1. Express Gratitude Every Day.
I do this in many ways. In the morning, I set aside a bit of my breakfast to say thank you. I try to really feel the gratitude for having another day before me. Then throughout the day I look for ways to say thank you, the way the sun pokes through the clouds Thank You, the way someone shares a smile with you over a stranger's baby on the bus Thank You, the deli has your favorite sandwich on special Thank You. (I know that at sometime in my past I would have read this paragraph and gagged.)
2. Exercise the Wonder Muscle Every Day
I don't know everything, do you? In order to learn, one must seek knowledge. The easiest way to do this is to get curious, and marvel at what you find. But the answers are less important than the state of mind of "wondering". It is there that imagination and creativity combine to open one's mind to things. It is "interest" or the "curiousity" about things that keeps this life fresh and available. Does that make sense?
3. Love and Be Loved (pets count!)
As much as you can. Why waste time hating and surrounding yourself with people who don't care about you. This works for rich, poor, smart and stupid alike.
I'm actually getting pretty good at these things; and I know what you mean about the gagging part - they come much more naturally now. I also try and do something thoughtful...
ReplyDeleteI expressed my "wonder muscle" on the bus today. Now they say I can't ride on it anymore. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about not wasting effort in hating people.
ReplyDeleteAll hail we aim to follow the Sticky Crow method :>)
ReplyDeletebe nice if we could
Of course pets count - if they didn't we'd all be in trouble
ReplyDeleteHow kind of you! I do tend to agree with what you say.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were talking about what Six Shooter was thinking when I first read the title of the second paragraph. But, I think a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste.
These don't come naturally to me, but I'll try.
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe. There's no better way to live than being grateful.
ReplyDeleteI also throw out lots of compliments and practice random acts of kindness when I can.
Jane
About # 3...
ReplyDeleteThe rich have too much money to care about others, the poor would rather find ways to pay off their loans, the smart ones find ways to screw over the rich, and the stupid ones are too busy forgetting what they just read.
Oh, and I love you all.
I don’t know – My gravitas is pretty ingrained.
ReplyDeleteKidding aside, I actually agree with you. One of my new strategies for contemplating my life is to visual me on my deathbed. It sounds macabre, but I find it a way of thinking about what is really important in my life. What types of things would I be proud of from my life? What would I wish that I still had accomplished? Who would I want to be in the room? Who am I glad that I met in my life? Who would I wish that I never met at all? I have much to learn about choosing to surround myself with the right people.
That's a good list to live by!
ReplyDeleteNumber two had my "wonder muscle" in the gutter before I read what you were actually talking about.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. I look for little moments of joy instead of "thank yous" but I guess the idea is basically the same.
I also find a little nutmeg spices up any recipe.
"exercise your wonder muscle" - had me giggling like a schoolgirl. Exercising it properly can then lead to the thank you's and the love.
ReplyDeleteWhy, yes, my humor is that of a hormonal 13 year old, thank you.
Seriously, good plan.
I can't think of three (3) better things to live by - thats Tornwordo - another excellent post - how do you keep doing it?
ReplyDeleteI know that at sometime in my past I would have read this paragraph and gagged.
ReplyDeletei love that we can grow and evolve and then realize how far we've come.
i believe gratitude to be one of the most important gifts in life. it makes the details of life that much juicier.
i know i'm often a smartass in my comments here. but truly. i'm grateful for (blogily) knowing you, r.
Add my "you're right on" to the list, tornwordo. I needed and appreciated the reminder of your post. You are SO right about #3: we waste so much energy nursing grudges and hate, energy we could channel in positive ways.
ReplyDeleteMy only other comment is a (rhetorical?) question regarding #1: to whom or what do you say your Thank you's? I find that saying thank you to myself is rather hollow and unfulfilling. Expressing my gratitude to others (and, yes, to the object of my faith) is much more satisfying and meaningful. Even if you are not a "person of faith", noticing and acknowledging the good things that other people (and pets!) do for us in a day yeilds wonderfully positive returns.
I think I may keep this blog somewhere and refer back to it when I'm having a shitty day.
ReplyDeleteI need to go to the "Tornwordo School of Enlightenment", I am not feeling very evolved in comparison.
ReplyDeleteJeepers creepers, how'd you get so smart! Oh that's right, you are way older than me, that explains it! hahaha!! Oh I am grateful for that! Oh see, I just did a #1~ ;)
What about imaginary friends. :(
ReplyDeleteA-I love to fantasize you as this wonderful sexy Buddha figure, and we all come to your blog to dance before your benevolent gaze.
ReplyDelete(gagging yet?)
B-You're one of the few people who could write that post believably.
There really does seem to come in life a place of enjoying humans just because they're human, no? I love to come and be a guest on your blog, because I believe it gives you pleasure to host me.
Perhaps I'm just being silly, it's late and I'm tired.
G'night.
Excellent, simple and beautiful all at once.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I was thinking "brain" for wonder muscle. Although, part of me was wandering south!
ReplyDeleteLoved the post, gave me lots to think about. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our everyday lives that we forget these types of tenets.
I shall strive to remember and work them in my everyday life.
Thanks.
I'll go with you on the cheesy thank you thing, but unfortunately I DO know everything, so number 2 isn't going to work. BUT I LOVE that I know everything, so that takes care of number 3.
ReplyDeleteI feel better already.