This is it! Today is my 100th day of "organized thanking." Hopefully, you've enjoyed reading a post or two - but more importantly, I hope you have been able to "get something" out of it. This post is all about a call to action. Some of you have been faithful readers and have been with me through most of the 100 days. When you read the blogs, do you think, "Oh, how nice. She doing some nice things" followed by "I wonder what we should have for supper?" Or do you stop and think how this could potentially apply to you? How can you express more gratitude in your own life? What specifically are you going to do? Lets use this as a time for you to take some action. Take a minute and jot down some things you actually plan to do in regards to gratitude. Seriously. Get out the paper - I'll wait.
Are you skipping ahead? I really meant it when I said write it down. There is something definitive about the act of actually writing. Don't just say to yourself, "I'll do it in my head" or "I'll do it later" because you won't. Do it now while you're thinking about it.
Some ideas for those of you who are "stuck":
1. Make a list of people you'd like to thank.
2. Choose a time each week when you can give up 5 min. (I like to write out a few thank-you's on Monday mornings - it tends to put things in perspective on a day that doesn't get as much love as the other 6).
3. Buy some thank you cards or plain card stock to write on. Or, for you artsy-craftsy types (not me) get out the stamping gear, stickers & funny scissors and make your own.
4. Stick some blank thank you's in your purse/briefcase/glove box. That way, when you are waiting an exceptionally long time for you oil to get changed or at the dr's office, you can crank out a few.
5. Start practicing gratitude throughout your day. (Especially when you're grumpy!). It doesn't have to be anything big - this morning, I was grateful that my hot tea (which I had forgotten to drink) wasn't ice cold when I finally remembered to drink it.
6. Start and end your day with thank-you's to God. Many mornings, the only thing positive I can think of is "Thank you for making sleep so awesome that I want to do it more." But it still counts & gets me in a better mood.
I'm sure you could think of even more ideas that pertain more directly to your own life. Looks like you've got a nice list there. Soooo, my last challenge is for you do go DO IT. You don't have do commit to 100 days, or create some fancy-schmancy blog - just start incorporating gratitude into your daily life a little more often and see where it gets you. My guess is someplace good. Thanks again for all of your support!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The End Is Near...
*hanging head in shame*
So, it's been awhile since I've written. Somehow, this blog got put not only on the back burner, but I don't even think the stove top was on. But here I am, ready with an entire MONTH'S worth of thank-you related wisdom to share.
First of all, let's start with the fact that the end of this project is rapidly approaching. April 13th, to be exact. Some of you left brained folks might be wondering what my stats are. "How many thank-you's has she cranked out? Did she hit everyone on that list of hers? Did she do MORE than 100 thank-you's in 100 days?" The answer is really going to irritate some of you...here it comes... I have no clue. I couldn't even guess how many thank you's I've doled out in the (almost) 100 days it's been. Being somewhat of a left-brainer myself, this actually irritates me a little, too (but I'm trying to get over it). Why didn't I simply keep track? With a project like this, wouldn't it have been awesome to share my "results" and maybe throw in a bar graph for good measure?
Originally, that was the direction I was headed. I kept track of who I had thanked, what I thanked them for, what my "count" was, etc. Then one day, I made a realization: on April 14th, I probably should still try to thank someone. And probably on April 15th, 16th, 17th...you get the idea. Point being, this project may be ending, but expressing gratitude is something that should never end. That's when I decided to stop being a person who has the goal of thanking someone every day for 100 days and start being a person who expresses gratitude freely, without having an "ulterior motive." So I quit. I didn't quit thanking, I quit keeping track. It's kind of like someone who is trying to quit smoking. Ask them how many days it's been since their last cigarette and most of them will be able to tell you (some even down to the minute). But until they stop identifying themselves as a "smoker trying to quit" and instead as a "non-smoker," they will not have as much success.
OK, so maybe it's not like trying to quit smoking at all...but I hope you see my point. If you're out of the habit of thanking people, setting a goal can be a good thing. However, at some point, it becomes time to let it become your way of life and a part of who you are - not just a task you are trying to accomplish. I'm still writing my thank-you's and I will continue to do so, perhaps forever. I hope to eventually write over a thousand - not because it's cool to be able to say that (even though it kind of is), but because I know that with each thank you I am putting more "good" out into the world. And that's always a good thing.
So, it's been awhile since I've written. Somehow, this blog got put not only on the back burner, but I don't even think the stove top was on. But here I am, ready with an entire MONTH'S worth of thank-you related wisdom to share.
First of all, let's start with the fact that the end of this project is rapidly approaching. April 13th, to be exact. Some of you left brained folks might be wondering what my stats are. "How many thank-you's has she cranked out? Did she hit everyone on that list of hers? Did she do MORE than 100 thank-you's in 100 days?" The answer is really going to irritate some of you...here it comes... I have no clue. I couldn't even guess how many thank you's I've doled out in the (almost) 100 days it's been. Being somewhat of a left-brainer myself, this actually irritates me a little, too (but I'm trying to get over it). Why didn't I simply keep track? With a project like this, wouldn't it have been awesome to share my "results" and maybe throw in a bar graph for good measure?
Originally, that was the direction I was headed. I kept track of who I had thanked, what I thanked them for, what my "count" was, etc. Then one day, I made a realization: on April 14th, I probably should still try to thank someone. And probably on April 15th, 16th, 17th...you get the idea. Point being, this project may be ending, but expressing gratitude is something that should never end. That's when I decided to stop being a person who has the goal of thanking someone every day for 100 days and start being a person who expresses gratitude freely, without having an "ulterior motive." So I quit. I didn't quit thanking, I quit keeping track. It's kind of like someone who is trying to quit smoking. Ask them how many days it's been since their last cigarette and most of them will be able to tell you (some even down to the minute). But until they stop identifying themselves as a "smoker trying to quit" and instead as a "non-smoker," they will not have as much success.
OK, so maybe it's not like trying to quit smoking at all...but I hope you see my point. If you're out of the habit of thanking people, setting a goal can be a good thing. However, at some point, it becomes time to let it become your way of life and a part of who you are - not just a task you are trying to accomplish. I'm still writing my thank-you's and I will continue to do so, perhaps forever. I hope to eventually write over a thousand - not because it's cool to be able to say that (even though it kind of is), but because I know that with each thank you I am putting more "good" out into the world. And that's always a good thing.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
THIS JUST IN!!!!
Terribly exciting news - I know I've got your attention because I used all capital letters AND exclamation points in the title of this blog - that's how you know something is really important. Here it is:
I've been doing a little research on this topic and I was incredibly excited in what I learned. Since not all of you have your PhD, I will "dumb things down" a little. (I'm personally not a fan of "fancy talk" anyway, but that is a discussion for another day). Practicing gratitude daily is healthy for your brain - it does all kinds of good things by sending good brain chemicals flying here & there. It also sets the stage for other good things to happen in your brain. That alone is exciting - but now hear this... people who have a generally pessimistic view towards the world die sooner. Having a negative outlook on life is flat out bad for your heart. There is something called a HRT (heart rate turbulence) that is apparently affected by your outlook towards the world (other things affect it, also). Being a pessimist lowers your HRT and puts you at risk for cardiac disease.
So, the question is...are you being a grateful optimist? Or are you a take-everything-for-granted pessimist? Here's a quick way to find out. Think of the last time someone told you..."We need to talk." Were you excited because you couldn't wait to hear what wonderful and exciting things that person wanted to talk about? Or did your stomach sink to your toenails & leave you dreading the impending conversation...
Unfortunately, I think many of us think we are optimists, when in fact we are actually pessimists - and pessimists typically live in fear - yikes. Not a sunshine & roses kind of thought, is it? But there is good news! It may not be the easiest thing in the world, but I believe it is possible to change yourself into an optimist. Simply becoming more aware of your attitude will help, for starters. Practicing gratitude daily and focusing more on others will also help get you on the right track. So, if you just diagnosed yourself as being pessimist, you CAN become optimistic - one half-empty - I mean, half-full glass at a time.
Practicing gratitude (and having a positive attitude) is PHYSICALLY good for you!!
I've been doing a little research on this topic and I was incredibly excited in what I learned. Since not all of you have your PhD, I will "dumb things down" a little. (I'm personally not a fan of "fancy talk" anyway, but that is a discussion for another day). Practicing gratitude daily is healthy for your brain - it does all kinds of good things by sending good brain chemicals flying here & there. It also sets the stage for other good things to happen in your brain. That alone is exciting - but now hear this... people who have a generally pessimistic view towards the world die sooner. Having a negative outlook on life is flat out bad for your heart. There is something called a HRT (heart rate turbulence) that is apparently affected by your outlook towards the world (other things affect it, also). Being a pessimist lowers your HRT and puts you at risk for cardiac disease.
So, the question is...are you being a grateful optimist? Or are you a take-everything-for-granted pessimist? Here's a quick way to find out. Think of the last time someone told you..."We need to talk." Were you excited because you couldn't wait to hear what wonderful and exciting things that person wanted to talk about? Or did your stomach sink to your toenails & leave you dreading the impending conversation...
Unfortunately, I think many of us think we are optimists, when in fact we are actually pessimists - and pessimists typically live in fear - yikes. Not a sunshine & roses kind of thought, is it? But there is good news! It may not be the easiest thing in the world, but I believe it is possible to change yourself into an optimist. Simply becoming more aware of your attitude will help, for starters. Practicing gratitude daily and focusing more on others will also help get you on the right track. So, if you just diagnosed yourself as being pessimist, you CAN become optimistic - one half-empty - I mean, half-full glass at a time.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thank YOU for the support
So, as I've been tooling along on this little "Thank You" journey, I have hit some lulls. We already know that I've found this to be more difficult than it sounds - thanking someone every day can sometimes be tricky. For instance, sometimes I see people face-to-face and they have done something "thank-worthy" (is that a word? It is now.), but it often feels inappropriate & downright weird to go into a heartfelt thank you. Imagine the next time you do something nice for someone & they start to pour their heart out to you. Awk-ward. I think it's unfortunately because that's not common practice in our society. We often say the words, but rarely go beyond them. Since it's not something that occurs everyday, most people don't know how to respond, which in turn can make things uncomfortable.
Earlier in my process, I decided I needed to "be brave" and do more face-to-face thank-you-ing. Well, maybe just because I've turned chicken & am making excuses, but I've found a way around the face-to-face thing. It's revolutionary people - you're going to want to write this down -
A hand-written thank you note.
O.K., not so revolutionary, but I think there is something to be said for the written word. Also, it elimiantes that whole awkward bit AND it allows the recipient to hang on to said thank you note to read and recieve warm fuzzies in the future.
So, if you are inspired by this project at all, here is a tip: set aside some time each week and write out a thank you or two. I promise only good things can come of it.
And as the title of this entry suggests, thank you to everyone who has given me encouragement along the way. It seems whenever I hit a big lull, or lose my motivation, someone is there to encourage me - so THANK YOU! :-)
Earlier in my process, I decided I needed to "be brave" and do more face-to-face thank-you-ing. Well, maybe just because I've turned chicken & am making excuses, but I've found a way around the face-to-face thing. It's revolutionary people - you're going to want to write this down -
A hand-written thank you note.
O.K., not so revolutionary, but I think there is something to be said for the written word. Also, it elimiantes that whole awkward bit AND it allows the recipient to hang on to said thank you note to read and recieve warm fuzzies in the future.
So, if you are inspired by this project at all, here is a tip: set aside some time each week and write out a thank you or two. I promise only good things can come of it.
And as the title of this entry suggests, thank you to everyone who has given me encouragement along the way. It seems whenever I hit a big lull, or lose my motivation, someone is there to encourage me - so THANK YOU! :-)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thank You Song
The history of this song:
Several years ago, I started the basic foundation of the song. Chords, etc. I was just play ng around with it for fun. A year ago, I felt a push to finish the song. I procrastinated...procrastinated...then procrastinated some more until finally, this fall I "finished" it (added words & a bridge). Still unsure what to do with it, I felt pushed to ask a colleague for help with the technology side of things - getting the song from my head onto the computer. Once it was on my computer, I left it alone for awhile, unsure of what to do with it.
About a month into this "100 Days of Thank You" project, I listened to the song again and realized what it was about - thanking God, even when we're too busy/worried/unsure of things. Totally fits with my thank you project.
Coincidence? You be the judge. I'm voting for no...
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Snow Day!
This week we were blessed/cursed (depends on how you look at it) with not one but two snow days. I, of course had all kinds of projects around the house I probably should have done, but as far as I'm concerned there isn't anything much better on a snow day than curling up with a good book. There was a particular book I had in mind (and unfortunately did not have in the house) so bundled up, I hopped in my husbands truck (with 4 wheel drive) and proceeded to slip & slide my way to the local library. It was well worth the trip as the book was a quick read and very though provoking.
One of the most interesting parts was a chapter on gratitude. According to this book, you will be a happier person and "get more" of what you want out of life if you practice an attitude of gratitude. Needless to say, I felt pretty good about myself at that point, what with this "100 Days of Thank You" project & all. As I delved further into the book, I realized they were talking more than just one thank you a day. This was serious thank-you stuff. We're talking 100's of thank you's a day. Yikes. I had been struggling with one a day - how in the world would I get to 100 in a day?
Well, I'm not exactly keeping track, but thanking God multiple times a day and thanking one "tangible" person every day has been making my mood much lighter. It is much easier to be in a good mood when you are constantly thinking of what is good in your life. I'm only a few days in to the "hard core" thank you's, so I can't speak for the "getting stuff" part of the equation, but I will definitely say it is making me happier. So quit reading this & go thank someone. :-)
One of the most interesting parts was a chapter on gratitude. According to this book, you will be a happier person and "get more" of what you want out of life if you practice an attitude of gratitude. Needless to say, I felt pretty good about myself at that point, what with this "100 Days of Thank You" project & all. As I delved further into the book, I realized they were talking more than just one thank you a day. This was serious thank-you stuff. We're talking 100's of thank you's a day. Yikes. I had been struggling with one a day - how in the world would I get to 100 in a day?
Well, I'm not exactly keeping track, but thanking God multiple times a day and thanking one "tangible" person every day has been making my mood much lighter. It is much easier to be in a good mood when you are constantly thinking of what is good in your life. I'm only a few days in to the "hard core" thank you's, so I can't speak for the "getting stuff" part of the equation, but I will definitely say it is making me happier. So quit reading this & go thank someone. :-)
Friday, January 28, 2011
Who to Thank
So far, I have thanked a variety of people/organizations. Some were heartfelt...some were, uh...a little weak, but since I'm making the rules here, I say they still count. Here are some examples of people I have thanked:
* A very dear friend who has always been an inspiration to me (thanked via email).
* The pastor at my church who I think does a phenomenal job (thanked via email).
* The chick who cut my hair - she was so happy & fun the entire time - maybe it was the fumes from the hair dye, but I think she's maybe just a fun person (thanked IN PERSON...but I didn't go into much "thank you detail, since I didn't want to freak her out. I do want her to cut my hair again).
* ConAgra foods. O.K., this one is one of my more "weaker" thank yous, but I had what I felt to be an exceptionally delicious "Healthy Choice" meal for lunch the other day & thought they should know how much I liked it. (Obviously, this was another emailed thank you. If you are curious, I believe it was a lemon chicken meal with peppers & noodles. Highly recommended).
The list goes on, but that is just a sampling of the people I have thanked. Pretty much, anyone who makes my life a little better gets a thank you (slowly but surely). I am finding it REALLY easy to send emails and not so easy to thank people in person. I'm talking a true, heartfelt thank you -not just a "thanks" when someone holds the door for you. Perhaps I need to step it up a notch to make this challenge a little more of a challenge...stay tuned to see if I can find the courage to start thanking more people in person...
* A very dear friend who has always been an inspiration to me (thanked via email).
* The pastor at my church who I think does a phenomenal job (thanked via email).
* The chick who cut my hair - she was so happy & fun the entire time - maybe it was the fumes from the hair dye, but I think she's maybe just a fun person (thanked IN PERSON...but I didn't go into much "thank you detail, since I didn't want to freak her out. I do want her to cut my hair again).
* ConAgra foods. O.K., this one is one of my more "weaker" thank yous, but I had what I felt to be an exceptionally delicious "Healthy Choice" meal for lunch the other day & thought they should know how much I liked it. (Obviously, this was another emailed thank you. If you are curious, I believe it was a lemon chicken meal with peppers & noodles. Highly recommended).
The list goes on, but that is just a sampling of the people I have thanked. Pretty much, anyone who makes my life a little better gets a thank you (slowly but surely). I am finding it REALLY easy to send emails and not so easy to thank people in person. I'm talking a true, heartfelt thank you -not just a "thanks" when someone holds the door for you. Perhaps I need to step it up a notch to make this challenge a little more of a challenge...stay tuned to see if I can find the courage to start thanking more people in person...
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Attitude is EVERYTHING
So, I have been reading some books & articles on positive thinking lately and as much as I'd like to "poo-poo" it, I think they're on to something...I read in one book that once you have some negative thoughts running through your brain, chemicals (I don't remember what kind exactly, but for now I'll just call them "icky") get into your bloodstream and can remain there for HOURS. So, according to this - it is actually physically bad for you to think negatively. It makes sense then, that once you start to have negative thoughts it seems to spiral, making it easier to have more negative thoughts. Before you know it, (to quote the ever famous Pastor Mike at a certain church I attend) you're "walking around like Eore from Winnie the Pooh."
My intentions for this particular post were not to talk about positive/negative thinking, but to give my latest "up-date" on how the project is going. Yesterday, driving down the road I was reflecting on what I would write and decided that this project was going MUCH better that previously reported. I was feeling great about things and on top of the world. I had also just finished a good, healthy round of positive thinking. Today, as I actually sat down to write my post, I was feeling considerably less excited about things. My husband and I had just finished discussing some not-so-uplifting financial issues (always a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon) and my toddler woke up from his nap in which he was magically transformed from the sweet, loving little boy who said "bye-bye, Mommy" when I laid him down, into a crying, un-happy version of the Tasmanian Devil.
So, do your thoughts have anything to do with your perception? I say yes. And if you can give me a second while I give myself a quick shot of positive thinking and plug my ears for a minute, I will give you a more accurate up-date on the project...
I have successfully doled out 3 more thank you's in the last 3 days. I made them a priority, they were heartfelt & I can feel good about putting more "positive" into the world.
Now, please excuse me while I try to find out if Tasmanian Devil's eat snacks. Wish me luck.
My intentions for this particular post were not to talk about positive/negative thinking, but to give my latest "up-date" on how the project is going. Yesterday, driving down the road I was reflecting on what I would write and decided that this project was going MUCH better that previously reported. I was feeling great about things and on top of the world. I had also just finished a good, healthy round of positive thinking. Today, as I actually sat down to write my post, I was feeling considerably less excited about things. My husband and I had just finished discussing some not-so-uplifting financial issues (always a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon) and my toddler woke up from his nap in which he was magically transformed from the sweet, loving little boy who said "bye-bye, Mommy" when I laid him down, into a crying, un-happy version of the Tasmanian Devil.
So, do your thoughts have anything to do with your perception? I say yes. And if you can give me a second while I give myself a quick shot of positive thinking and plug my ears for a minute, I will give you a more accurate up-date on the project...
I have successfully doled out 3 more thank you's in the last 3 days. I made them a priority, they were heartfelt & I can feel good about putting more "positive" into the world.
Now, please excuse me while I try to find out if Tasmanian Devil's eat snacks. Wish me luck.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
How I'm doing so far
Quite honestly, I'm not doing as well as I had hoped... Even though I just started this blog, I am actually on day 18, I think & have only completed something like 10 "real" thank you's. Not exactly the "reach for the stars!" kind of start I was hoping for...BUT - to quote Bob, from my Biggest Loser workout on my Wii, "If you fall down, that's just another chance to get back up." (That may be only 1/2 accurate, but you get the gist. I'm usually falling down and severely out of breath when he says it, so I don't exactly have my best "listening ears" on).
So why am I 8 days behind? Good question. I'd like to blame someone else...or even just a lack of time, because (just like everyone else) I'm pretty "busy." Truth is, I think I'm just not making it enough of a priority. Honestly - it takes 30 seconds - 5 min. to thank someone (depending on the method used - more on that later). So, THANK YOU Bob Harper (or is it Bob Greene? I can never remember which one is Oprah's little buddy & which one is on BL...) for reminding me that today is my chance to "get back up" and start making thank yous more of a priority in my life. (No, this doesn't count as my thank you for the day).
Stay tuned to see if this little pep talk I just gave myself worked...
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Mysterious Ways...
God works in mysterious ways...well, mysterious to me, anyway. I started the “100 Days of Thank You” project just over a week ago and I am the first to admit it was no idea of my own. It was one of those ideas “placed” into my head that if I were not a believer, I would have no idea where it came from. But there I was, at 10:30+ at night, supposed to be asleep and all at once sleep was the farthest thing from my mind. All I could think of was this project - “100 Days of Thank You.” It sounded so simple - thank one person/organization for 100 days in a row. How easy is that! Well, one week in and I can already tell you not as easy as I thought.
Probably, the biggest surprise has been how hard it is to find the time. Maybe it’s just me, but you would think it would be easy to know who to thank and to find the 5 min. (or less) it takes to do so. Unfortunately, I have found myself (on more than one occasion) getting ready for bed, looking at the clock & thinking, “O.K., who can I thank at 9:30 PM that won’t take much of my time because I need to go to bed!” Perhaps it’s a matter of organization...but I originally was thinking this was something that didn’t require a lot of organization...
But, I trust in God & know he has a plan for all of this -and I stand by my belief that putting more “good” into the world HAS to be a good thing!
Probably, the biggest surprise has been how hard it is to find the time. Maybe it’s just me, but you would think it would be easy to know who to thank and to find the 5 min. (or less) it takes to do so. Unfortunately, I have found myself (on more than one occasion) getting ready for bed, looking at the clock & thinking, “O.K., who can I thank at 9:30 PM that won’t take much of my time because I need to go to bed!” Perhaps it’s a matter of organization...but I originally was thinking this was something that didn’t require a lot of organization...
But, I trust in God & know he has a plan for all of this -and I stand by my belief that putting more “good” into the world HAS to be a good thing!
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