Gratitude is Gratuitous, not Fortuitous February 17, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness.trackback
An attitude of gratitude is gratuitous, not fortuitous. It does not happen by chance, but by choice.
We choose our focus and fill our coffers.
What we focus on expands, crowding out niggling doubts, reminding us that simple pleasures are life’s treasures.
Think about the good that surrounds you, here and now. Gratitude magnifies happiness.
Fortune smiles on us when we smile on it.
* It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. ~ Charles Spurgeon
* There is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings. ~ J. Robert Moskin
* We can only live happily-ever-after on a moment by moment basis.
Sifting through our 2013 Gratitude Jar put us in a GREAT mood as we recalled all the things we’d enjoyed.
For 2014, we swapped our Gratitude Jar for a Gratitude Basket ~ it’s BIGGER to hold even more good stuff.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Have you ever kept a Gratitude Journal or set up a Gratitude Jar? With what results?
Related post: An Appreciation Jar (Pocket Perspectives)
Spirit Lights The Way 
Bugs – Oh, I’m glad I am the way I am …
It’s great when we can say, “Who I am is who I want to be” . . . and mean it. 😀
Yes! I do keep a gratitude journal!!! It always seems to be the little things. Grabbing freshly laundered towels out of the dryer with the scent of Ultra Tide can make my day.. 😀
Good Morning Nancy!
Yes! Warm towels from the dryer => perfect.
Never come across these before; what a great and positive idea!
Having a Gratitude Jar/Basket/Journal reminds us to pay attention to this moment . . . and the next.
Plus, a basket has room for chocolate.
Mmm . . . chocolate. One of life’s treasures and pleasures. 😀
A great gratitude journal is a great idea. I try to be in the moment, but actively thinking about things I’m grateful for as I walk through the day, makes things even better.
I tried to get into the habit of thinking of 3 Good Things every night before bed, but I kept getting side-tracked. Seeing a physical reminder (a jar or basket) helps me remember to be mindful.
I sitting beside my wonderful warm fire and thankful that I have no reason to go out in the rain!
Glad that you can avoid the soggy day by staying indoors, GM.
I’ve never kept a gratitude journal, but I do feel gratitude every day and thank whatever-is-out-there-in-the-universe for my beautiful life 😉
That’s the ticket! It’s the THOUGHT that counts. 😀
“Gratitude magnifies happiness” – yes, I agree! I don’t actually write down all that I’m thankful for, but I think of things every day.
That had been our practice. We started the Gratitude Jar as an experiment in 2013. Filling out the cards and tossing them into the keep took no time. Reviewing them at year end was FUN ~ a positive and buoyant experience.
I agree and have a gratitude journal that I try to write in every day/ ps: I’m astonished – I have a wooden trivet (basket?) exactly like the one in your photo, it was made for me by a friend!
I call that an antique cutlery tray (or knife caddy) but it may have a more precise name. The gratitude basket and gratitude jar (pitcher) didn’t make it into the photo . . . crowded out by all the post-its. 😀
Fantastic idea, Nancy. I have so much to be grateful for every day, but I’ve not thought of writing it all down. 🙂
Thanks, Sylvia! If you’re already tapped into your gratitude center, keep doing what you’re doing. Those who wish to strengthen the practice may wish to journal or jot gratitude notes as reminders. I just dropped a couple in the basket. It’s been a GOOD day.
😀
have never had a gratitude jar. what a great idea! gratitude is so definitely an attitude. thanks for sharing.
I liked having a visual reminder to be mindful about all the GOOD in our days . . . and going through all the slips at the end of the year was FUN.
That is such a great idea. When you are old and gray you will really appreciate it.
I wonder if we’ll keep the slips until we are “old and gray” . . . perhaps it’s better to start each year with a clean slate and an empty basket.
Thank you for those lovely quotes, I really enjoyed them. I kept a ‘one-sentence diary’, which I consider to be a gratitude journal. I basically wrote one sentence for each day – something that struck me, something that was important to me from that day. Reading back on the entries, they really are things I am grateful for. And I didn’t even realise it!
That’s a cool idea. Great way to mind being mindful. 😀
I was raised in a household that really reinforced that we should be grateful…sometimes as a kid it almost irritated me! We could NEVER complain, and I think I felt shortchanged in the pity party opportunities. But it worked. I feel grateful for so many reasons many times a day. But I haven’t created a jar or basket and I am going to! And then when my granddaughters visit they can add to it. I love this idea, Nancy!
I just wrote out a gratitude slip for the day that barely skimmed the surface of ALL the “YIPPEES!” bubbling around me today.
Being grateful feels GREAT.
Your granddaughters will LOVE putting their “favorite things” in your Gratitude Jar, Basket, or Bowl. What a great practice to start with them.
Yes, by choice, not by chance…moment to moment basis. Great ideas, Nancy…a basket! There is a Native American (??) saying that the leader of a class I’m in says to say each morning: “How big is my basket today?”…. for holding the abundant blessings that will be happening that day. Nice idea.
I love that! “How big is my basket today?” We selected a BIG basket for our 2014 gratitude slips. Here’s to baskets overflowing with bountiful and abundant blessings.
It’s good when your gratitude jar gets too small..
Exactly! That’s a great problem to have. 😀
Well, you know about our Good Things That Happened jar, and I think we had just as many papers in there as you did. We had a slow start this year but it seems very steady now, and we’re adding new things on a regular basis. I can’t wait to see how full the jar gets and when I read the papers with my kids again. It was A LOT of fun to do it on New Year’s eve!
I loved hearing about some of the things that landed in your Good Things That Happened in 2013 Jar. It’s a great way to acknowledge the passing of time in a happy way.