Thursday 22 November 2018

Practising Gratitude

Thank you to all of you who have followed along with my 21 days of gratitude practice.  I have enjoyed hosting the series.

I hope you have developed a gratitude practice.   Today is Thanksgiving in the US which is why November has developed into the month when we talk nore about being grateful.  However I believe it is a lifestyle we should embrace all year round.


Thank you for joining me during the last 3 weeks.  I shall now return to my usual twice per week blogging. 

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice



Wednesday 21 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 21

Day 21 Give Thanks

Quote
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie

You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink. G. K. Chesterton

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot. The Hausa of Nigeria


Bible Verse
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalm 95:2


Inspiration
Give Thanks and Praises Bob Marley



Gratitude link
Let's Give Thanks All Year


To think about or journal
Have you kept up with the 21 days of this blog?
Do you have a complete or nearly complete journal?
Will you continue to keep a gratitude journal?
Do you feel you have not just a different attitude now from when we started but are practising gratitude?
Today take some time to reflect on the last month. What have you learned? What are you most thankful for?


Action
Make a gratitude jar. Find a large jar which you can decorate if you wish. Cut up strips of paper and put these and a pen by the side of the jar. Each time you are grateful for something that happens write it down and put the paper in the jar. At the end of the year take them all out and read them. Stick the papers into your gratitude journal.

PDF
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Tuesday 20 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 20

Day 20: Walk


Quote
The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller

Each moment of the year has its own beauty… a picture which was never seen before and shall never be seen again. Ralph Waldo Emerson


Bible Verse
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4


Inspiration
The Lord’s my Shepherd


Walking on Sunshine



Gratitude link
Gratitude (time lapse)



To think about or journal
How much attention do you pay to the little things in life? Or are they ignored in the bustle of life?
How could you become more aware of the everyday?
What are you most thankful for in your life?


Action
Walk around your neighbourhood for 30 minutes. Make a mental list, a real list or take photos of each thing you see or hear that you are thankful for.

PDF
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Monday 19 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 19

Day 19 Love


Quote
Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life. Christiane Northrup


Bible Verse
The second is this:
‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11


Inspiration
Love Story




Gratitude link
Pay It Forward


To think about or journal
Do you consider yourself to be an emotional person?
We often concentrate on our negative emotions. Today let’s concentrate on our positive emotions such as love, compassion, enthusiasm, joy, happiness, desire, wonder.
Which of these (or any other positive emotions) are you thankful are part of your personality?


Action
Say thank you (and mean it) when the people close to you (including children) do the menial tasks of everyday life.

PDF
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Sunday 18 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 18

Day 18 Laugh


Quote
I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person. Audrey Hepburn


Bible Verse
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:25-26

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8:21


Inspiration
Four Candles


My Blackberry's not working



Gratitude link
10 benefits


To think about or journal
What things make you laugh?
When has laughter defused a situation?


Action
Write a note to your church leader or your boss thanking them for the work they do.


PDF
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Saturday 17 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 17

Day 17 Welcome Mornings


Quote:
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. William Arthur Ward

As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ” Adabella Radici


Bible verse:
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24


Inspiration
Thankfulness every day


Gratitude link
7 singers choose songs


To think about or journal
Do you struggle to get up in the morning?
Do you start each day with a spring in your step or are you weary?
How can you be more thankful for each day?
In the stressful world we live in, where time seems to fly by at an extraordinary rate, how can you make more of the moment? How can you become more mindful of the things that are important in your life?


Action
Before you get out of bed each morning be thankful for at least one thing.

PDF
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Friday 16 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 16

Day 16 Show Appreciation


Quote
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it. Ralph Marston

Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, it’s important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have, on every level. We need to literally “count our blessings,” give thanks for them, allow ourselves to enjoy them, and relish the experience of prosperity we already have. Shakti Gawain

(Some people) have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder, and even ecstasy. A.H. Maslow


Bible Verse
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

The second is this:
‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31


Inspiration
The power of appreciation


Humpback Whale



Gratitude link
42 Ways



To think about or journal
What or who do you most appreciate?
How can you show more appreciation of others?


Action
Give thanks and appreciation to yourself. Reflect on the things that you like and love: your qualities, your achievements and any healthy changes you are making.

PDF
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Thursday 15 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 15

Day 15 Give Generously


Quote
Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting. Author Unknown

Two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give.” Edwin Arlington Robinson


Bible Verse
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17


Inspiration
Scandal of Grace




To think about or journal
In what way are you generous?
Are there other ways in which you could be generous?
Have you ever done something for someone without them knowing who it was?
What act of generosity shown to you are you most thankful for?


Action
Donate canned food and other necessities to the local food bank.   Or clothing to a clothes bank.

PDF
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Wednesday 14 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 14

Day 14 Jump for Joy


Quote
There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy. Ralph H. Blum


Bible Verse
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. Psalm 47:1


Inspiration
I will dance


Funny Ballet


Springboks




To think about or journal
What gives you joy?
What things do you do that bring joy to other people?
Do you differentiate between joy and happiness?


Action
Leave post-it notes with inspirational messages in random places such as a supermarket shelf, a library shelf or the mirror in a public toilet (restroom).

PDF
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Tuesday 13 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 13

Day 13 Make Memories


Quote
Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind. Lionel Hampton

Every single day do something that makes your heart sing. Marcia Wieder


Bible Verse
I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever. Psalm 45:17


Inspiration
Thanks for the Memory Ella Fitzgerald


Memory



Gratitude link
A practical guide to gratitude



To think about or journal
What memories are you most thankful for?
Looking back on memories of hurtful times, what lessons have you learned that you can be thankful for?


Action
Out of the blue, send some flowers to a friend.

PDF
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Monday 12 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 12

Day 12 Pay Compliments


Quote
I will be generous with my love today. I will sprinkle compliments and uplifting words everywhere I go. I will do this knowing that my words are like seeds and when they fall on fertile soil, a reflection of those seeds will grow into something greater. Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free


Bible Verse
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3


Inspiration
Thank You for Being a Friend Andrew Gold



Gratitude link
10 Practices



To think about or journal
How do you deal with people paying you compliments?
Do you pay people compliments? To your friends? To total strangers?


Action
Make a positive comment on a website or a blog.

PDF
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Sunday 11 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 11

Day 11 Be Intentional / Be a blessing


Quote
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Albert Einstein

I'm just thankful for everything, all the blessings in my life, trying to stay that way. I think that's the best way to start your day and finish your day. It keeps everything in perspective.
Tim Tebow


Bible Verse
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35


Inspiration
Dying College Professor Gives Inspiring Speech



Gratitude link
How Gratitdue Can Change Your Life


To think about or journal
What things can you do to be a blessing to other people?
How have other people blessed you?


Action
Ask someone “How are you really doing?” – and then really listen to the response.

PDF
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Saturday 10 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 10

Day 10 Celebrate


Quote
The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. Oprah Winfrey

We all have life storms, and when we get the rough times and we recover from them, we should celebrate that we got through it. No matter how bad it may seem, there's always something beautiful that you can find. Mattie Stepanek


Bible Verse
They tell of the power of your awesome works - and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Psalm 145:6-8


Inspiration
Celebrate Jesus Celebrate


Celebration



Gratitude link
What is gratitude?


To think about or journal
What occasions do you celebrate?
What else in your life do you or could you celebrate?
What do you celebrate in other people’s lives?


Action
Make a list of all the things you can celebrate in 2019. Which of them could you plan a celebration for?

PDF
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Friday 9 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 9

Day 9 Smile


Quote
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Leo Buscaglia

Smile, for everyone lacks self-confidence and more than any other one thing a smile reassures them. Andre Maurois


Bible Verse
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 107:1


Inspiration
Lady waving



Gratitude link
How to practice gratitude



To think about or journal
What do you do when total strangers smile at you?
What small act of caring has been shown to you?


Action
Smile at strangers as you pass them. Don’t worry if they don’t smile back.

PDF
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Thursday 8 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 8

Day 8 Make Mistakes


Quote
When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. Harriet Beecher Stowe

I wouldn't change anything. I've made mistakes, but thanks to those mistakes, I've learned.
Enrique Iglesias


Bible Verse
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17


Inspiration
How to learn from mistakes



Gratitude link
Transformative power



To think about or journal
What lessons have you learned from mistakes in the past?
How do you deal with your own mistakes?
Do you show more compassion to others that make mistakes than you do to yourself?


Action
Next time you make a mistake, instead of being hard on yourself, ask yourself what you can learn from it. Be thankful for the lessons learned.

PDF
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Wednesday 7 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 7

Day 7 Encourage


Quote
When we become more fully aware that our success is due in large measure to the loyalty, helpfulness, and encouragement we have received from others, our desire grows to pass on similar gifts. Gratitude spurs us on to prove ourselves worthy of what others have done for us. The spirit of gratitude is a powerful energizer. Wilferd A. Peterson

Bible Verse
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

Inspiration
Black Beauty



Gratitude link
20 ways

To think about or journal
Do you think of yourself as an encourager? Quite often those who have a gift of encouragement don’t recognise it in themselves.
Who encourages you?
If you feel discouraged, what actions do you take to lift yourself up?

Action
Write a letter to a child who could use some encouragement or attention. Kid’s love getting mail.

PDF
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Tuesday 6 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 6

Day 6 Be Grateful


Quote
Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. Oprah Winfrey

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Epictetus

Many people who order their lives rightly in all other ways are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude. Wallace Wattles


Bible Verse
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:12-13


Inspiration
Grateful Art Garfunkel



To think about or journal
Do you compare your life with other people’s lives? If so, with people who have more or people who have less than you?
What does ‘enough’ mean to you?

Action
Clear out some clothes or other items and give them to the charity shop. (Goodwill). UK taxpayers can Gift Aid these.

PDF
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Monday 5 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 5

Day 5 Be Kind


Quote
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Mark Twain


Bible Verse
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:5


Inspiration
The Power of Kindness


Kindness Boomerang



Gratitude link
Kindness ideas


To think about or journal
We know how to be kind to others and are delighted to receive kindness from other people. However, how kind are you to yourself?
Do you show yourself compassion or are you hard on yourself?
What acts of kindness can you give yourself?

Action
Be kind to yourself today and do something to treat yourself.

PDF
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Sunday 4 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 4

Day 4 Be Happy


Quote
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. Marcel Proust

Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude. Joseph Wood Krutch

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy — because we will always want to have something else or something more. Brother David Steindl-Rast

Bible Verse
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Inspiration
Pharrel Williams Happy



Gratitude link
5 ways to practice gratitude

To think about or journal
What things make you happy? Which of these are you most grateful for?

Action
Smile at yourself in the mirror first thing every morning.

PDF
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Saturday 3 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 3

Day 3 Inspire

Quote
A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential. John C. Maxwell

Bible Verse
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and
self-discipline. 1 Timothy 1:6-7

Inspiration
The Surprising Truth about Inspiring Others


Gratitude link
The Science behind gratitude

To think about or journal
Who in the past has inspired you? What form did that take?
Who inspires you now?
Who do you think is inspired by you?

Action
Write a letter of thanks to someone who inspires you or inspired you.

PDF
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Friday 2 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 2

Day 2 Be Positive


Quote
Real life isn’t always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgement of what is working in our lives can help us not only to survive but surmount our difficulties. Sarah Ban Breathnach

Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty. Doris Day

Bible Verse
I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 9:1

Inspiration
Be Positive


Do what you’re meant to do (blog)

Gratitude Link
9 New Ways to Practice Gratitude

To think about or journal
Do you struggle with negativity? Do you always think the worst?
What positive affirmations can you use to combat the negative thoughts?
Research shows it takes between 3-6 positive comments to wipe out the effect of one negative comment.

Action
Stop speaking negatively about yourself and only say positive things. Listen to what you say about yourself and if you wouldn’t say those things about someone else to their face then don’t say them about you.

PDF
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Thursday 1 November 2018

Practising Gratitude day 1

Day 1: Create


Quote
Living creatively is really important to maintain throughout your life. And living creatively doesn't mean only artistic creativity, although that's part of it. It means being yourself, not just complying with the wishes of other people. Matt Groening

Bible Verse
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph. 2:10

Inspiration
What is being creative?


Gratitude Link
21 quotes

To think about or journal
What does creativity mean to you?
How do you express your creativity?
What in particular are you thankful for in the creative areas of your life?
How creative do you think you are? Do you struggle with fear where your creativity is concerned? If you have dealt with this fear, how did you tackle it?

Action
Start a gratitude list. Each day this month add something to this list that you are thankful for. You could take a photo each day and put it on Instagram or Twitter using #21daysofgratitudepractice2018


PDF
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