This is Day 12 of the 14-Day Gratitude Challenge held in Aug 2013, where we practice gratitude for 14 days. The challenge is now over but you can do the tasks in your own time. Visit the overview page for all the challenge tasks.
Hi everyone, welcome to Day 12 of our 14-day gratitude challenge! :D We have two days left till the end of our challenge!
Day 12: Taking Action
As with many things in life, it’s easy to just talk, but not do. While we have identified 3 things we tend to take for granted yesterday, the likelihood is that without making a commitment to change, we will fall right back into our past behaviors–taking these very 3 things for granted. This is especially so if we are constantly fluttering from one thing to next as we face an inundation of things to do every day.
Yesterday we have identified action steps to take in order to stop taking those 3 things for granted. Your task today is to take action on them!
Your Task: Take Action on Your Plan from Day 11!
What are the action steps you have identified yesterday? Take action on them today!
Track your reflections and results in your gratitude journal as you embark on those steps.
Daily Journaling: Write 3 Things You Are Grateful for Today
On top of today’s task, identify 3 things you are grateful for today. These 3 things can be events that occurred today, mishaps which could have happened but didn’t happen, or simply things which have always been in your life but which you suddenly came to feel grateful for today.
3 things I’m grateful for today:
- After four weeks, the How to Stop Stress Eating Course has finally wrapped up! It has been a wonderful four weeks with quality interactions with the participants. Next step is to edit the video for Module 4, before putting the product version online. Next course I’m planning is likely to do with habit cultivation, so for those of you who are interested, stay tune!
- A fellow associate in the industry has invited me to speak at his upcoming bootcamp, which I’m excited about! I love sharing sessions and this one is no different. Look forward to touching more people’s lives at the event!
- I’m digging some of the engagement shots which my Glasgow engagement photographer, Neil Douglas, took for me and Ken! I can’t wait to share them with all of you soon!
Share Your Results!
What are the 3 things you tend to take for granted? How was your day as you work on being more grateful for those 3 things?
What are 3 things you are grateful for today?
Share them in the comments section! :)
Once you’re done, proceed to Gratitude Challenge Day 13: Do a Gratitude Meditation.
(Images: Gratitude, Child helping mom to knit
)
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Hi everyone!
My Actions Steps included :
1. Really feeling everything I touch, so I can be more grateful for my hands.
I loved the feeling of a warm cup of cocoa in my hands (feels like Autumn today), the soft cotton of my t-shirt, my dog’s long and fluffy hair, …
2. Being grateful for education : I’m reading a very interesting book by Seth Godin – The Purple Cow, and I am grateful to him for writing it. Even though I don’t want to start a business right now, his writings still make me feel really enthusiastic and entrepreneurial in my job search and life!
I also learned a hand has 27 bones, and a foot 26. I knew there were many, but I never remembered the exact numbers.
3. Helping my parents more : I continue to set the table, clean it, load the dishwasher and do the dishes. I cooked for my mom last week and helped my father out in the garden last weekend. Makes them happy, and I feel more useful at home ;)
I will continue to be grateful for all of this, because living with more awareness really makes me feel better and lighter. I worry less and am already more grateful for the people and blessings in my life!
Thanks so much Celes for another life changing challenge!
I did stay composed when interacting with my parents, albeit my schedule was already packed, and didn’t actually spend much time with them. I also read a great post about time management and it helped me notice the distractions and non-work things I waste time on at office. Just the awareness doubled my productivity yesterday. I’m planning to use the tool at least for a week now to gain better perspective and hopefully also to bring a change in my way of working. The challenge though, I know, lies in persisting.
3 things I’m grateful for:
– An awesome older friend I’ve who’s extremely forthcoming with appreciation and always seeks out opportunities to appreciate others, and appreciates with generosity.
– work where I’ve enough scope to express my creativity
– I’m being offered to enact in a play which I would’ve just grabbed with both hands a couple of years ago. But now I’m tilted more towards saying a polite no. I’m grateful for the growth I’ve had and for the newer things I seek now.
http://donettas.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/day-12-of-gratitude/
I have a few more to go before I have them all done. I have been so busy this week that I haven’t been able to think straight. I’m sorry that I didn’t finish on time with everyone else. Day 12 is attached below.
So, to take action on those three things i know i take for granted: I am a little out of sync with the challenge, but have taken action this week when I could !
1: Time – today i wrote a long list of all the things I needed to get done – and started working on them early in the morning. I didn’t sit at the computer with a cup of tea for ages checking out emails Facebook etc – so that saved me quite a bot of time :) I kept going with the jobs all day, coming across others as well that needed to be done, and finally by this evening, with just a half hour lunch in the garden ( well it was lovely and sunny!) and a few minutes break in the afternoon, I achieved what I had set out to do: I have a tidy and clean house, and all washing and ironing is done too. Not very exciting I know, but it will give me the whole day later in the week to do something that I really love and want to do.
2: My Body – I went to a body balance class today at the gym. I am learning the routine well now, and am really enjoying it. I fell myself getting more flexible and supple, which is great. I also ate healthily, no snacking on biscuits, only 3 meals, plus a snack of nuts, and several glasses of water instead of cups of tea. I plan to swim on Thursday as well.
3: Family – I went to visit my Mum and spent time with her and helped her organise a new broadband line into her house. It was good to spend some time with her and to see that she really appreciated me helping her. My sister is away, So i will give her a call once she is back.
Three things I am grateful for on day 12 of the challenge are;
Getting motivated to go to work even though it was a Bank Holiday.
My daughter spending the day sorting out her bedroom – clearing out and de-cluttering is becoming contagious :)
A delicious dinner.
Thank you x
1. I am treating all encounters with my family on this holiday and text/calls with my friends as special. I can feel it starting to change habitual ways of being.
2. Moving every day. And must hold back on sugar – felt very tired this morning after over indulging on sweets, chocolate and white flour yesterday!
3. I’m appreciating the cottage where we are staying and looking forward to hoovering and tidying up at home as I appreciate it more.
1. I am grateful for our beautiful time at the beach on this day (I’m writing 2 days late!).
2. When I was starting to feel left out I focused on playing with the puppy and the kids and on enjoying myself as a distraction.
3. I am grateful for the food we are sharing together and for the beautiful times we are having.
Since I don’t feel like I take anything for granted now, (See day 11 post for things I took for granted in the past) I will skip this challenge and just do my normal gratitude journal of writing 3 things I’m grateful for…
1. I am grateful for phone sessions with my therapist and spiritual mentor.
2. I am grateful for rock-star parking.
3. I am grateful for time always being on my side. – See more at: http://inspirehappy.com/2013/08/27/gratitude-journal-challenge-days-10-11-12/#sthash.Dlekg89q.dpuf
Well, this day was actually pretty successful, if I can say so myself. =)
I managed to eat healthier (had a salad) and drink plenty of water. I didn’t get a chance to floss as I was at a friend’s place, but just in doing that I felt better about myself. For my family, I took my time in answering my mom’s text and truly appreciated all she does for me. Lastly, I did my best to think positively. It’s VERY hard as I’m conditioned to just automatically think negatively, but I’m getting better at reminding myself every so often to check my thoughts. For that, I am happy.
Three things I was thankful for on this day:
1) All of my classes seem like they will go well this semester!
2) Got to hang out with my best friend!
3) Got out of my last class of the day early…5 o’clock instead of 5:40pm!
It is easy to say things, but difficult at times to follow
though. I realize this is not a challenge
that can be completed overnight but instead over time. With that said there are a few ideas that I
have to help me with becoming more of the person of the person that I want to
and should be each day. I want to be
more understanding with others, and will need to work on not getting upset over
little things that happen. Yes there
will be things that will not go my way, but I should not fly off the handle
over a bad driver ahead of me on the road, or lose my cool because a light was
left on. Instead I need to work on
communicating better with those around me daily. Let them know what things have happened in
the past to upset me and try to work out a compromise. I am sure they have quirks they find in my
life also, and by talking we both could potentially learn. I want to make a real attempt at moving ahead
in my work, not simply floating by each day doing enough work to earn a
paycheck. At my main job I feel very
disconnected from the rest of the group due to our seating arrangement. We are working on making changes to the
design, but I should also make an effort to turn myself around and get more
involved in what is happening. I also
need to make an effort to learn the parts of my job that I either don’t know or
don’t work with daily. There are many things I am good at, but many more that I
never will know my abilities with because I don’t use those skills. Lastly I need to make a point of sharing the
better times in my life and the happy moments with others. It is very easy online to get caught up in
what is going wrong with your day, but few times do we actually speak about
what is right. This isn’t bragging but
simply showing gratitude for the positive.
Of the three I feel the last one I have been able to start recently and
can hopefully continue easily. I have a
platform to express myself and should use it.
3 Things Grateful for Today
–
We were done with our delivery truck early.
Normally the schedule would end with me leaving the shoe store at 2pm. Though normal days I can simply change shirts
and go to my next job, on truck days a full trip home for a shower is
required. Having a little extra time is
helpful for not feeling as rushed.
–
Since I was done early with truck I went to
lunch with a friend. He invited another
friend of his to join. At first it was a
little odd, but once we started to talk we discovered a mutual enjoyment of
motorcycles. I thought it was great to
spend time with a new person and speak about something I rarely get to talk
about in my regular life.
–
I got a phone call from my mom last night. It was later in the evening and I had already
talked to her once so I knew it was odd.
She NEVER calls me since for her it is a toll call from her landline
versus a free call from my cell. If she
does it is usually important with me always thinking the worst. I have a lot of older family members and some
that are not in the best of health.
Anyway at the time I was already on a call so I buzzed her back after
getting off the other line. She told me
that there was a gas leak at the pipe line on the other side of the church next
door. Fire and rescue crews along with
the gas company came out to fix everything without incident. Gas leaks are normal though scary, and for
someone in a small town they become a big deal.
Though she was more interested in having me find out why the authorities
didn’t inform her at the time, my thought was more for her safety and that of
the childhood standing there. The call
didn’t last long and ended with the standard “love ya, miss ya, later” that feels
somewhat forced at times. But putting
down the phone I was grateful to know that it was a good phone call with
everyone and everything for now safe.
I took action and did next steps:
I gave extra attention to my boyfriend (hugged him this morning and told him I love him, thanked him for cooking lunch, …) and to my dog (brushed her hair, cuttle her more, walk was longer (not in time, but in meters :) ). I brushed my teeth and flossed in the morning and in the evening. At work I did some exercises for better vision and I am planning to put a reminder to do that every day on my desk. I forgot to call my dentist – procrastination at work :) Will do that tomorrow!
I told my boyfriend about the task and than he was joking for every touch, compliment I gave him: oh, are you paying special attention to me? :) It was/is fun.
On day 12 of gratitude challenge, I was grateful for:
– doing yoga,
– showering with cold water,
– clean office and a productive day at work.
GRATEFUL FOR TODAY
1, I went into the river today, and had a great time moving and swimming and appreciating the sun and the wildflowers, rocks, and trees.
2. Grateful that our challenged friend had a great day today. We also met his father, who is also a great musician like his son, and they played and sang original songs for us today…our own, private serenade! Father and son together = FAB-u-lous!!!
3. Grateful that my Great Aunt and I are sharing with each other helpful information about our Family Tree.
As for implementing a plan so as to sharpen the focus of gratitude and not to take for granted anything…
1. Despite a verrrry chilly water temp, I went into the river….taking the plunge, literally,
and I had some much-needed exercise.
2, I was more mindful about my food intake…what and how much i ate.
3, I got more restful sleep than usual…a miracle!
Peace
So here is what I did, for each thing that I take for granted:
-food: I cooked a meal with my mom.
-studying: the university’s library is closed during this time of the year but I have a copy after a grammar book, so I did a few exercises from there.
-health: went through a yoga routine to celebrate the fact that my body is healthy and fully functional.
3 things I am grateful for:
-I had a calm, relaxing day
-my mother and I cooked together; this always warms my heart and makes me feel happy. I love spending time with my mom.
-I found two good articles on blogging. Hopefully, I’ll build a successful blog, too.
Today, I left an encouraging note for my husband where I knew he would see it. I also left my phone at home while we traveled to town and instead had some good conversation and singing time with my family.
The three things I’m grateful for today are: 1) being able to have several cups of coffee today (I love coffee!); 2) hearing that my children got along well together while I was at work; and 3) breath…I suffered from asthma caused by an allergy to dust for many years. I am /very/ grateful for breath and the ability to breathe freely. I have an extra thing to be grateful for today…RAINSTORMS!
have started collected the water from washing the clothes and using it to flush the toilet today…:)
The 3 things listed on yesterday that I take for granted were
1. Being free to move about
2. Not drinking enough water
3. The cost of electricity
So far I’ve taken action on taking for granted the cost of electricity by purposely checking throughout the house for electronics that were not in use and turning them off. ( Felt good doing it too! ;+)
The 3 things I am grateful for today:
1. Having friends who I can count on.
2. Being blessed with a wonderful, understanding husband.
3. A sister in law who I have a good relationship with.
I am so glad you didi this challenge. i love them thank you.It helps me to keep myself in check.
I will try my best to take action on what I have posted…
http://randomthoughts-musings.blogspot.com/2013/08/daily-gratitude-log-12.html
I am actively working towards selling my house and getting a smaller one. I have been calling my mom and sister on a weekly basis. I have been giving the kitty a hug every day.
Three Things I am Grateful for Today
1. The weather. Lovely cool morning and the day will be filled with sunshine and low humidity.
2. Be Prepared. I always set aside my outfits Sunday night for the week. Even if I change my mind for one day, I have four other outfits to choose from. Plus, I don’t have to think about what I’m wearing because it’s already been decided.
3. Appreciating the lawn work I did yesterday. It’s a treat to look out the front door and see a weed-free walkway, trimmed hedges, and a freshly mowed yard.
That’s so cute that you have been giving your kitty a hug, Annette! I’m sure he (she?) feels your love. :) Please help me give him/her a snuggle, too! How old is your kitty?
Celes: Thanks! I will be sure to give Sunshine a hug for you. She’s an orange and white tabby about nine years old.
Here’s a picture of Sunshine. She’s got a bit of a snaggle-toothed look because she had one of her canines removed so her lip won’t lie flat as it did when she had them both.
Ha ha, good timing, Celes.
In article 11, I addressed how I take for granted myself, my job and summer. The steps I’m taking regarding myself is focusing on my future. Focusing on my careers, education and body image. I’m also exercising, and going to reward myself with an outfit instead of towards rent, food. It’s good to treat yourself :) And through friendships, spending time with family. Maybe mediating.
My job. I’m not working this week, but I’m going to appreciate it a lot more that college is rolling around. i’m going to take advantage and continue to work and make myself comfortable.
Lastly, summer..ah pretty much synonymous with my first resolution. It was a pretty challenging summer. But, I learned that many other people have had challenges this summer. This woman told me about her house burning, and loosing half of her belongings. It’s true. everyone is going through something. The only thing we can do is to continue to look up and try to connect with those suffering as well.
My biggest challenge is accepting these things and actually taking it to action. But, I believe I will!
Good luck everyone!
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