I did this last year, tried to get back to blogging, but as can be seen from my posts, I was unsuccessful at maintaining this. Which is sad because I really love blogging. The introvert in me sees this as the perfect way to express myself. So, I am resolving to get back to doing this more regularly this year. And to further support this effort, I am combining this with 2 'games' I saw online: a 365 day gratitude picture journal and a 500 words a day writer's game.
Quick mechanics for both games to give perspective: the picture game is about taking one photo a day of something you are grateful for. Reviewing these have helped people become more positive and take stock of their blessings; the 500 word writer's game is to hone writing skills and to just write and get those words out there. Perfect for moi, oui?
This is how I am tweaking things: picture game- instead of taking one picture, I will note one moment/person/event what have you every day that I am grateful for and include in, no less than 500 words, why I am grateful for this. Occasionally, if I am able (and I say this because I have a hard time uploading pictures from my phone onto my laptop for posting here) I will include a photo.
I am so excited about this!! They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and what better habit to form and maintain than a grateful heart? Thank you in advance for everything, 2014!
For this very first post, I am choosing encountering these 2 games on my FB page.
I am so grateful for these because they really hit two things on the head for me- being more positive and learning to appreciate my blessings, and writing. Happiness, they all say, is a choice. It is something you must decide to be and it takes your concerted effort. And they say one way to help the choice to be happy is to look at what it is one is blessed with. Now, I have to admit, I am not too good at this. I often miss the blessing because I am focused on wanting something more or bigger or different. Pausing to smell the roses will help me see and appreciate these roses. The writing bit, well, I just love writing and any reason to do it, I'll take.
And because I started this on the 2nd day of the year, I am choosing another thing to be grateful for from yesterday. I am grateful for my kids.
Yes, they drive me insane half the time. Raising two human beings, different genders, only 2 years apart, as a single parent is not walk in the park! I often think that I am becoming Medusa just trying to maintain a semblance of peace and order at home. Sometimes I also think that I am just really sucking at it, that my kids will turn out as emotionally high strung and OC as me. But at night, when I go into their room and kiss them goodnight (even when they are already sleeping), I recall their many individual traits that make them unique.
My son is an entertainer and a really creative and sensitive soul. He loves activity and expression and this is why he loves to read, write, draw, dance, run, and act. His sensitivity finds its outlet in these things. Recently, in the middle of my brother's wedding mass, as I was walking away from the center aisle after taking communion back to the readers pulpit, he ran after me and threw his arms around me in a big hug. Just because he wanted to. Heart melting. I hope he keeps this affectionate nature as he grows up.
My daughter is mostly a mini me and that is good and bad. She is not as emotional, not prone to outbursts, and quite to-the-letter, so more controlled but she does need to loosen up more which I am trying to get her to do by getting her to sing and dance for no reason. But she is also very physically expressive. She hugs and kisses me all the time. Her taking my arm and then holding it to her check and hugging it with her eyes closed, just out of the blue, always makes me smile. Always.
Remembering these bits helps me stay sane and helps me see and appreciate the little people I have been blessed to love and raise.
Looking forward to blogging again tomorrow!
___________
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)
Quick mechanics for both games to give perspective: the picture game is about taking one photo a day of something you are grateful for. Reviewing these have helped people become more positive and take stock of their blessings; the 500 word writer's game is to hone writing skills and to just write and get those words out there. Perfect for moi, oui?
This is how I am tweaking things: picture game- instead of taking one picture, I will note one moment/person/event what have you every day that I am grateful for and include in, no less than 500 words, why I am grateful for this. Occasionally, if I am able (and I say this because I have a hard time uploading pictures from my phone onto my laptop for posting here) I will include a photo.
I am so excited about this!! They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and what better habit to form and maintain than a grateful heart? Thank you in advance for everything, 2014!
For this very first post, I am choosing encountering these 2 games on my FB page.
I am so grateful for these because they really hit two things on the head for me- being more positive and learning to appreciate my blessings, and writing. Happiness, they all say, is a choice. It is something you must decide to be and it takes your concerted effort. And they say one way to help the choice to be happy is to look at what it is one is blessed with. Now, I have to admit, I am not too good at this. I often miss the blessing because I am focused on wanting something more or bigger or different. Pausing to smell the roses will help me see and appreciate these roses. The writing bit, well, I just love writing and any reason to do it, I'll take.
And because I started this on the 2nd day of the year, I am choosing another thing to be grateful for from yesterday. I am grateful for my kids.
Yes, they drive me insane half the time. Raising two human beings, different genders, only 2 years apart, as a single parent is not walk in the park! I often think that I am becoming Medusa just trying to maintain a semblance of peace and order at home. Sometimes I also think that I am just really sucking at it, that my kids will turn out as emotionally high strung and OC as me. But at night, when I go into their room and kiss them goodnight (even when they are already sleeping), I recall their many individual traits that make them unique.
My son is an entertainer and a really creative and sensitive soul. He loves activity and expression and this is why he loves to read, write, draw, dance, run, and act. His sensitivity finds its outlet in these things. Recently, in the middle of my brother's wedding mass, as I was walking away from the center aisle after taking communion back to the readers pulpit, he ran after me and threw his arms around me in a big hug. Just because he wanted to. Heart melting. I hope he keeps this affectionate nature as he grows up.
My daughter is mostly a mini me and that is good and bad. She is not as emotional, not prone to outbursts, and quite to-the-letter, so more controlled but she does need to loosen up more which I am trying to get her to do by getting her to sing and dance for no reason. But she is also very physically expressive. She hugs and kisses me all the time. Her taking my arm and then holding it to her check and hugging it with her eyes closed, just out of the blue, always makes me smile. Always.
Remembering these bits helps me stay sane and helps me see and appreciate the little people I have been blessed to love and raise.
Looking forward to blogging again tomorrow!
___________
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)
