August (Photo credit: randihausken)
For a myriad of reasons I have been in a funk lately, so in order to climb out of the abyss I am taking a page (or should I say post) out of another blogger’s notebook. I am going to start posting three things a day that I am grateful for or that give me comfort. Maybe this will turn things around, or at least make me realize that life is not rife with strife.
Grateful according to the thesaurus embedded mysteriously in my laptop has numerous synonyms: thankful, appreciative, glad, satisfying, gratifying, pleasant, pleasing and comforting. I am going to use all these renditions, but particularly the comfort aspect in my next eighteen posts, which should take me to the end of August. This is my new mini-challenge ~ wish me luck.
Things that comfort me:
1. The fresh unopened magazine waiting on my bedside table for me to relish before I go to sleep tonight.
2. That first taste of the chili that is bubbling on my stovetop right now—it hints of my favourite season to come: fall.
3. Savouring the last couple of weeks my youngest son will be at home before he goes back to college at the end of the month.
August full moon (Photo credit: Stelios Kiousis)
(thank you to mybeautifulthings.wordpress.com for the idea – I will only be borrowing if for a few weeks)
On the Homefront 
You’ve begun and that’s the hardest part….Diane
Let us see how I will do — thanks Diane
I just heard a radio commentary about this very thing. It stated that people who are always trying to be happy end up being disappointed. They have found that when you don’t try to be happy, but only follow things you feel like doing, then happiness comes to you when it’s good and ready. Sometimes I think we have so many things that we have to attend to all day, there is little time to even try to imagine what makes us happy.
Happiness is not something I can ever program, or have any guide to. I just take my grumpy days and try to face the worse thing that could possibly happen on those day… think about it… get down to the nitty gritty of fears… and face them square in the face. Once you look ’em in the face you find the wrong turn… what you have to let go of…what you have allowed in your life that seems to have taken over your life. Let it go. It’s a wrestling match… but it’s worth changing things that are taking your strength away. Get at least 8 hours sleep every night. Most people don’t even realize they are plumb tired! Sleep deprived.
I wish you all good things…. we all have our share of wrestling to do I think.
you are right about sleep — it really does affect your outlook – thanks for your guidance
LouAnn ~ filling your day with gratitude will help immensely. You could even take it a step further and send a card of appreciation! I have a 30 day gratitude challenge on my blog that you can do if you want! You might enjoy using your talent with words, your quest to organize, the ability to easily make someone else’s day special and a fun way to spread sunshine and climb out of your funk all in one! ❤
I will have to check it out – thanks for the heads up.
It’s hard when a person finds themself there. You may find this really silly but I recall the song from a very old classic movie White Christmas. When the lead character sings a song to someone who is having trouble sleeping because of having a lot on her mind her sings this great song…”Count your Blessings”. I find it relaxing, the other thing I do, very faithfully is I take myself out of myself by not counting blessings but giving them to anything and everything that makes me feel good. So it goes like this. Blessings to you my kindle, my friend I’m never alone with you nearby. Blessings to you Franky and Jonny (my cats) sharing your life with me. I really make sure I’m blessing living or inanimate objects sincerely for their value and my appreciation of same. That seems to help me redefine and put things in perspective. Just some thoughts. Hope they are of some value perhaps, Take care of you, warm thoughts, Penny
Your thoughts are of great value–thank you for taking the time to give me something more to think about — I think I am going to employ your method of blessing those things and people and animals that make life more wonderful
What a great idea this is! When we’re not at our best, we sometimes need some reminding about what’s good in our lives to help us get back up again. Hope you feel better and we’re all here behind you on this next mini-challenge of yours! 🙂
why thank you for the encouragement — you are right, if we remind ourselves of the good things we already have, then it puts even the crappy stuff in perspective
Cool. Always helps to appreciate that around us which brings us joy.
I agree
I hope you have a wonderful couple of weeks with him? I do love a fresh magazine.
I am going to try and be “mindful” of the last couple of weeks with him
And yes, the mag was a great get-away
Think I will start a grateful journal of my own…good idea!
share it with me if you want-I would be interested
Wonderful!
thank you – I like succinct comments when they contain this word 😉
I’m looking forward to seeing what you are grateful for – I’m right with you on the chili – I love chili and I love fall. Good luck!
Thank you – this should be an interesting though short journey –although it may become a habit I will just keep up for myself. (The chili was good by the way)
What a nice idea! Sometimes life gets you down and you forget all the lovely things to be grateful for. Today I found comfort in a hot bubble bath after a long day at work; a quick phone call to my sister; and a laugh with a colleague about something silly. Look forward to reading your posts for the rest of the month.
I would find those things comforting too — a phone call to my sis cheers me up as does a little silliness–I like a little silly, it helps get out of the doldrums!
I definitely believe that the first step is appreciating what you have; it helps to put things in perspective. I’m grateful for having a fridge full of food and not having to go without, to be able to go out of my home without the fear of violence, and that I can say whatever I want without the fear of persecution. All things I take for granted.
But you do not seem to take them for granted–you seem to appreciate them–and as you say, that is the first step.
How can this be procrastination when it’s dated Aug. 12 and I’m replying on Aug. 11? See ~ you’re ahead, not behind!
for the first time in my life — glad you found the comments — look forward to more
Wordpress starts their new day at 8:00 p.m. though this still does not seem to explain it!
And another thing….the moon image recalled something from last year:
August leaves its yellow moon
Hanging where we met
I am young again with you.
very nice — oh to be young again–I just have to settle for immature!
I think its a beautiful idea, makes us look at things in a whole fresher perspective and what better than a sense of gratitude. I used to do it every morning when I got up, but of late for reasons unknown to me, I have stopped… Maybe its time to start again 🙂
I am only setting an 18 day goal, but hope I keep it up for myself after that
Thats even better, precise and very doable 🙂
Good way that bringing yourself up because each of us actually have a long list of stuff that gives us comfort …. and yes, many of them are simple. 🙂
you should write about that sometime–although you probably already have – you have been in this blog business longer than I have
Surprise … I don’t believe I’ve covered that topic … so at least you have me thinking about it.
I, for one, would be interested
i will write it down as a possibility. 🙂
And I see you bring out an article every day, very impressive 🙂
I have been trying -it is not easy so I give myself goals
This was timely for me to read. I was having an I hate my life moment this morning. I should think about what I am grateful for, suck it up and move on.
I was envious of the fresh magazine, too. I might go out and treat myself to one today.
do it – it helped me have sweet dreams last night – or at least not nightmares
I hate those I hate my life moments!
I love the Fall, too. Crunchy leaves under your feet when you walk … Glorious colors everywhere you look …. Fresh crisp air …. It’s coming! 🙂
I love all those things and pumpkins too–the only bad thing is my son will be back at school–which if you look at it in the right way–that is a good thing too (for him)
The blue times can be so hard, LouAnn. Gratitude can sometimes nudge us to appreciate and realize what gifts surround us. This sounds like a good practice. I am grateful for pausing here at your blog right now.
I’m a summer girl so while you are looking forward to chili, I’m enjoying the last warm, sunshine filled days. Soon, my fingernails will brek and I’ll know summer is over.
well, summer is not really over until Sept 20 or 21 so you still have a few weeks left!
I think “mybeautifulthings”has inspired many of us..I find myself at the end of the day thinking of three things that have made my day more beautiful. Thank you for sharing yours… Blessings – Patty
thanks Patty–beautifulthings does it all the time–I am only committed until the end of the month –unless of course someone commits me before then
i try to do this every morning. sometimes it lasts all day and sometimes unfortunately with my boss and my job, i lose it as i pull in to the parking garage. but i do try to do it at some point every day. i draw comfort from the white egrets in the river as i leave my neighborhood, the email i know will be waiting for me from my daughter in melbourne – always with a funny picture of her cat doing something un-cat like-and my cup of coffee made with fresh ground beans…
Great idea, Lou Ann! I’ve been in a funk lately myself. What a great idea to help us remember just how good life really is.
thank you – 🙂 let us hope the funkiness goes away for both of us
That is one great idea to realize how are lives are truly blessed with a lot of things. I think I should do the same as well everyday. having a thankful and grateful full heart is a beautiful virtue. Thanks.
good luck – though from reading your blog you already do this in your own way
I LOVE the things you listed. I’d forgotten the small pleasure of sniffing and reading a fresh magazine. I’ve got a new book, I can’t wait to crack open. Fortunately it’s the small things that are such wonderful pleasures. Thanks for the reminder.
I forgot about the smell, but that is a great thing too. I am jealous of your new book! 🙂
What a wonderful idea it is to think of little things which make every day better 😀
Keep it up my friend!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I will at least for the foreseeable future 🙂
I’m with you on the chili. That is one of my favorite foods 🙂
absolutely one of my favourites too
You are welcome to use the idea for as long as you like! What a lovely lot of responses you have here! I wish you fun and comfort in finding your three things:)
Thank you for your blessing – your three things are much more vivid as you provide photos, but I am trying my lame best
[…] on thehomefrontandbeyond asked: […]
I like #1 😀
not too much better than that is there?
Lou Ann !!! Three posts a day. You’ll be a gibbering idiot after a week 😉
One post a day with three things to be grateful for. I am already a gibbering idiot so no one would notice Ralph-thanks for your concern though 🙂
That makes two of us then. 🙂
could be worse things!
Three of us ??
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha