While reading Danielle’s blog Underland to Wonderland, I came across a post in which she talked about the website Thought Questions and their 365 thought-provoking questions to ask yourself over the course of a year. I decided that I would start answering one of the questions each day for the next year. Not only will this give me a reason to blog every day for a year straight, it will get my creative juices flowing–and I think it will be fun! If you join in please leave me a comment so I can see your answers too. :)
Day #13: Do you celebrate the things you do have?
Yes. I think being grateful for the things you have in life, whether material or less tangible, is essential to living a happy life. I’m grateful for all of the material blessings I have, like a comfortable apartment, a car that runs well, heat on a cold day, etc. I’m very grateful for my good health. I’m grateful for the non-physical things that I have–good relationships, a sunny day, living down the road from the public library. My husband teases me for it, but I get excited when I see the mail truck each day–getting a card from a friend or a new magazine to read makes me smile! It might be a small thing, but it makes me feel blessed–I have friends and family who love me, I have a beautiful sunny day to sit by the window and read, I have good eyesight to read rather than having to get someone else to read for me, etc. Plus my cats come to snuggle with me when I sit down, which makes me feel loved (and keeps me warm).
I think stopping to take stock of blessings large and small makes such a different between an average day and a very happy one, because when you’re dwelling on all of these blessings, it’s hard to not feel joyful and excited about life!
12 Comments
Jasmine
Well said! I love getting mail too!
Martha Woods
I’ll be said when the Saturday mail service ends, for that reason!
Elle Sees
choose happiness is my motto! when i get overwhelmed, i sit back and think of all of the good i’ve got. instant happinesss.
Martha Woods
Amen to that!
Katrin
Aww this is so sweet! Love your answer! I always get excited about the mail man too. :)
Martha Woods
:) It’s always fun to open that box and see what surprises are inside. My husband teases me endlessly about it :P
Frannie Pantz
This is a very good practice and I like to remind myself to do this constantly. One of the biggest things that I feel that I take for granted sometimes is the health of my children. My oldest niece has spina bifida and while she is healthy, I can appreciate all of the extra things she and my sister have to endure–physical therapy, wheelchair access, learning to walk on braces, catheters, enemas, etc.–that I don’t have to with my kids. Or how very lucky I am in other aspects of my life materially. My kids have it so much better than I did as a kid material wise and that makes me happy, proud and grateful.
Martha Woods
I feel like health is one of the biggest “small” things humans take for granted. And yet it makes a night and day different in your life!
Celeste
Kitty snuggles really are the best, its so important to be grateful. You can’t be happy if you can’t appreciate what you already have!
Martha Woods
So true!
Pang Ly
I’m not exactly where I’d like to be in life. I always feel that there’s a void in me but put that aside I have to think of the whole picture and overall, it’s really not that bad and I have to remind myself that.
Martha Woods
Sometimes it takes a lot to remind me of that, too.