Thankful, Grateful, and Gracious 2022

[alexasteph]

Starting 2022, I am hopeful others choose to be happy and positive just for the sake of it. Despite feelings like I’m surrounded by a ton of negativity (everyone has something to complain about), I’ve been able to keep a (generally) chipper mood, while (trying) to encourage those around me to continue seeing the bright side. Many people choose practicing gratitude or kind acts as part of a New Years Resolution, especially if they are taking a wellness approach to their resolutions or, frankly, just as overall self-improvement goals. So, as an easy place for additional support, personal accountability, and maybe just some uplifting stories, I had the idea to start this thread. If it takes off, great! If only a handful of people check in, well that’s still more people impacted than not starting the thread at all. If no one checks in and it gets buried, also fine! Because I know at least a few people will take a look and maybe it’ll plant a seed, be an inspiration, or provide some other unknown benefit. Maybe someone isn’t quite ready to take this sort of a journey right now, but perhaps this can help them get there. Baby steps! I’ve been on this journey for years, there have been setbacks, many in fact, and I’m still on it. But, this isn’t, all about me - it’s about YOU and what’s right for you’re personal journey right now. So, let’s grow through gratitude and grace together. 

Rules? Well, there aren’t really hard and fast rules, but I appreciate some who want to participate might like some guidance and structure. So, if you feel up to it, post something you’re thankful for, happy about, or an unexpected positive interaction with someone. There will be bad days! If you are willing to commit to this attitude change, try to find something you can remind yourself of. Something I’m thankful for *every day* regardless of how the rest of my life is going… I can always make myself a cup of coffee or a latte and drink it. And when I drink that coffee, the first sip brings a stillness nothing else can give me. In fact, it’s easiest to start with something small. Out of interest to not make this too wordy, I’ll post a range of to help start generating ideas to prompt this project, and if you choose to join, fantastic! If not, I hope you’ll still visit to see how others are doing. 

[eshoe]

It is so sweet that you have a favorite cardinal pair, @AMK721! It is amazing that if they come around enough, you can start to recognize them and their little personalities. What a wonderful thing to be able to enjoy from your home!

[alexasteph]

@AMK721 Always grateful for sunshine and I never get tired of it! 

[AMK721]

@alexasteph  you can say that again - it had been kinda grey and gloomy the past week, so seeing the sun out all day was incredible.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@alexasteph Today I'm thankful that a friend of mine reached out to me, recognizing that she hadn't really heard from me for weeks.  It was so nice to be thought of.  I came home and wrote out a card to her - I had gotten a beautiful one this summer that I was saving for such a moment.  So, I hope she feels happy when she receives it in the mail.  Trying to pay it forward.

[alexasteph]

@greeneyedgirl107 Love that! She’ll definitely appreciate it. I for sure believe what goes around comes around - positive or negative. Little acts like that are perfect examples. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@alexasteph When I'm feeling down I like to do nice things for others.  It's usually just sending a card or bringing in candy to work, but it's something.  Let's just say I've been bringing in a bag of candy to work every week for almost two years now.  I also give out candy or beauty "prizes" to co-workers for when they do me favors or if they have a bad day.  I actually have to hold myself back sometimes b/c I don't want people to feel like it's too much or that they have to reciprocate.  But when I go to other facilities I've also started to bring in candy.  Which reminds me that I need to find some time to replenish my supply - it's just easier to buy a bunch at once.  

[ather]

@greeneyedgirl107  I love that!! I bring baked goods in usually once a week and some of my co workers will visit me just to see if I brought any in that day!

[greeneyedgirl107]

@ather I would love to make baked goods.  But even before my oven was broken I refrained b/c I have cats, and while I've never had an issue with cat hair in my food, that's be just the time when someone would find a stray hair.  However, we're not shy at my work.  We had an employee lunch that one of the girls found a hair in, and she just ate around it.

[ather]

@greeneyedgirl107  I have 2 cats and a dog too and I use to say the same thing. But one day a girl at a different job told me that if it’s homemade people expect that there could be random hair in it and that’s ok. So I make stuff now. I’ve never had anyone complain about the hair being in anything I’ve made…. So far. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@ather I like her thinking!

[alexasteph]

@greeneyedgirl107 That’s a super… sweet… heh get it he he… idea! Pun aside though, I haven’t heard of anything like that, it’s awesome. As adults, we spend so much of our time around our coworkers, but so many people have such combative relationships with theirs. Pleasant interactions make our jobs so much more enjoyable, regardless of what it is. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@alexasteph Yes, I did get the pun!!!  ❤️  I'm fortunate that I work with a great team.  Even at my last company, we were one big dysfunctional family.  But I always says that sometimes at work you need to buy friends!

[alexasteph]

What am I thankful for? My job allows me to have time off so I can enjoy the holidays with my family, and gives me the luxury of not thinking about work at all when I’m away from it. It also gives me the time to enjoy my hobbies and have the life I want to live outside of work. 

How did I practice gratitude today? I gave myself the grace I needed to recognize I was getting a little anxious about something and began practicing some self care. I’m grateful to myself that I’ve been able to learn to recognize those feelings and have the tools to help. Anyone who has experienced that know how challenging it can be do that for yourself.   

Did I do something gracious today? My team at work was (apparently) supposed to get lunch from admin, and they wondered what we were going to get. After some conversation being a couple members and admin, I guess the redeemed lunch wasn’t as satisfactory as they would have liked… but I was still very pleased nonetheless because anytime I get food and I didn’t pay for it, I don’t care what it is it makes me happy haha. On top of this though, I brought lunch and was already eating it because… well… I forgot we were owed lunch haha. Regardless, I knew no one else had lunch and I could still get something small or a snack on admin. They really didn’t wanna go lunchless, but also weren’t too pleased about the offering, but we were able to order something curtesy of admin and I volunteered to go get it. Not an overly gracious activity, but I very easily could have said “Well I already ate y’all are on your own.” Even though I only got a milkshake, picking up theirs was no big task, especially since they were probably gunna spend an hour waffling in their disappointment deciding what they would end up doing for lunch.  

[Samtian]

@alexasteph That was gracious of you! 

[ather]

@alexasteph  That’s awesome your jobs allows time off!! One of mine does to and it’s refreshing to have time off with my family. Not everyone is that lucky!!!

I love the lunch idea! I worked for a small family owned business and the owner would buy lunch every now and again and it was very nice treat!

[faeriegirl]

I love this @alexasteph! Today I am very thankful for my dogs. They always make a rough day better!

[eshoe]

@faeriegirl I can’t imagine life without my pup. They really do make every day (and night!) better💗

[alexasteph]

@faeriegirl Pups are the best aren’t they! My family dogs live with my parents but one is almost 11 and I can’t tell you how many times I hugged her and just finally released any tears or stress I was holding when I lived with her in my early 20’s.