be expensive! Becky. PS. Luckily, it has stayed the same 😎

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Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Apr 8, 2019

Today I'm just grateful for spring! I packed up some Easter toys and books for each of the great-grandbabies and I'm on my way to the Post Office. Hope everyone has a GREAT day!

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Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Apr 10, 2019

Today I'm grateful that I think I'm going to be able to see the Space X Shuttle Launch. I've never seen anything like this, but it is predicted to go right over us.
I'm going to walk down to the waterfront in a few minutes and hope to see the arc of the launch. So... now am I by myself in gratitude? What are you grateful for? There is so much beauty and love and kindness in the world. Tell me what you have experienced.

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 10, 2019

@debbraw -- my wife brought home the mail yesterday and gave me 2 cards from Mayo Clinic. It made me extremely thankful for the care provided by the Mayo Clinic staff and everyone I interacted with for my knee surgery. Funny story -- arriving a little after 6 am for my 6:30 check-in at the Eisenberg Building reception desk I stopped because I forgot which way to turn from the Graham parking ramp when I reached the building hallway. A Mayo volunteer worker saw the look on my face and asked can I help you? Then he smiled more and said "you don't remember me do you?". He was one of my customers Tim M. who was the director/manager of one of the manufacturing businesses I helped with setting up a new website 5 or 6 years ago. He had since retired and looked really good - infectious smile. Once he looked at me and asked me my mind drew a blank for a name...hate it when that happens but I digress.

The cards from Mayo Clinic care teams were pretty awesome to get. I did leave a small stack of Connect cards with the nurse who brought me that surgery gown that I hope I never have to put on again ☺ so that she could hopefully give them to other patients and staff.
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Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "@debbraw -- my wife brought home the mail yesterday and gave me 2 cards from Mayo..." + (show)
@johnbishop

@debbraw -- my wife brought home the mail yesterday and gave me 2 cards from Mayo Clinic. It made me extremely thankful for the care provided by the Mayo Clinic staff and everyone I interacted with for my knee surgery. Funny story -- arriving a little after 6 am for my 6:30 check-in at the Eisenberg Building reception desk I stopped because I forgot which way to turn from the Graham parking ramp when I reached the building hallway. A Mayo volunteer worker saw the look on my face and asked can I help you? Then he smiled more and said "you don't remember me do you?". He was one of my customers Tim M. who was the director/manager of one of the manufacturing businesses I helped with setting up a new website 5 or 6 years ago. He had since retired and looked really good - infectious smile. Once he looked at me and asked me my mind drew a blank for a name...hate it when that happens but I digress.

The cards from Mayo Clinic care teams were pretty awesome to get. I did leave a small stack of Connect cards with the nurse who brought me that surgery gown that I hope I never have to put on again ☺ so that she could hopefully give them to other patients and staff.

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@johnbishop - I wish there was a WOW button on this thing. What a great story. Thanks for sharing.

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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "@debbraw -- my wife brought home the mail yesterday and gave me 2 cards from Mayo..." + (show)
@johnbishop

@debbraw -- my wife brought home the mail yesterday and gave me 2 cards from Mayo Clinic. It made me extremely thankful for the care provided by the Mayo Clinic staff and everyone I interacted with for my knee surgery. Funny story -- arriving a little after 6 am for my 6:30 check-in at the Eisenberg Building reception desk I stopped because I forgot which way to turn from the Graham parking ramp when I reached the building hallway. A Mayo volunteer worker saw the look on my face and asked can I help you? Then he smiled more and said "you don't remember me do you?". He was one of my customers Tim M. who was the director/manager of one of the manufacturing businesses I helped with setting up a new website 5 or 6 years ago. He had since retired and looked really good - infectious smile. Once he looked at me and asked me my mind drew a blank for a name...hate it when that happens but I digress.

The cards from Mayo Clinic care teams were pretty awesome to get. I did leave a small stack of Connect cards with the nurse who brought me that surgery gown that I hope I never have to put on again ☺ so that she could hopefully give them to other patients and staff.

Jump to this post

@johnbishop
How nice is that? I'm impressed!

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