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.

@jakedduck1

@karen00
Good guess! Yes I live in Central California, 89 miles E of San Francisco.
Don’t you think it’s hotter there when you factor in the humidity? It’s 30% humidity now, midnight and 87 degrees. It was 106 today.
Jake

Jump to this post

@karen00 Goodmorning Karen Where name is by San Francisco I live in So.Calif .close to the beach we here are still in the hi 70,s but July will bring us in 80-90,s but humidity around 30 in hot summer it will go into single digits.Calif has weather extremes .

REPLY
@debbraw

I'm grateful today that my husband has finished his 2nd cataract surgery and seems to be recovering well. I've been quiet on this group for awhile as we got ready for the surgery and took care of some other medical issues. But I've been reading about all of you temperature extremes. Living here in NE Florida, it just made be decide I needed to go to the pool and cool off!

Also @gingerw - I'm thinking about you with all of your house/relocation challenges. Wishing you the very best!

Jump to this post

@debbraw - I've had cataract replacement surgery a few years back and it's wonderful! He'll see like a dream!

REPLY
@jakedduck1

@karen00
Good guess! Yes I live in Central California, 89 miles E of San Francisco.
Don’t you think it’s hotter there when you factor in the humidity? It’s 30% humidity now, midnight and 87 degrees. It was 106 today.
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1 Yes, how did you know our humidity gets very high? It’s regularly a heat index of over 100 during summer. I live right outside of Raleigh in Cary.

REPLY
@karen00

@jakedduck1 Yes, how did you know our humidity gets very high? It’s regularly a heat index of over 100 during summer. I live right outside of Raleigh in Cary.

Jump to this post

@karen00
Hi,
I haven’t been in your neck of the woods but went to the Worlds Fair in New Orleans in 1984 and I was soaked just going from the car to the house. I never experienced anything like that before. California gets a little humid sometimes and everyone goes around whining and griping but nothing even close to what you experience. I know someone in Virginia and New Hampshire and they said it was humid there. Is it more humid the farther south you go? When I went to Texas I saw actual rain. We had to stop until it stopped, couldn’t see a thing. My friend said “good thing it didn’t hail.” You need to get out of California occasionally to see some actual weather. We have great fires, droughts and earthquakes but when it rains (or drizzles) a quarter inch here the headlines on the front page of the paper says “Major storm hits Valley” I don’t think Californians know what a a real storm is.
Jake

REPLY
@jakedduck1

@karen00
Hi,
I haven’t been in your neck of the woods but went to the Worlds Fair in New Orleans in 1984 and I was soaked just going from the car to the house. I never experienced anything like that before. California gets a little humid sometimes and everyone goes around whining and griping but nothing even close to what you experience. I know someone in Virginia and New Hampshire and they said it was humid there. Is it more humid the farther south you go? When I went to Texas I saw actual rain. We had to stop until it stopped, couldn’t see a thing. My friend said “good thing it didn’t hail.” You need to get out of California occasionally to see some actual weather. We have great fires, droughts and earthquakes but when it rains (or drizzles) a quarter inch here the headlines on the front page of the paper says “Major storm hits Valley” I don’t think Californians know what a a real storm is.
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1 Hey Jake you are so right just look at the car accidents when it drizzles out here.In Pa we had a lot of actual downpours ,humidity but when my brother died in 2013 my son and I flew to Ga. Couldn't wait to get back humidity just sucked all my energy. I'm spoiled now.

REPLY
@debbraw

I'm grateful today that my husband has finished his 2nd cataract surgery and seems to be recovering well. I've been quiet on this group for awhile as we got ready for the surgery and took care of some other medical issues. But I've been reading about all of you temperature extremes. Living here in NE Florida, it just made be decide I needed to go to the pool and cool off!

Also @gingerw - I'm thinking about you with all of your house/relocation challenges. Wishing you the very best!

Jump to this post

@debbraw I have had cataract surgery in both eyes and it was a very quick and easy recovery. When I first had it I only used a very low magnification reading glass but over the years I have had to increase the magnification. I think I was 1.25 initially and I am now at 2.75. Still, not a problem at all though.
JK

REPLY

Hi Merry @merpreb and JK @contentandwell - thanks for your encouragement on the cataract surgery my husband had. He is doing very well and the doctor is really pleased. The problem we are having is more related to his dementia. He really can't understand the restriction on his activity. He loves to be outdoors digging in the garden and watering the plants. The doctor wants him away from the dirt and not bending over. So naturally, he sees the situation as one in which I've taken him hostage and won't let him enjoy his life. It will improve, but the first week after the first surgery was a nightmare and this one is shaping up in a similar way. The good news is that he can see better!

REPLY
@debbraw

Hi Merry @merpreb and JK @contentandwell - thanks for your encouragement on the cataract surgery my husband had. He is doing very well and the doctor is really pleased. The problem we are having is more related to his dementia. He really can't understand the restriction on his activity. He loves to be outdoors digging in the garden and watering the plants. The doctor wants him away from the dirt and not bending over. So naturally, he sees the situation as one in which I've taken him hostage and won't let him enjoy his life. It will improve, but the first week after the first surgery was a nightmare and this one is shaping up in a similar way. The good news is that he can see better!

Jump to this post

@debbraw Trying to convince him to leave those pieces and bits in the garden until he can actually safely do it must be a challenge! Now that he can see better he can see all the things that he wants to do, am I right? I'm glad the surgery went well and there are no complications. That sounds like that would be the a difficult place to be if it happened. We're here for you! Gather around the table here, we all care for you.
Ginger

REPLY
@jodeej

Iowa is only in the 70's today, but we will hit the 80's in a couple days with humidity on top of it. I'll take heat and low humidity any day!

Jump to this post

@jodeej
Hi jo,
I don’t know how high your humidity is there so here is a heat index chart that can convert your temp according to your humidity.
Hope you let me know how hot it gets. Although California housing, taxes, gas and nearly everything else is expensive and crime, drugs and homelessness are rampant and awful politicians (not that Calif has the monopoly on that) fires, earthquakes, I’d still rather be here.
Jake

REPLY
@jakedduck1

@jodeej
Hi jo,
I don’t know how high your humidity is there so here is a heat index chart that can convert your temp according to your humidity.
Hope you let me know how hot it gets. Although California housing, taxes, gas and nearly everything else is expensive and crime, drugs and homelessness are rampant and awful politicians (not that Calif has the monopoly on that) fires, earthquakes, I’d still rather be here.
Jake

Jump to this post

Leonard, right now it's 70° with 28% humidity, so it's beautiful. I'll let you know what this weekend brings.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.