Experiences

Experiences, Insights, Stories, Reports, & Wisdom from Past Gratitude Groove Participants.

Report #1 from Terry and Jessica, doing the 40-Day Gratitude Groove Program, while on their rock-and-roll band's European tour...

David, our singer, says, "if you didn't want to go from place to place in the back of a van... haul heavy equipment... get very little sleep... be quite bored and tired most of the time...put up with drunken idiots......(fill in the blank with many other unpleasantnesses), you should never have joined a band." Not that I complain about it. That's one thing that will drive everyone nuts very fast: whingeing on the road. Yes, we're ALL tired, hungry, bored and sick of it!

But things are going well. I woke up one morning and made a check list of what I was grateful for: 1) Food 2) Bed 3) NO hangover!--a true miracle in this kind of life, although my drinking has been quite moderate 4) Non-smoking rock clubs EVEN in Germany, one of the chain-smoking capitals of the world 5) Coffee.

Jessica and I are continually surprised by the effects of our gratitude efforts, and verbalizing gratitude is yielding unexpected results. Both of us believe that practicing gratitude actually makes you more morally inclined. Why would this be? Pettiness disappears. We are both thinking much more carefully about how we react to things: What should we do? What should we say? Should we say nothing? In any given situation, it seems like we are more inclined to be careful and considerate. We're both types that tend to over-think and possibly think too much about the feelings of others, but this is a bit different. I think the oversensitivity to others is actually just another form of ego, ie, what-will-they-think-of-me. But this genuine concern for always doing the best and most right thing comes from a much purer place. I think that this happens because the practice of gratitude gives you more space to contemplate higher things. When you are not worried about your trifling problems but instead are happy about what's right and what is NOT wrong, more space opens up to consider the concerns of others and the concerns of all of humanity. Yes, I believe gratitude has that profound of an effect."

----

From Timi: On gratitude for her daughter and stopping to smell the roses (literally).

When I commit to finding gratitude in the moments when my kids are trying my patience and doing their best to get on my last nerve, I find myself gifted with this wonderful ability to look at what's happening in a different light and to react in a different, more loving and positive way than I would have pre-gratitude. Here's an example: When it's time to get Ruby to pre-school in the morning, I'm usually in a huge hurry to get out the door and get there on time. Ruby, on the other hand, is usually in some other time zone following her own private schedule. Her schedule allows her time to stop and (literally) smell the roses...and pull the petals off and cautiously touch the thorns and ponder how sharp they are, compared to how soft the petals are, and how one must be so careful not to get pricked...which then reminds her of how Princess Aurora (aka sleeping beauty) pricked her finger on a spindle and oh my goodness, NOW, she needs to get Aurora from inside the house immediately! Because Aurora wants to go with us to school and PLEASE, MOMMY you have to get her, NOW!! This most definitely conflicts with my desire to get where we need to be ON TIME, and is definitely an example of a situation in my life which has needed the application of gratitude. So, it's in moments like this that I've been making the choice to feel grateful instead of frustrated, grateful instead of annoyed, grateful instead of impatient. In my mind, it'll go something like this: First I just feel so grateful I even HAVE a daughter. Then, I get grateful that she's so naturally full of wonder and curiosity and innocence and awe. And then, I feel grateful for being reminded of how I used to be like that as a child, and of how important it is to nurture those qualities, and to make time for them, so you don't reach 40 and go, wait, what happened to me?? When did I stop smelling the roses? When did I stop noticing we even HAD roses? And so all of that runs through my head and then I just STOP--and really look at Ruby's glowing, sweet little face and I take it in. I take in all the beauty and the wonder and the magic with her, through her, and the next thing you know, I'm smelling the roses too. And oh, wow, the fragrance is so heavenly. I forgot about that. And some roses are more fragrant than others and we wonder together, Why is that? But we know for sure that we have to make time to smell them every day! And then I go get Princess Aurora, and, of course, she has to smell the roses too--and so we're all a little late to pre-school, but lo and behold, the world doesn't come to an end...and it's just better.

---

Mary Kay: On Quiet, Healing Gratitude.

Hush...

This is the word taken from one of this week's gratitude thought emails for which I am the most grateful.

Permission to be silent. Permission to use less words. Permission to go deep inside where peace and healing take place.

As my husband's cancer treatment continues, he has become very sick. He is no longer swallowing easily. He is not eating and it hurts him to speak. He has become quiet.

I am trying to work, get ready for Christmas, plan for the arrival of our five children, and take care of Roger. I am not getting enough sleep or exercise. I am overwhelmed. I find myself shutting down...getting quiet. It's harder to socialize, harder to think, harder to find words. Hush...

I worried that I was becoming depressed, possibly disappointing some of the well-meaning friends and family members who call often for updates. Then I got the gratitude email with one simple, important word, "hush".

And so, I am not depressed -- I am grateful to be conserving my energy.

I am not disappointing -- I am grateful to be recharging.

I am not shutting down -- I am grateful to be resting in the peace and joy of HUSH.

To read more personal stories from women in The Gratitude Groove, please download the EXPERIENCES pdf file.


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	Experiences Experiences, Insights, Stories, Reports, & Wisdom from Past Gratitude Groove Participants. Report #1 from Terry and Jessica, doing the 40-Day Gratitude Groove Program, while on their rock-and-roll band's European tour... David, our singer, says, "if you didn't want to go from place to place in the back of a van... haul heavy equipment... get very little sleep... be quite bored and tired most of the time...put up with drunken idiots......(fill in the blank with many other unpleasantnesses), you should never have joined a band." Not that I complain about it. That's one thing that will drive everyone nuts very fast: whingeing on the road. Yes, we're ALL tired, hungry, bored and sick of it! But things are going well. I woke up one morning and made a check list of what I was grateful for: 1) Food 2) Bed 3) NO hangover!--a true miracle in this kind of life, although my drinking has been quite moderate 4) Non-smoking rock clubs EVEN in Germany, one of the chain-smoking capitals of the world 5) Coffee. Jessica and I are continually surprised by the effects of our gratitude efforts, and verbalizing gratitude is yielding unexpected results. Both of us believe that practicing gratitude actually makes you more morally inclined. Why would this be? Pettiness disappears. We are both thinking much more carefully about how we react to things: What should we do? What should we say? Should we say nothing? In any given situation, it seems like we are more inclined to be careful and considerate. We're both types that tend to over-think and possibly think too much about the feelings of others, but this is a bit different. I think the oversensitivity to others is actually just another form of ego, ie, what-will-they-think-of-me. But this genuine concern for always doing the best and most right thing comes from a much purer place. I think that this happens because the practice of gratitude gives you more space to contemplate higher things. When you are not worried about your trifling problems but instead are happy about what's right and what is NOT wrong, more space opens up to consider the concerns of others and the concerns of all of humanity. Yes, I believe gratitude has that profound of an effect." ---- From Timi: On gratitude for her daughter and stopping to smell the roses (literally). When I commit to finding gratitude in the moments when my kids are trying my patience and doing their best to get on my last nerve, I find myself gifted with this wonderful ability to look at what's happening in a different light and to react in a different, more loving and positive way than I would have pre-gratitude. Here's an example: When it's time to get Ruby to pre-school in the morning, I'm usually in a huge hurry to get out the door and get there on time. Ruby, on the other hand, is usually in some other time zone following her own private schedule. Her schedule allows her time to stop and (literally) smell the roses...and pull the petals off and cautiously touch the thorns and ponder how sharp they are, compared to how soft the petals are, and how one must be so careful not to get pricked...which then reminds her of how Princess Aurora (aka sleeping beauty) pricked her finger on a spindle and oh my goodness, NOW, she needs to get Aurora from inside the house immediately! Because Aurora wants to go with us to school and PLEASE, MOMMY you have to get her, NOW!! This most definitely conflicts with my desire to get where we need to be ON TIME, and is definitely an example of a situation in my life which has needed the application of gratitude. So, it's in moments like this that I've been making the choice to feel grateful instead of frustrated, grateful instead of annoyed, grateful instead of impatient. In my mind, it'll go something like this: First I just feel so grateful I even HAVE a daughter. Then, I get grateful that she's so naturally full of wonder and curiosity and innocence and awe. And then, I feel grateful for being reminded of how I used to be like that as a child, and of how important it is to nurture those qualities, and to make time for them, so you don't reach 40 and go, wait, what happened to me?? When did I stop smelling the roses? When did I stop noticing we even HAD roses? And so all of that runs through my head and then I just STOP--and really look at Ruby's glowing, sweet little face and I take it in. I take in all the beauty and the wonder and the magic with her, through her, and the next thing you know, I'm smelling the roses too. And oh, wow, the fragrance is so heavenly. I forgot about that. And some roses are more fragrant than others and we wonder together, Why is that? But we know for sure that we have to make time to smell them every day! And then I go get Princess Aurora, and, of course, she has to smell the roses too--and so we're all a little late to pre-school, but lo and behold, the world doesn't come to an end...and it's just better. --- Mary Kay: On Quiet, Healing Gratitude. Hush... This is the word taken from one of this week's gratitude thought emails for which I am the most grateful. Permission to be silent. Permission to use less words. Permission to go deep inside where peace and healing take place. As my husband's cancer treatment continues, he has become very sick. He is no longer swallowing easily. He is not eating and it hurts him to speak. He has become quiet. I am trying to work, get ready for Christmas, plan for the arrival of our five children, and take care of Roger. I am not getting enough sleep or exercise. I am overwhelmed. I find myself shutting down...getting quiet. It's harder to socialize, harder to think, harder to find words. Hush... I worried that I was becoming depressed, possibly disappointing some of the well-meaning friends and family members who call often for updates. Then I got the gratitude email with one simple, important word, "hush". And so, I am not depressed -- I am grateful to be conserving my energy. I am not disappointing -- I am grateful to be recharging. I am not shutting down -- I am grateful to be resting in the peace and joy of HUSH. To read more personal stories from women in The Gratitude Groove, please download the EXPERIENCES pdf file.