The Secret

 This post was actually written about me by Kody Duncan in his weekly newsletter, Habit Examples.  It was so good I wanted to share it here.   

.

My friend Shiree has been listing 3 things she’s grateful for every morning for 7 years.

The second I heard this, I thought “how on Earth do your eyeballs not melt out of their sockets in boredom?”

I mean, literally the first Habit Example ever was about the study that found most people who attempt gratitude journaling every day actually become less happy, because they get bored.

But after talking to Shiree, I think they (and I) were just missing one crucial piece to the puzzle.

A challenge.

To never write down the same thing twice.

Again, I was a bit dumbfounded.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for a lotta things in my life.

But 3 unique things she’s grateful for every morning for 7 years equates to 7,665 things.

Back in college I remember being in a funk for a few weeks. I challenged myself to write 100 things I was grateful for and gave myself a whole week.

And that was hard!

So again, I had to ask, “Shiree, be real - how have you listed 7,665 things you’re grateful for and not repeated a single one?!”

Here’s what she said:

The secret to not repeating what you are grateful for is to make it very specific.  I.e. "I am grateful for the enlightening conversation I had with so-and-so yesterday".  "I am grateful that I saw my neighbor struggling with her groceries and was able to jump in and help", "I am grateful that you (God) blessed me with the right words for my email on setting intentions".... you see how that works?  When we notice God in the details of each day and express gratitude it makes repeating practically impossible!

That's the secret.

Simple, yet powerful.

So whether you simply wanna try listing out a few things you’re grateful for each day like Shiree, or you wanna be better at expressing gratitude to people you care about… specificity is king.

.

❝   You will never be happier than you are grateful.   Gary B. Sabin

The Perfect Week for Gratitude

 Did you know feeling grateful actually makes you happier?  😀

It's true.  And who doesn't want to feel happier?  

On this most perfect of all weeks to be grateful, I invite you to accept the following gift, by way of invitation:

Every day this week, starting today, pick something or someone you are grateful for and express it in writing.  This will take 2 minutes.

This could look like:

• A text to someone you are grateful for telling them why you are grateful for having them in your life.  
• A social media post about what you are grateful for.  
• A journal entry.  
• A note written to someone and delivered or mailed to them. 
• Or any other way you want to do it. 

I promise you that by doing this simple, quick, daily expression for the next seven days 

You literally will feel different, happier and more content a week from now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Giving It Away

 During a conversation with a friend, I was bemoaning what I thought I was missing in my life.  My wise friend suggested that I consider giving something away once or twice a week.  She taught me that it is a universal law that when you give you will also receive.  

I decided to give it a try.  I had nothing to lose.  Instead of once or twice a week, however, I decided to give something away every day for a month!  Each day I intentionally gave something away, and I kept track.  I found it somewhat challenging, and so much fun!  Some days I knew ahead of time what I was going to give.  Other days I looked throughout the day for an opportunity, and it came in the moment.  Here are some of my favorites:

• A candy bar to the cashier checking me out at the grocery store. 
• Homemade peach pie, zucchini bread and peaches to neighbors, family and friends.
• House cleaning to a grown daughter
• Babysitting to another grown daughter
• My place in line
• I gave grace to the car that cut me off
• The gift of time and an attentive listening ear to the person who needed to talk
• A whole day to help my husband on a project he was doing
• Lots of sincere compliments
• Hunted down a hard-to-find favorite fall treat for a friend and took it to her

At the end of the month, I had had so much fun I decided to keep going.  I just can't stop.  And what of  the things that I thought were missing in my life?  Somehow, things have been smoothed over, or maybe I'm just not looking at them any more.  Either way, I feel happy and content, which is what really counts anyway.  

I learned that the universal law my friend had taught me has several names, including the vacuum law of prosperity, the law of giving and receiving, and the law of circulation.  

Here it is in scripture form: Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."  Isn't that beautiful!

You may be wondering what I have received for all my giving?  Among other things I have been given free tickets to a comedy club, books I had wished for that were literally left in a gift bag on my doorstep, treats, and much more.  Among the most valuable things I have received are a sense of peace and well-being, the kindness of others, and that awesome feeling that comes when you have served someone in a meaningful way and met a need they could not meet for themselves.  

Do you want to feel better, happier and more peaceful?  Try 30 days of giving.  You will be amazed.  Let me know how it goes.