THANKFULNESS!!
So a couple days ago I read on a blog about being thankful. This blogger had read a book that inspired them to make a list every day about what they are thankful for. The author of the book said it made changes to their life, for good, that others noticed. I decided make a page and do the same. Go ahead and join me here, share what you are thankful for at that moment and let’s see what happens! 🙂
Update! I found it! It was from a commenter. The blog is learnmoreeveryday.wordpress.com by Patti Ross. Her title that day is Saying Thanks and it was on June 3. The book she read is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Let’s get started! 🙂
Each month in blue is a link that will open in a new page. Or you can click on the month under Thankfulness. I add thoughts at the end or beginning of each month.
Added June 18
I thought this would be easy enough! (Its not!)
If you have been on my blog for awhile or have just got here and go back to some previous entries you may know or find out that I have struggled somewhat. I kinda hoped that by doing this Thankful page it would help and at least be, let me say “not difficult”.
Today was a struggle again and it was difficult. Things are going on and I am not sure of the up coming results (good/bad/indifferent). The struggles of 5 people in this house able and willing to work but not having real jobs and all the insecurity that goes along with that (daily!). Leads to relational struggles, shall I say, and no more than that. The whole day just seemed to have a cloud over me. I still feel it and do not look forward to tomorrow. But I hope for better.
I did find some things to be thankful about and until my friend stopped by they felt like a stretch. I mean really, chipping the brush pile?! I figured I might as well and it did accomplish getting more of it done. Am I happy about it? I don’t know that I would go that far! But the pile is smaller and I am filling in with the chips where I want to. So that is all good. But….
Is it okay to do something just so you can list it on your thankful list? Even if you weren’t happy about it? Do you have to be happy to be thankful? Or should you be?
So what do you think?
Later, Harold
Added June 27
Well, I like the feel of being and trying to be thankful. It kind of keeps a balance. Things are still tough, but it helps to look for the bright side of my world. I could look at and ponder all the not so good stuff (read bad) all the time but what does that really accomplish, but become a drag on life. Better to look at the good too and try to stay up and positive. Work for the future, no laying down and curling up in a fetal position. Go on with what you can do.
Later, Harold
Added July 1
Well another month is gone and the next has started. What will this month bring?
Let’s look to the future with a good outlook, that can help! No rose colored glasses here, that is delusional. I just want to look for the good and hope for the best but plan according to how things are going. Not looking for something that is not there but also doing my best to not get all down about stuff. Some times when you get down it starts a spiral downward. I’ve been there. You got to tough it out and start that spiral going back up again with a positive outlook and thoughts. The deeper you go the harder and longer it will be to get back to normal.
Don’t dig your hole deeper! Put down the shovel and start climbing up! It won’t always be easy and it may be hard. But it is worth doing! You will be better for it.
Later, Harold
Added July 31
Well we say good-bye to another month and hello to the next. Tomorrow starts a new day, week and month. I guess that is really pretty close to a clean slate. All that could be added would be a year ( that’s coming too soon). This past month had its ups and downs (don’t they all?). But I seemed to keep it on the upside for the most part. The over-all challenge is still there…that big hairy financial gorilla in the corner. There wasn’t really enough this month and that is a real downer. But we are going to receive much appreciated help, that is a plus. But I NEED to be the MAIN contributor to solving our situation and that is not happening yet. I hope August will bring some change (ha! a play on words, but unintended!) to this situation. So August, I await you. Let’s get it on!!
Looking forward to being thankful in August! Join me, won’t you?! 🙂
Later, Harold
Added August 1
Well how about some more looks back as I also look forward.
In June I signed up with Service Magic to get plumbing work. That has hit a bit of a road block because of finances. Gotta get some income to move that road block. In July I got invited by a friend to connect on LinkedIn so I checked it out and joined. Hoping for connections that may help or at least get others to my web site. Now at the end of July and finishing it today I signed up on Manta, a small business site. I am going to try anything I can that I think might help and has no or low cost. Also hoping friends and people I have worked for will start the word of mouth going. That is really the best way. When people will speak of and for you to others. That is good advertisement.
So here is hoping that in the near future things start to click plumbing-wise.
Later, Harold
Added August 31
Well August is done for. It was a cool month temperature wise, odd for August. Wheaton Academy’s football season has started and I am the end zone camera man. I didn’t get much plumbing work. Gotta get more some how or a job. Bring on September and let’s get it on!
Added September 1
So we started a new month today. I have plenty of days where I am wondering if I am not where it is really at by doing this. Anyone else got those feelings? I mean I have some MAJOR concerns and they are not getting any easier or lighter. Am I just avoiding facing them or am I really hoping for the best, by all this thankfulness, that things will get better, am I shirking?
There is plumbing work out there to be done, but it is on hold. When I do work it is not enough or steady. I am not the type of guy to make small work into bigger work. Like yesterday, I get a call in the morning and they think a shower valve will have to be replaced. I could have said yes and got on with it. But I knew I could repair it and no wall damage to fix. I was done in an hour. I even told them that over the phone, before I saw the job! One $45.00 part and good as new and a satisfied customer.
Any way enough. I just don’t know, I really don’t know.
Later, Harold
Added September 28
Well September is almost gone and things are really about the same. I have a blog friend who jokingly says the universe is listening with big ears. Considering the things that have been happening to them.
I am about ready to tell the universe off, if you know what I mean. It ain’t listening to me!!
Later, Harold
Added October 31
Well it is Halloween, we have had very few kids come by, not even the neighbors.
October was a decent month, I guess. Not much really changed and stress levels are about the same. I mentioned last month about yelling at the universe and it not listening. That was a bit tongue in cheek. I got some advice about listening myself. I do. But it is hard with my hands over my ears and yelling nananananana in a real nasal voice! Just kidding! See I still have my humor!
I am getting some work here and there but not really enough. I am sending out my resume when I find something and even going beyond the plumbing field. I am trying to make more contacts to expand my circles for leads but that takes time.
So let’s see what November has in store for us.
Later, Harold
Added December 1
So November is gone and we are on to December. This week of ending November started out good and the beginning of December is also starting out good. Can the whole month go well? Time will tell!
The highlights of November are always 2 of our kids birthdays and Thanksgiving. This year we had refugees from Burma/Myanmar at our house for Thanksgiving. It was their first sample of traditional American fare for this time of year. We had a good meal and a good time together.
So now comes December, Christmas and the end of the year. Wishing you and yours the very best during the holiday season. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Later, Harold
Added December 15
So here we are, half way through the last month of the year. As I mentioned earlier, November was ending well and December was also starting well. It has seemed to keep up! I have had quite a few plumbing jobs, even if they were small ones, but each one counts. I have also worked 4 days with/for my brother. Yesterday I went to an unemployed group meeting. That may turn out to be helpful, though there are no more meetings until January. Nothing really happening on the job front though.
So it’s the last half of the last 12th of the year. Let’s finish strong!
Later, Harold
Added December 30
The last two weeks of this month were not as busy as I would have liked, but the month seems to be ending better. Over all it was a better month than most have been. Hopefully things will be looking up as we all head into 2012. Let’s be thankful for making it through another year and this last month.
Here comes 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Later, Harold
Added February 1
We are into the second month of 2012 already. Time marches on.
I went back and looked at January; I worked with my brother 5 times and did plumbing work 6 times. I also gathered information for doing taxes. That was depressing! I saw how little I actually made in 2011. It also helps me set a goal to do better this year, though I haven’t set an amount or percentage…yet? And…how will I “make” that happen? Can I? Questions always questions! I guess that’s because I don’t seem to get answers, or at least enough of them.
So let’s see what the month of February brings.
Later, Harold
Added March 5
It was the shortest month of the year but being a leap year we got an extra day! Could it have been the best month so far?
It was a 2 birthday month with Valentines day in between, can you say chocolate?!!
For the tally marks…hey! who’s keeping score? Oh, right…I am. I did plumbing work on 8 days and worked with/for my brother 2 days. The jobs were a bit bigger and the earnings more. I haven’t totaled that yet. I still have quite a few jobs waiting for when people are ready too. I just wish they would be ready sooner than later.
Then at the end of the month the starter goes out on the van I work out of. So that was a bummer of a note to end on. I didn’t need that expense. But having worked I had the finances to pay for it.
It is on to March and it seems to be starting out slow.
Later, Harold
Added April 3
It has been a crazy warm spring after a not bad at all winter…I’ll take it! I have already missed some asparagus from the garden but cut some and got a couple servings out of it. I need to get the roto-tiller out and turn the rest of the garden.
March was a very slow month work wise. Nothing for over three weeks, plus the end of February, it was a whole month. But the last week of the month ended pretty good.
April seems so-so right now. I have ordered material for a job and I am waiting for it to come in. Also waiting on an estimate I gave for a sewer rod job. He has called back once to clarify, so I am hoping he calls again and says let’s do it.
The ups and downs just won’t stop. Let’s see what will happen this month.
Later, Harold
Added May 3
Well April is gone! We are 4 months into 2012 already!
This month seemed to be a good month work-wise, quite a few jobs and some were bigger than the usual. Are things looking up? Soon as I start to hope, it seems the bottom falls out and a dry period comes along. This month ended that way and May is starting that way. It seems a long good streak just doesn’t happen. I know I have some work coming up in May so I just have to wait it out and hold on for the ride, bumps, valleys and all.
Here is May, let’s do it!
Later, Harold
12 responses to “THANKFULNESS!!”
skippingstones
June 13th, 2011 at 00:48
Hi Harold! I’ve stolen your idea for a Thankfulness page and I linked your page to it. I hope you don’t mind. Here it is: http://steadilyskippingstones.wordpress.com/thankful/
I’ve been enjoying your Thankfulness entries and you’ve been inspiring me (I only have two days on mine so far). I especially like the 6/11 one. I’ll keep checking back!
Harold
June 13th, 2011 at 12:56
COOL! Let’s make this world more thankful one person at a time. Worse things could happen, but let’s not go there. Be Thankful!
skippingstones
June 29th, 2011 at 19:26
Hi Harold!
I’ve stopped by the June 2011 thankful page a few times just to check in and also to give myself a boost. I clicked the link to this one today thinking that I’d get to the June one, and I’m glad I did, because I had not yet seen your note from the 18th.
I think it’s pretty normal for us to not always be happy about something, but still be thankful for some part of it. I also find that trying to keep a list on here every single day can be a bit of a struggle. I sometimes have to scour my memory for something to add. Not every day is a bed of roses. Some of them are even kind of sucky. I had already read about the chipping, etc. last time I was here, and I didn’t get a feeling that it was a forced entry at all. On the contrary, every normal everyday thing that I read in your entries helps me to understand that it’s important to be thankful for all the normal everyday things.
For me, that’s the whole reason for doing the list every day. I’m not yet at the point where I am consistently facing the day as a thankful person, but that’s what I want for myself – the thankfulness, the appreciation for what I have, the better attitude and outlook on life. So for now, if I can at least think of thankfulness sometime throughout the day, or worst case, think of it before the day is over, then that’s what I’ll take. If it means doing something specifically because I don’t have an item for the list that day, then that’s what I’ll do. Like you said, it accomplishes a task/goal and it also reminds me to be thankful.
We must remember that we’re at the beginning of this journey (or at least I am). What we’re aiming for is to be thankful first – to face our day, our tasks, our tribulations with a thankful spirit, not as an afterthought. But that takes practice, practice, practice. Maybe right now we do some things just to have an item for the list, but we are at least thankful that it got done. Hopefully, the thankful will eventually come first. We probably will never say, “Thankfully I’ve got to do some chipping today!” But we will face it with a more positive attitude.
skippingstones
June 29th, 2011 at 19:37
PS – I thought it would be easier than this too 🙂 What is the saying, “Nothing worthwhile is easy.”?
Read this post & comments, if you haven’t already: Thursday, blessed with a happy heart https://todayithink.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/thursday-blessed-with-a-happy-heart/
Patricia talks in the comments about making a choice to be happy. Eventually it becomes habit. That’s why I want to do it every day, to make it a new habit – and that’s hard to do, especially with this kind of thing. We’re doing things with our personality, not something simple to relearn (like putting your shoes on left then right, instead of right then left – which would be hard enough to recondition myself to).
Harold
June 29th, 2011 at 20:18
All I can say is Wow, Michelle and thanks! Quite the comment. I just checked Patricia’s blog (it’s good folks). I agree that it is a choice to be happy. As long as you are not looking through rose colored glasses. There are mornings I wake up and wonder what will happen today that I will be thankful for. Some times I wonder if that’s what I will be thankful for…waking up that is! 🙂 I continue on! 🙂
skippingstones
June 29th, 2011 at 20:32
Haha – that’s a start, right? And I definitely agree about the rose colored glasses, but I think of those in terms of deluding yourself. You aren’t seeing clearly if you put those on. I think making the choice is seeing things clearly, and doing your best to make the most of it anyway. And doing your best doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be super psyched about it – it really means just doing as well as you can that day. Today, my best might be putting my feet on the floor and getting up out of that bed. And that’s okay. That’s surely something to be grateful for.
A thought has been going through my head and that is, “What is the difference between being thankful and grateful?” Is there a difference? Does it matter?
also, feel free to let me know if I’m overstepping my bounds – this is your blog, after all 🙂 but talking it out is helpful for me, and I don’t want to not help someone else if I can. Also, I really could relate to what you had said.
Harold
June 29th, 2011 at 21:01
I looked it up…as far as I am concerned thankful and grateful are interchangeable, synonyms, so no it doesn’t matter. No over-stepping here! I need all the help I can get. Always good to know others are out there and willing to give words of support.
Patricia
June 29th, 2011 at 20:37
What nice things y’all have to say about me…I am thankful. 😉
Somedays I am just thankful it is over and I can go to bed. And then I find myself thinking about the homeless man I see almost everyday; he is in a wheelchair, has no legs, and really needs a bath, and sometimes wants to give me his money so I can go buy him some food because he is not allowed in the cafe. There is also the woman who is mentally ill and homeless and an addict and sleeps in the bushes near where I live. You get the picture…how can I not be thankful? I have a great life.
You will find over time that thankfulness nourishes your soul.
Harold
June 29th, 2011 at 21:04
It is all our own perspectives. Yep, it is always good to make it through the day!
skippingstones
July 26th, 2011 at 17:15
Hi Harold! I’ve been having a couple (okay, nearly three) icky weeks…just feeling a bit down and I haven’t felt much like writing on my blog. I also realized on Sunday that I had not written on my thankful page for a whole week – that’s bad. But I’m catching up now and I thought I would stop by your page for some inspiration.
I see you added a new note at the beginning of July and they are helpful words! Stop Digging – It Is Worth Doing! Good advice for me. As always, thanks for being an inspiration on my Thankfulness journey.
Harold
July 26th, 2011 at 18:31
Thanks Michelle! Glad to be of help. I was wondering how you were doing since you were behind a bit. A good choice of words…it is a journey. Some times it is only one step, some times a lot of steps. Every day is not the same. The important part is knowing it is a journey and making at least one step on the way each day.
I am not always up for every day. I wonder what it will bring…good, bad, so so. But I woke up, that’s always good, and I make it through the day, that’s good too. Some days I really have to look back and think what really happened today. One step? Two steps? More? There is always something, even though the day seemed monotonous. I actually spelled that right…thankfully! 🙂 So I continue on and try to keep a good perspective.
skippingstones
October 7th, 2011 at 21:13
I haven’t been by in so long, and now I see that you had a September similar to mine. Maybe it was just a rough month and that is all. I think you are so right, that we need to just keep on moving on. Focus on what we have to be grateful for and not get too bogged down in the mucky stuff that life throws at us.
I don’t know that trying to focus on being thankful makes any of our concerns easier or lighter. I just think that it may be the thing that keeps us from falling off the edge and into that dark chasm of negativity. Without trying to acknowledge the good things, I think the bad things have a way of growing in our minds and visions, until that is all we can see. Being thankful doesn’t make the bad things go away, but it offers us some perspective by which to measure the bad things.
You just commented on my blog that, “Some times we need to sit quietly and listen for that still, small, voice.” That is good advice, so I will say the same. You said the universe isn’t listening to you, and I wonder if you are listening to it? 🙂 I can’t be in your shoes, so I don’t know what all of the circumstances are for you. But I wonder if there is something you want to do that is calling you to it. Maybe not. But maybe. Or maybe just something different. I don’t know, but it was just a thought I had.
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