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.
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