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.

JK | @contentandwell | Aug 26, 2019
In reply to @gingerw "@nancy82415 I believe it is available on Netflix or Amazon Prime video, also. I watched it,..." + (show)
@gingerw

@nancy82415 I believe it is available on Netflix or Amazon Prime video, also. I watched it, also, and asked my husband to watch it. Very impressively done. Ken Burns is a great documentary filmmaker!
Ginger

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@gingerw I watched it but the closed captioning was terrible. It would suddenly cut out leaving me up in the air! What I saw and was able to hear was very good.
JK

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Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Sep 4, 2019

Got weighed at the doctors today. I weigh 157. Congratulations to me. I’ve now lost 70 pounds, only 15 more to go and I will be back to 142 lbs.
Jake

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1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 4, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "Got weighed at the doctors today. I weigh 157. Congratulations to me. I’ve now lost 70..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

Got weighed at the doctors today. I weigh 157. Congratulations to me. I’ve now lost 70 pounds, only 15 more to go and I will be back to 142 lbs.
Jake

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@jakedduck1 Congratulations Leonard, that’s a great accomplishment. You must be very pleased with yourself.

How did you manage to lose weight while eating all of that candy? I’ve been off track this week and gained back a few pounds that I had lost. I’m so mad at myself. That happens sometimes though. 😖.

Tomorrow I have an endoscopy at 1:40 in the afternoon so they told me only clear liquids after 10:00 tonight until after the procedure. Nothing at all after 10:40 tomorrow morning. I told the person who called me to go over all of this that if anyone’s arm came close to my face I would probably bite a chunk out of it!
JK

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1 reply
janclaire | @janclaire | Sep 8, 2019

I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I grateful for my Father God and Jesus an the Holy Spirit. If course my family and friends. I turned 80 in June and never believed I would live so long as both parents died at 78& 79. I had cysts throughout my whole body all my life and finally am rid of them. I have been prone to bladder infections since I was 20 years old. So now I use an intermittent catheter, hope it helps. Now have #2diabetes controlled with diet an medication.. All my illness have been minor compared to others on you page. So I feel really blessed. I pray daily sometimes hourly depending on circumstances. I married a man 44 years older and was told because of his Medical conditions he would not see 65. Through diet and constant care he lived to 84. I know that God has blessed us and took care of my husband. Had a druggie son who was in prison 3 times and now has been clean for30 years. Just found out last year he had a 10 year old son who was Autistic with a druggie mother. Social services ask him to take custody and they are both very happy. My daughter is a successful paralegal who goes on mission trips with her husband to 3rd world countries and enjoy life and each other. One grandson was into drugs and is now clean. So you see with God's guidance and love I now have much to be grateful for. I could go on but I don't want to bore you. I thank God every day for all of you because you let me see how wonderful my life truly is. God bless you all and may he answer all prayers for your good.

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5 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Sep 8, 2019
In reply to @janclaire "I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I..." + (show)
@janclaire

I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I grateful for my Father God and Jesus an the Holy Spirit. If course my family and friends. I turned 80 in June and never believed I would live so long as both parents died at 78& 79. I had cysts throughout my whole body all my life and finally am rid of them. I have been prone to bladder infections since I was 20 years old. So now I use an intermittent catheter, hope it helps. Now have #2diabetes controlled with diet an medication.. All my illness have been minor compared to others on you page. So I feel really blessed. I pray daily sometimes hourly depending on circumstances. I married a man 44 years older and was told because of his Medical conditions he would not see 65. Through diet and constant care he lived to 84. I know that God has blessed us and took care of my husband. Had a druggie son who was in prison 3 times and now has been clean for30 years. Just found out last year he had a 10 year old son who was Autistic with a druggie mother. Social services ask him to take custody and they are both very happy. My daughter is a successful paralegal who goes on mission trips with her husband to 3rd world countries and enjoy life and each other. One grandson was into drugs and is now clean. So you see with God's guidance and love I now have much to be grateful for. I could go on but I don't want to bore you. I thank God every day for all of you because you let me see how wonderful my life truly is. God bless you all and may he answer all prayers for your good.

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It was so good of you to share all that you are grateful for, @janclaire. While you have had a number of challenges as well as illnesses I appreciate the fact that you can still look back and see how much you have been given. Your post really brightened my day!!

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Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Sep 8, 2019
In reply to @janclaire "I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I..." + (show)
@janclaire

I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I grateful for my Father God and Jesus an the Holy Spirit. If course my family and friends. I turned 80 in June and never believed I would live so long as both parents died at 78& 79. I had cysts throughout my whole body all my life and finally am rid of them. I have been prone to bladder infections since I was 20 years old. So now I use an intermittent catheter, hope it helps. Now have #2diabetes controlled with diet an medication.. All my illness have been minor compared to others on you page. So I feel really blessed. I pray daily sometimes hourly depending on circumstances. I married a man 44 years older and was told because of his Medical conditions he would not see 65. Through diet and constant care he lived to 84. I know that God has blessed us and took care of my husband. Had a druggie son who was in prison 3 times and now has been clean for30 years. Just found out last year he had a 10 year old son who was Autistic with a druggie mother. Social services ask him to take custody and they are both very happy. My daughter is a successful paralegal who goes on mission trips with her husband to 3rd world countries and enjoy life and each other. One grandson was into drugs and is now clean. So you see with God's guidance and love I now have much to be grateful for. I could go on but I don't want to bore you. I thank God every day for all of you because you let me see how wonderful my life truly is. God bless you all and may he answer all prayers for your good.

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@janclaire
Thank you for your enlightening and uplifting post. I too believe in God and shutter to think where or how I’d be without him. Regardless of our problems we all have the ability to be happy. My cousin is mentally handicapped and I go occasionally to the sheltered workshop where he works and see severely handicapped kids and adults, deaf unable to talk and unable to walk but probably the happiest person I’ve ever seen. He cheers me up every time I see him. When my Dad became a Quadriplegic I thought it doesn’t get any worse. Then the Quad with no legs, the Quad with no arms or legs I took to the dog races, the one in the iron lung. I could go on & on. Not to mention the horrible deaths I’ve witnessed. My life wasn’t all I had hoped it to be but so what, I survived numerous times that doctors said I wouldn’t. If you can breath even with assistance, be happy 😃 There will always be people far worse off.
Blessings,
Jake

REPLY
marvinjsturing | @marvinjsturing | Sep 8, 2019
In reply to @janclaire "I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I..." + (show)
@janclaire

I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I grateful for my Father God and Jesus an the Holy Spirit. If course my family and friends. I turned 80 in June and never believed I would live so long as both parents died at 78& 79. I had cysts throughout my whole body all my life and finally am rid of them. I have been prone to bladder infections since I was 20 years old. So now I use an intermittent catheter, hope it helps. Now have #2diabetes controlled with diet an medication.. All my illness have been minor compared to others on you page. So I feel really blessed. I pray daily sometimes hourly depending on circumstances. I married a man 44 years older and was told because of his Medical conditions he would not see 65. Through diet and constant care he lived to 84. I know that God has blessed us and took care of my husband. Had a druggie son who was in prison 3 times and now has been clean for30 years. Just found out last year he had a 10 year old son who was Autistic with a druggie mother. Social services ask him to take custody and they are both very happy. My daughter is a successful paralegal who goes on mission trips with her husband to 3rd world countries and enjoy life and each other. One grandson was into drugs and is now clean. So you see with God's guidance and love I now have much to be grateful for. I could go on but I don't want to bore you. I thank God every day for all of you because you let me see how wonderful my life truly is. God bless you all and may he answer all prayers for your good.

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What a story @janclaire! God is good all the time! Thanks for sharing.

REPLY
maone | @maone | Sep 8, 2019
In reply to @janclaire "I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I..." + (show)
@janclaire

I have so much to be grateful for I don't know where to start.. First I grateful for my Father God and Jesus an the Holy Spirit. If course my family and friends. I turned 80 in June and never believed I would live so long as both parents died at 78& 79. I had cysts throughout my whole body all my life and finally am rid of them. I have been prone to bladder infections since I was 20 years old. So now I use an intermittent catheter, hope it helps. Now have #2diabetes controlled with diet an medication.. All my illness have been minor compared to others on you page. So I feel really blessed. I pray daily sometimes hourly depending on circumstances. I married a man 44 years older and was told because of his Medical conditions he would not see 65. Through diet and constant care he lived to 84. I know that God has blessed us and took care of my husband. Had a druggie son who was in prison 3 times and now has been clean for30 years. Just found out last year he had a 10 year old son who was Autistic with a druggie mother. Social services ask him to take custody and they are both very happy. My daughter is a successful paralegal who goes on mission trips with her husband to 3rd world countries and enjoy life and each other. One grandson was into drugs and is now clean. So you see with God's guidance and love I now have much to be grateful for. I could go on but I don't want to bore you. I thank God every day for all of you because you let me see how wonderful my life truly is. God bless you all and may he answer all prayers for your good.

Jump to this post

I am 76 years old and enjoyed your comments! I too pray to our Father God like you do but never enough. I never thought I’d live to be 76. I have been under tremendous stress lately. I have a son who left without a trace in May not to hear anything else about him. You may have read some of my posts ? Would appreciate your prayers for me and will be praying for you. I have Fibromyalgia and other things and all of this hasn’t helped but one day at a time sweet Jesus has really helped me. God bless you ❤️

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lioness | @lioness | Sep 8, 2019

@maone I just sang that song at Karioke last night and it is so true for all of us. Stay strong .

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Sep 8, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@jakedduck1 Congratulations Leonard, that’s a great accomplishment. You must be very pleased with yourself. How did..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jakedduck1 Congratulations Leonard, that’s a great accomplishment. You must be very pleased with yourself.

How did you manage to lose weight while eating all of that candy? I’ve been off track this week and gained back a few pounds that I had lost. I’m so mad at myself. That happens sometimes though. 😖.

Tomorrow I have an endoscopy at 1:40 in the afternoon so they told me only clear liquids after 10:00 tonight until after the procedure. Nothing at all after 10:40 tomorrow morning. I told the person who called me to go over all of this that if anyone’s arm came close to my face I would probably bite a chunk out of it!
JK

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1 How did endoscopy go yesterday? Good, I hope! Did they find a good chocolate stash in your stomach?!!

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