I haven’t been updating my left-side column with my daily gratitudes since the work craziness. David’s still writing his in his notebook and I am planning to put them back here starting this week. In honor of all the missed days, I thought it would be a good idea to make a gratitude list. Many studies show that happy and wholehearted people have a regular gratitude practice.
So let’s give this a shot. I am going to try to be very specific, I hope you can join me and leave your list in the comments. It would make my day, even if it’s just one item.
Things I am grateful for right now:
- Nathaniel’s laughter and how he says “byeeee” to his classmates when I go to pick him up from school.
- David’s little front tooth that’s still hanging in there despite the non-baby ones that are already broken through.
- The fact that the date for our trip to Turkey is approaching and will be here soon.
- Jake’s deep affection towards me and how very loved he makes me feel.
- Jake’s hugs. (they’ve been my favorite for almost twenty years.)
- That the sun is out and the kids can play in the backyard now.
- All the sketches I’ve made this year.
- A wonderful package of templates that came to me in the mail. (Thank you Jaime.)
- Startbucks lattes and raspberry chocolate cake pops.
- That I am still running 2.6 miles despite lack of desire. That I have exercised every single day since October 2, 2010.
- For both my book clubs.
- A few new friends.
- Friday morning coffee dates with friends.
- That Nathaniel and David both give me kisses and hugs whenever I ask for them.
- My watercolor pencils. I love them so much.
- Learning new things at work.
- Getting stronger thanks to regular strength exercises.
- Finally catching up on some of the videos from the classes I was taking online.
- Getting to watch some TV.
- Scrapbooking. Even though I whine as I do it, I love telling our stories.
- That the days are getting longer and it’s not pitch black when I wake up.
- That summer is coming soon and I won’t be setting the alarm.
- For awesome stash of books that are waiting to be read. Quick ones and ones to savor.
- Date nights with David — a new tradition.
- My friend Caroline and chatting with her online.
- A warm tea and some blankets when I feel like snuggling up.
- Yogurt with granola and fruit.
- And, of course, my health, my family’s health. And all the millions of little and big things we have that make our day to day life so much more joyous.
So what’s on your list right now?
Let’s see…I think the biggest gratitude I feel is for my hubby and my David (you understand). Hugs, dark chocolate, used book stores that have current best sellers, and this blog that inspires so very much that I actually completed The Sketchbook Project! I am so grateful I had an opportunity to do that. Thank you!
I love your list and that you and David do this together. Here is my list
1. my family even when it’s crazy
2. my cousins i babysit for, love love watching them grow up
3. my art, all of it the good the bad the tears and the smiles of it
4. you Karen, always!!
5. scrapbooking and i need to do this more
6. project life, always!!
7. my husband has a good job and i can be home with kids
8. waking up my kids, love seeing what postition they are in or their blankets messed up but mostly because it’s ME they see first
9. that my hubby does so much for me around the house
10. for summer’s smiles, renee’s singing and sam loves sports and kristin’s art
11. for sunny days so i can sit on the deck and draw/sketch
12. for a new day everyday to start fresh and to make it count
13. for hot showers and hot tea every morning
14. for sunrises/sunsets always always
15. for trees of all kinds,shapes, colors always
16. for good teachers and schools for my kids
17. for my fave soup i eat almost daily
18. for my fave old jeans and hoodie that i wear to paint in
19. my fave chair to relax in before bed
20. for my friends and online friends
21. for dinners that don’t burn and that the kids eat
22. for sundays, the only day my hubby doesn’t work
23. for a new washer even if it’s to loud and gives me a headache
24. for sidewalk chalk for my daughter to use and dart guns for my son and new headbands for my other daughter
25. for quiet time when kids go to bed and in early mornings
26. for paper, crayons, pencils, paints, sharpies
27. for books and libraries always always
28. for my fave show the middle, love my weds.nigt show that makes me laugh
thank you karen, this was fun to do.
Great list!
My list right now:
– Our upcoming trip to Ottawa
– my cleaning lady
– lattes
– lunch with my husband a couple of days a week
– my book club
– a good job
– my daughter’s amazing French tutor
I, too, love watercolor pencils. They are awesome! And I can’t wait to find out what you are reading! And, holy cow. I’m jealous of your trip to Turkey. (Jealous in a good, friendly way…I’m glad you get to go, but I wish I could come along!) The company Kendell works for is potentially going to expand in Turkey and I keep crossing my fingers that A—it will go smoothly and B—Kendell will need to go there for work. Because I am totally coming along with him if he does!! 🙂
This is a good way to start my day so here goes:
1. Having a job that challenges me and supports me – after 16 months of unemployment I don’t take this for granted.
2. Seeing the children’s faces when I walk into work each morning and the hugs that follow.
3. My partner, friends and family and their support and love.
4. Eating healthier; a daily choice.
5. Having a Weight Watchers buddy!
6. Spring flowers, blue skies, the pale greens.
7. Walking at the beach with my Maisy.
8. Knowing I’m making a difference in the lives of young children.
9. Crafting time.
10. Digital crafting because my stories can be told anywhere.
11. A little pink notebook that makes me smile.
12. The green wall outside my office – thanks Mom.
13. Gold gladiator sandals.
14. Karenika’s blog for reminding life is about taking the challenges and moving with them.
15. Sand and water tables.
16. Miranda’s pretzels.
17. My Kindle and books, books, books.
18. Planning my “perfect” garden now that spring has arrived.
I recently started reading One Thousand Gifts from Ann Voskamp and have just started a gift list through photography. The ones I have captured so far are: warm sunshine on delicate flowers, first signs of spring after a long winter’s nap, trust (we were hand feeding some local birds and they landed on my DD’s hand), soft kitten feet, and a beautiful song (from a songbird).
Thank you for ‘making’ me stop and take a moment to write this list. I will definitely be doing this again soon.
1. The tree outside my work which marks the changing of the seasons.
2. Chocolate.
3. Having the time and money that makes traveling anywhere in the world a possibility.
4. My blog, the readers and the comments I receive – wonderful for motivation, ego, confidence and sense of community.
5. My iPhone. Really, I wonder how I lived without it.
6. The inspiration and ideas that are shared online.
7. Any moment that makes me stop in my tracks and go ‘wow’.
8. Scrapbooking and memory-keeping, for they have changed how I view my life and the world.
9. My boyfriend who just ‘gets it’.
10. The belief that life just gets better from here.
Oh, Karen, how grateful I am for your encouragement to do this, as well as the inspiration you regularly provide through your PBC classes and your blog. I know that I could come close to matching your list of 28 but for now what is on the forefront of my mind: that I continue to have the time (so grateful for early retirement!), the strength, health, and energy to be a postive presence in the lives of my grandchildren and provide specific help to my son’s and daughter’s families.
Hi Karen, LOVED your post!
I am so happy with my family and my husbands parents, i am happy to be healthy, to run my own bussiness and making good money with it, i am happy for old friends and coffees, lunch, dinners and what’sapps appointements, i am happy with the internet and the ability to ‘meet’ people with same hobbies, i am happy for the spring to come….
And i am happy to run into this TEDx story, making me an even more avid journaler: http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html
Happy days to you and your lovely family!
Thanks for sharing your list and getting me to think about mine!
1. The little bits of family time I get with my teenagers!
2. The way my son is taking to adult life and working so hard to get ahead in life.
3. My hubs who still says he loves me all the time!
4. My weightloss lately!
5. My daughter how makes me proud when I watch her dance!
6. My new art friends that I met at Inspire retreat – They have inspired me to no end!
7. The ability to find bits of my day to create, feeding my soul with color and texture and allowin my self to be free!
8. My health!
Bit late to the game but better late than never. My list:
+ my family’s health and my health
+ food on the table
+ warm bed every night now that winter is approaching
+ hubby doing the shopping & cooking when I have assignments due
+ hubby’s job which means I can focus on my studies
+ my well-behaved dog
+ a better tutor and a new classmate who helped me learn better
+ coffee and chocolate ice cream (separately)
+ safe neighborhood & friendly neighbors
+ sunny mornings
+ art & craft supplies
+ peace, quiet, birds singing and cricket sounds in the night
+ the internet