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.

JK | @contentandwell | May 12, 2019

In reply to @lioness "@contentandwell I had to laugh at the tube I was in a sardine can flight ,..." + (show)

@lioness All of the flights now are like cattle cars, or sardine cans. When I am in line waiting to get on the plane I feel like I should be moo-ing. Flying is just not fun anymore. I have come to hate it. The airports are so huge too! When we visited our son in October I walked over 9000 steps according to my fitness tracker, and that was all through airports! Denver airport is the largest in the country now. It really is awful. I love the smaller airports, like the one here in Manchester, and the one in Charleston when we went there in October.
JK

lioness | @lioness | May 12, 2019

In reply to @contentandwell "@lioness All of the flights now are like cattle cars, or sardine cans. When I am..." + (show)

@contentandwell I know what you mean I use to fly from Pittsburgh airport ,big to L.A.X I hated O'Hara in Chicago and Dallas airport I almost missed my flight Dallas was so big

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | May 12, 2019

In reply to @contentandwell "@gingerw Please refresh my addled old mind, where is it you are going? 15 hours sounds..." + (show)

@contentandwell Hi JK, going to Rhode Island to become a Certified Zentangle Teacher. There is a 5 hr layover in Atlanta on the outbound trip, return flight is a 4 hr layover at same airport. Not a fan of airplanes [haven't flown since 2007], but not checking any luggage. Just taking a bag for the overhead bin and a back pack for under the seat. Already going over in my mind how to pare down what to take, as all supplies are given there and they have to come home with me ;))
Ginger

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | May 12, 2019

In reply to @contentandwell "@lioness All of the flights now are like cattle cars, or sardine cans. When I am..." + (show)

@contentandwell At least with so much layover I can get to my gate! Taking my folding cane since my right knee may or may not cooperate. Get off plane, find new gate, plop down and don't move! The stop on outbound flight gets in to Atlanta at 4:30 in the morning, so it shouldn't be too crowded at that time.
Ginger

JK | @contentandwell | May 12, 2019

In reply to @lioness "@contentandwell I know what you mean I use to fly from Pittsburgh airport ,big to L.A.X..." + (show)

@lioness We did miss a flight when we flew from Denver to Charleston. I forget what the intermediate city was, but we missed the plane so they got us on the next one which was fine. It actually gave us time to grab some lunch. I called beforehand to see if they could change the flights but it would have been quite costly, so I was just as happy that our plane got in late and they had to at no cost to us.

@gingerw Have a great time in RI. That still sounds like a lot of hours for coast-to-coast. It never took us that long when we flew to visit our son in CA. He was in Hermosa Beach so we flew into LAX. I am one of the few people who does not mind layovers, it gives me time to stretch my legs, but I generally want the layover to be in the middle so I am making progress. Flying to Atlanta and then to RI really is not making progress. Going coast-to-coast if the layover is in Chicago or Denver, I'm OK with it.
I presume you are flying into the airport in RI, and unless that has changed considerably it's a fairly small airport so not much of a problem at all.
JK

lioness | @lioness | May 12, 2019

@contentandwell One flight didn't leave Pittsburgh airport on time so we landed in Phoenix the airlines put us up in a hotel next day we left in sardine can for Long Beach airport which is a small airport I've flown into John Wayne @ Bob Hope airports both smaller I prefer them then LAX

JK | @contentandwell | May 17, 2019

Today I am grateful for having had a decent check-up at my PCP yesterday, but even more so for a beautiful, belated Mother's Day gift from my daughter.
She gave a gift of a "year of school" to a girl in a foreign country such as Afghanistan, Congo, or Lebanon, thanking me for all we did for her and the opportunities she had. Her note was very touching and really made me feel appreciated.
When your kids are adults and express such appreciation it makes everything worth it.
JK