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
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @parus "Seems things have slowed down in this thread about gratitude. I encountered a situation at the..." + (show)
@parus

Seems things have slowed down in this thread about gratitude. I encountered a situation at the pharmacy recently. Living in a bubble like I mostly do I did not know people were lined up for their 1st round of the vaccine. I was quietly waiting to pick up the thyroid medication when the 70+ man in front of me started verbalizing about the wait to get his shot. I found myself grateful to not have such a strong sense of entitlement that I would complain about waiting to get something that may protect me. Also grateful I held my tongue. Truly a blessing at this time.

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@parus Three cheers for you!

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 1, 2021

Today I am grateful for the wonderful people at our local family-owned market (produce/meat/bakery) for the extraordinary care they have taken to keep us safe throughout the pandemic. Masking, shields, hand sanitizer, rearranged to make aisles wider...all with their usual friendly smile and greeting. Today we stopped in for a few things after an early morning drop-off of car at the body shop, and felt totally safe. Not to mention their great food!
Sue

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lioness | @lioness | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @lioness How are you? Its been a while since you last posted. I hope you..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @lioness
How are you? Its been a while since you last posted. I hope you are well.

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@contentandwell Hi JK yes I,m doing o.k. Getting my first vaccine shot today. I was busy here with food delivery so took a hiatus this summer but I,m back now . How is your Osteoporosis and have you decided to go on anything for it ? Take care

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @lioness How are you? Its been a while since you last posted. I hope you..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @lioness
How are you? Its been a while since you last posted. I hope you are well.

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@hopeful33250 Hi Theresa yes thanks for all your help . I will be getting my first covid vaccine shot today So happy .

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JK | @contentandwell | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @lioness "@contentandwell Hi JK yes I,m doing o.k. Getting my first vaccine shot today. I was busy..." + (show)
@lioness

@contentandwell Hi JK yes I,m doing o.k. Getting my first vaccine shot today. I was busy here with food delivery so took a hiatus this summer but I,m back now . How is your Osteoporosis and have you decided to go on anything for it ? Take care

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Thanks for asking, @lioness. My osteoporosis is the same I presume. I haven't had any falls but my DEXA in December did show a decrease in density despite my doing all of the right "natural" things, vitamins, and getting plenty of exercise.

I am just about to start Tymlos. It's taken a while to get it approved by my drug insurer but I just got the call today that it has been so I will start as soon as the speciality pharmacy sends it to me. It's a bit scary, injecting myself daily, but that and Forteo are the only ones that increase bone density so I hope it will be worth it. From what I have heard from others who use it, it has helped. I just cannot risk my osteoporosis getting any worse.
JK

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JK | @contentandwell | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "Today I am especially grateful for my older daughter. It seems that life and circumstances have..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Today I am especially grateful for my older daughter. It seems that life and circumstances have placed her exactly where she needs to be during this pandemic. She is an adrenaline junkie, an ER Nurse and trained Paramedic, 911 dispatcher and Law Enforcement officer sidelined by Covid last March. While she recovered, she was able to provide daycare for her sister's two little boys while Mom worked from home.

In June she transitioned to a tele-med job for her large urban hospital. In her role, she has honed her triage skills, used her vast network of contacts, and helped countless people. She worked from our den for a few weeks, and I was able to hear her patience, soothing tones, and vast efforts to help her sometimes difficult patients.

A few weeks ago, she took us to their Covid clinic when my husband had symptoms (we were all negative) and that got us both on the radar as "high risk", so we got notified this week and got the vaccine on Wednesday. Friday night her sister began to have some alarming symptoms, and she triaged her and took her to the ER, where they found a sudden, unexplained hematoma in her arm. This weekend, their hospital found themselves with unused, about to expire vaccine doses. She reached out and connected no fewer than a dozen friends and family members over 65, all on the state's "wait list" of 200,000 with the clinics to get injections yesterday, and was able to get at least 6 more patients vaccine.

These are just a few examples of this amazing woman being "in the right place at the right time" over the past few years.
Sue

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@sueinmn Your daughter sounds like an absolute gem, and a person who is definitely in the right job. There are a few nurses in our family and all of them are very soothing and caring people. Having had too many inpatient stays prior to my transplant I know too well just how much difference a good nurse can make. I think at my local hospital where most of my stays were, I had about two or three caring nurses. At Mass General they were all incredible though.

I have changed doctors and my current doctor uses a different hospital. Hopefully I won't have to go in the hospital but if I do at all I hope the nurses there will be better than they were at the other hospital.
JK

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Parus | @parus | Feb 1, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "@parus Three cheers for you!" + (show)
@hopeful33250

@parus Three cheers for you!

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@hopeful33250 I failed to mention my tongue needed stitches...Grin.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 3, 2021

Today I am grateful for grandsons. My daughter has been struggling, working from home with 2 preschoolers, without daycare and trying to keep us safe by minimizing our contact. But we have persisted, playing outdoors even in cold, and making short, masked visits every afternoon to entertain the boys. The almost 5 yo one is struggling too, with isolation and sibling rivalry, so today she agreed I could bring him to our house for a day of exclusive time with Grandma & Bompa. We are all masked. He is playing and chatting with us, planning what he will cook for lunch (he really does the prep & cooking - supervised of course. We have filled bird seed and energy food, made a birthday card for Daddy, and plan to go out to play after lunch.
And this morning, she found an ideal daycare setting for them, near her school, where she will return late next month.
What JOY we are all feeling today.
Sue

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1 reply
marjou | @marjou | Feb 3, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "Today I am grateful for grandsons. My daughter has been struggling, working from home with 2..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Today I am grateful for grandsons. My daughter has been struggling, working from home with 2 preschoolers, without daycare and trying to keep us safe by minimizing our contact. But we have persisted, playing outdoors even in cold, and making short, masked visits every afternoon to entertain the boys. The almost 5 yo one is struggling too, with isolation and sibling rivalry, so today she agreed I could bring him to our house for a day of exclusive time with Grandma & Bompa. We are all masked. He is playing and chatting with us, planning what he will cook for lunch (he really does the prep & cooking - supervised of course. We have filled bird seed and energy food, made a birthday card for Daddy, and plan to go out to play after lunch.
And this morning, she found an ideal daycare setting for them, near her school, where she will return late next month.
What JOY we are all feeling today.
Sue

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@sueinmn What special time for you and your grandson.
I'm grateful babysitting for a nurse of two precious sisters who are age 3 and 1.5 yrs of age. Yes, with mask on all day but they make me laugh and I cook for them. So thankful

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 3, 2021
In reply to @marjou "@sueinmn What special time for you and your grandson. I'm grateful babysitting for a nurse of..." + (show)
@marjou

@sueinmn What special time for you and your grandson.
I'm grateful babysitting for a nurse of two precious sisters who are age 3 and 1.5 yrs of age. Yes, with mask on all day but they make me laugh and I cook for them. So thankful

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It makes this isolation tolerable. We have been a bubble of 7 since June 1st. My littles were both so relaxed and happy to see each other after a day apart!
Sue

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