Traditions are an anchor – they mark time passing in a valuable way. There’s a quote about traditions attributed to Fred Rogers that began my pondering on this topic:
“Traditions, big or small, create anchors of stability, especially in rough seas.“
~ Fred Rogers
Rough seas. Would you say we’re in a rough sea kinda time-period? I would.
Whether the roughness of the waters are from worry about financial well-being, or relationship strife, or political unrest or health and pandemic fears… We all need to remain calm. Find our anchor. Maybe it’s in a tradition?
An anchor in a rough sea – the power of a tradition.
Make a list of all the traditions you have had in your life. If you share life with others, ask them. What food did you eat – what music, which people, what did you wear, where did you gather, were there words spoken or activities and more…
What was truly important about the tradition? (Not just the fluff!)
How could you revive a tradition?
How could you revive a tradition even in this time of quarantine and pandemic parameters?
In Canada – this weekend – the country will celebrate Thanksgiving. Our immediate family has lived in the USA for the last two decades, but this year we are going to revisit our Canadian roots. Rob bought a turkey – I’ll be making it with his family’s stuffing recipe. (It’s delicious, by the way. It has bacon in it!) And I’ll be making butter tarts – they’re a family favorite and a Canadian (or at least an Ontario) favorite… I use my mom’s recipe. (It’s in the photo.) We will anchor our weekend in being Thankful. Because, for us, this time needs some focus on being grateful.
Overarching everything, as a human, a wife, and mom and Gram, I firstly anchor myself in Christ. I believe, as Christians,we rely on our faith to be a strong foundation for life. Is it always easy? No. Are this time periodand all the restrictions feeling like our faith experience is normal? No. But we continue to anchor ourselves in Christ. Not the outer trappings of a tradition – but the inner security of a Saviour who overcame everything and can walk with us through everything – even this! This is our testing ground and we will work to make the real tradition of what our faith means – remain stronger than ever.
How about you? Traditions are an anchor.
Which tradition would you choose to anchor your life with right now?
Even if you can’t do it exactly as you’d choose, how could you adapt it or revise it to honor the real meaning of why you celebrate the tradition?
Be thankful for traditions – because they’re anchors of stability.
This post is the 8th of 30 days of Thankfulness. Parts of the original post and this one- along with much more – will be included in a document available for download at the end of October 2020. Subscribe to be sure to receive it!
The recipe is from my mom – in her handwriting. And the photo is of my mom and dad before I was born… can you see the two metal brads – leaf shapes? They represent Canada and the city we now live in… That’s what journaling is about – connecting place, spaces, and times…
I’m not talking about huge, or opulent or extra-ordinary… just comfortable for you. Your spot sometimes defines your comfortable space.
When we lived in our RV both Rob and I had our own “spot”. It worked for us. Though we lived in 282 square feet we still were comfortable. And I was thankful. Now we live in an apartment and again, we have our spot to sit and chat together.
In addition, when our grands come over, they have their own spot on the arm of my big chair. In fact, when our little granddaughter came into the apartment the other day, and I wasn’t in my chair, she was perturbed… she walked over to my chair and patted it and wanted me to sit in my spot. So I did. And she climbed up to sit on the arm of the chair. Apparently, she needed me there to be comfortable in her spot!
Let’s give thanks for a comfortable space!
There’s a humorous part of the television show “Big Bang Theory” where a character has his “spot”. He gives everyone a hard time if they sit in his “spot”… Can you relate?
Can you list all the different places you’ve been comfortable over the years, in your various environments? Was it a desk chair, or a corner of the deck outside, or your vehicle (we love our F150 and consider our seat in there as part of our “spot”).
Consider all the ways and places you’ve been comfortable over the years… and be thankful!
This post is the 7th of 30 prompts to be thankful. You can read the original from last year by clicking here. At the end of October 2020 I’ll be releasing the entire docuement as a pdf, with a few extras, so you can have it for free! Subscribe and make sure to get your copy!
My spot in the apartment – where the grands snuggle with me.My spot when we lived on four acres….my spot – in the passenger side of our F150Our RV – we lived and traveled fulltime for 5 years. I took this picture from my spot…
What’s your favorite gadget? How does it make your life easier?
The convenience!
I’m thankful for many of my gadgets in the kitchen – my little egg-cooker that shuts off when the egg is done, the rasp so I can have fine shavings of lemon peel, chocolate, etc, and I borrowed my daughter’s food processor so I could mush up fresh strawberries to add to plain yogurt and make some yummy almond crackers.
I’m also having fun using many gadgets in my *junk journaling.
If you think about it, most of us use many gadgets… we don’t even consider them to be time/effort saving devices. But our grandparents (or great-grandparents) sure had it more difficult:
we have automatic washers – they had a ringer washer or a washboard
they cooked on a wood stove – we have all kinds of ways to cook in minutes
What convenience – gadget – do you value that your parents or grandparents didn’t have when they were your age?
Rob and I lived and traveled full time in an RV for a number of years – I missed having my own washer and dryer on site. Today I celebrate every load of laundry done inside my little apartment without lugging everything to a laundromat!And being an avid reader, I really wouldn’t want to give up my Kindle!
Let’s give thanks we live in an age of convenient gadgets!
What wouldn’t you want to be without?
As we go through these 30 days in October 2020, the images you see are from my own journal. I’m using tea-dyed paper as the journal paper and adding bits and pieces to decorate.
*This is a craft called “junk journaling”. Not because it’s junk – but because it incorporates items that would normally be thrown out… It incorporates new and old stuff and even what would be thrown in the garbage.
Like an envelope. It was in a mailer and normally it would be tossed into the recycling or garbage. Instead, I dyed it by letting it sit in tea, then dried it and folded it to become a pocket for some tags… you can see the window in the envelope shows today’s prompt! Click on THIS LINK to see a one-minute video showing the finished product.
This post is part of 30 Days of Thanksgiving – the entire project will be available to download at the end of October 2020! You can read the original post for today here.
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I’m grateful to be able to read. And to read a favorite book, again and again, is a wonderful gift.
I have many favorite books – both fiction and non-fiction.
What about you?
What are some of your favorite books?
Which books do you read and re-read? Are there any favorite stories from when you were a child that you’re now introducing to the next generation?
I’m sharing the Narnia books with our grandboy…
What about non-fiction books?
Do you read mostly fiction – or non-fiction? Or are you like me, you read everything, even cereal boxes! (If it’s in print, I must read it!) I’m grateful to read a favorite book – even if it’s over and over and over.
Here are three of my favorites book about being thankful:
“By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are.
To not choose gratitude is more costly than we usually realize. When we do choose a lifestyle of heartfelt, humble gratitude, we are mindful of the benefits received from our gracious Savior and those He has placed around us, and our joy becomes full.”
Includes a bonus 30-day plan of journaling, prayer, and activities to help the reader on her or his path to joy.”
This is a book I re-read every few years (this year I will again). One year we did a study of this book with a few from my little church congregation. Obviously, as the description notes, this book is from a deeply Christian outlook.You can read more by clicking here.
by Dr. Robert A. Emmons PhD – description from Amazon
“Gratitude is the simple, scientifically proven way to increase happiness and encourage greater joy, love, peace, and optimism into our lives.
Through easy practices such as keeping a daily gratitude journal, writing letters of thanks, and meditating on the good we have received, we can improve our health and wellbeing, enhance our relationships, encourage healthy sleep, and heighten feelings of connectedness.
Easily accessible and available to everyone, the practice of gratitude will benefit every area of your life and generate a positive ripple effect.
This beautiful book discusses the benefits of gratitude and teaches easy techniques to foster gratitude every day. It also includes an 8-week gratitude plan.”
This truly is a “little” book – but easy to read and filled with activities. It’s steeped in positive psychology and he feels the process of being thankful is a human experience – Robert Emmons seems to be a leader in this field. I appreciate the ideas, but don’t necessarily agree with all his thoughts.Click here to read on Amazon.
“On New Year’s Eve, journalist and former Parade Editor-in-Chief Janice Kaplan makes a promise to be grateful and look on the bright side of whatever happens. She realizes that how she feels over the next months will have less to do with the events that occur than her own attitude and perspective. Getting advice at every turn from psychologists, academics, doctors, and philosophers, she brings readers on a smart and witty journey to discover the value of appreciating what you have.”
This book made me laugh and ponder. It’s written as a year-long diary of the writer’s experiences focusing on different aspects of her life. She talks about her life as a wife and a mom, and her interactions as she researches the concept of thankfulness. I was entertained and informed. It’s a fun book that makes you think. Click HERE to read more on Amazon.
Have you ever read a book about gratitude?
What are some of your favorite books?
This is part of the series of posts about being thankful for 30 days in October 2020 – you can read the original post here. At the end of October you’ll be able to download the entire document (8000 words, along with digital journal tags.) Have you subscribed to PositiveThanksLiving?
Check out the video I made about using my mom’s buttons, having the courage to actually cut up some music paper… *gasp! and more… Click HERE
Who has made a personal investment in you – over the years?
Our obvious choices could be parents, grandparents and siblings – but what about friends and co-workers, faith-examples, those who taught you the basics and that person who is an expert in your field of interest who taught you what you needed, at that time you needed it… the supporters, the encouragers, the ones who just loved you at the moment you needed it…
I’m thinking we have people who have invested in our successes, and in our times of failing forward – all through our lives in all areas…
Express gratitude – send a note!
There’s a book about gratitude called “A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life” by John Kralik. He sent 365 “thank you” notes to people over a year and it changed his whole perspective on life. It changed his relationships with people closest to him and those from the past. It made his life better in every way. Just one note of gratitude every day.
Now, you don’t need to do 365 notes… just do one note – today.
One person. One person who made a personal investment into who you are today.
At the end of October 2020 I’ll have the entire 30 Days of Thankfulness in one document available for you to download. Don’t miss out – subscribe to PositiveThanksLiving today!
Many times our sense of smell cues us into something good (or bad) before we can see what’s happening.
What do you smell that puts a smile on your face?
If you walk through the door at the end of the day, and your loved one is preparing dinner, you won’t see the food but you will smell what’s cooking. It may even bring back wonderful memories or create the excitement of anticipation!
As beautiful as walking through an art gallery filled with still-life paintings of flowers and fruit is, there’s no scent of those beautiful blooms or ripe, delicious, fruit…
” You can paint a flower, but not its smell.”
~ an Italian proverb
And going to the ocean is a completely different experience than watching a YouTube video. I know – I often have a video of some ocean in the world streaming on our television because I love that view. But it’s so different from our last trip to the beach. Yet. I can imagine the scent of the saltwater… and it makes me happy.
Yes. Our sense of sight is important.
But so is our sense of smell.
What scents do you love?
Think about all those wonderful scents that bring back memories…
Now list them all!
Aren’t you thankful for those memories, even if they may make you a little bit nostalgic?
And what about the aroma of food and dessert ?
Hot chocolate
Apple pie, cider or baked apple crisp
a Sunday beef roast with all the trimmings
Or the smell of a forest…
“A whiff of forest scent, Balsam and fern, Won from dreary mood My heart’s return, From its discontent, Joy’s run-away, To the sweet, wise wood And the laughing day.“
Be thankful for all the scents you’ve experienced in life – they’re a gift!
Which scents are your favorites?
SUBSCRIBE to PositiveThanksLiving! This post is part of the 30 Days of Thankfulness – at the end of October 2020, you’ll be able to download a special document with journaling tags and all the prompts. You can read the original post – “Your Nose Knows How To Be Thankful.
Laughter can be caught – it can be increased and it can explode to infect everyone close by…
Laughter is a good kind of infection.
We all could use a bit more laughter in our days, don’t you think?
Think of all the people you love to laugh with…
Write down all the names of people you’ve enjoyed laughing with and maybe give them a call. Reach out to check in with them.
Send a funny meme, or a link to a favorite comedian performing on YouTube and keep the laughter connection with your friends strong.
This is the second of 30 ideas on documenting being thankful. I started this list last year – you can read the original second post HERE. Now there’s a finished document with all the ideas – 30 prompts on being thankful – and at the end of October 2020, I’ll be offering it as a free download here on PositiveThanksLiving – along with some journaling digital tags to use if you’re at all craft-oriented.
Who is your favorite comedian?
Leave a comment with the person’s name. What do you like best about their performances?
Here are two comedians that make me laugh – I often share via text a link to their funny bits – the first is Michael McIntyre and the second is Graham Norton. Oddly, they’re both British. I guess my sense of humor is skewed toward the British… ? Do you know either of these two comedians?
Subscribe and receive all the prompts to practice being thankful!
If you’re reading this on the website, at the top of the sidebar there’s a subscribe spot or if you’re on your phone scroll down till you see “I want to be positive!” —- put your name and email in the box and you’re IN for some great articles on Thankfulness!
Subscribe and receive the full “30 Days of Thankfulness” document at the end of the 30 days!
And if you think a friend could use a bit of cheering up, maybe forward this article to her or him – you could do this 30 Days of Thankfulness together!
So, if you were to write down all the things you’re thankful for and take 30 days to do it, would you worry about not finishing it?
What if doing something for a month feels uncomfortable? Or if you’re worried you won’t follow through or can’t because of …
I do understand, intimately, how daunting it can feel to face an incomplete… to not finish something.
To what am I referring?
In the past, I found it difficult to finish things.
For example, last year, right here on PositiveThanksLiving, I started a 30-day series of posts about being thankful.
I got to Day 18.
But now, despite not finishing last year, I’m thankful today. It is possible.
You see, I’ve been very good at beginning things all my life, but in the past, I found completing things … yeah. No.
I’m saying “in the past” because even though 2020 has been an odd and disruptive year, one good thing that’s come out of it for me is completing a number of 30-day tasks. And it’s possible to circle back and finish something that’s already begun…
So, that’s good, right?
Completing last year’s unfinished task.
Guess what? I finished it. All 30 days.
Last year’s “30 days of thankfulness” is complete.
It’s done.
There’s a digital (and printed) document with almost 8000 words and 30 entries. Some are shorter than others, some are longer. Most of the eighteen original articles are revised. There are 30 tags with the prompts – you can print them to use if you’re journaling.
And I’d like to share it with you!
Because it’s done, I know I can share parts over the next 30 days!
And.
At the end of 30 days, the full document will be available for you to download for free.
So – today and the next 30 days – I invite you to work alongside me – one prompt at a time. Try it. It’s OK – don’t worry about not finishing… you can still be thankful one day at a time!
This image/tag is the first entry – about looking up from your phone or the computer where you’re reading this to view an item or many items, for which you’re grateful.
What if you can’t finish?
Maybe you’ll be doing this with me and then life will get in the way.
That’s OK.
Experience has taught me that it’s completely fine to begin, pause, and then circle back later! You can be thankful despite not finishing.
Now, maybe during the next 30 days, you’ll be more comfortable just reading the prompts every day. You could let them marinate in your heart and mind… Sure. That’ll work too.
In any scenario, at the end of October, you can have the document to download and do it at whatever time it works in your life, over whatever time period you’d like. And then do it again. (That’s what the full document is for – the future!)
You know why I can say with certainty that I can post 30 times in October? And be sure to follow through?
Because I’m thankful, (despite not finishing last year), that THIS year, it’s already done!
So, if you’re interested in what was written last year for this first post, I’ll link to the first entry: Thankful for the View
Here’s a tag I created for you to download and print if you want to journal along… click here – print it out as large or small as what works for you. It’ll also be available in the document at the end of 30 days…
Below is a photo of my journaling creation for today using the tag. I’ve added some die-cuts and washi tape, with a printed image of a lamp that’s in my living room for which I’m very thankful. (I took a photo, then used an app on my phone called “Painnt” to make it look like a sketch.) I’ll add a written list to this paper later today… there are many things I look at in my environment that I feel thankful for…
Do you ever go back to finish something?
What’s been your experience in completing things after a while… ?
Don’t forget to subscribe to PositiveThanksLiving so you can get the full “30 Days of Thankfulness” document at the end of 30 days!
Go deep – I’m not really referring to those items you can touch…
“When we count our many blessings
It isn’t hard to see,
That life’s most valued treasures,
Are the treasures that are free!”
What do you treasure?
If you were to cross off all the tangible items from your gratitude list, what would be left? What do you treasure that’s not a “thing”?
I’m going to suggest that it’s all the non-tangibles you value that contribute to a character of thankfulness…
Would you agree?
Is being thankful part of your character?
How can you decide if thankfulness is part of your character as a person?
Perhaps a little exercise might help…
What if, for the next 7 days, you wrote down all the non-tangible things you value?
Would that be difficult?
How long would your list become – in one day?
I’d begin today’s list with the person who put my groceries into my truck. He was so cheery and optimistic, even though he was soaked through and through by the torrential rain. (I want to be like him!) I appreciated his attitude – I am thankful I met him!
QUICK! Write down 5 non-tangible things from today (or yesterday) that you’re thankful for…
Why is thankfulness important?
Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
And isn’t that something we can all use during this difficult year?
What’s on my desk?
You might know that I’m enjoying playing with paper these day… at the beginning of 2020 I chose the Word “Make” as my word for the year. And, boy-oh-boy, has it kept me busy.
Right now, on my desk, are little gratitude journaling spots – four groups of paper crafts meant to provide a way to document a month’s worth of thankfulness.
a circle accordian gratitude journaling spot
an envelope with little square-ish cards
a pocket filled with tags
and a waterfall package of tags
They’re meant to make documenting gratitude easy and not to intimidate someone who may be unused to journaling.
The four ephemera (journaling spots) could be used for a month – one per week. Or four friends could share and do a one week’s worth of checking in with each other about developing a habit of gratitude.
If you click HERE you can watch the video I made about the circle accordion gratitude journaling spot.
The whole. The sum. Add up the details and you’ll find your whole life. Details make up your life. Little things. Begin to pay attention to the details of your life.
Change one detail at a time to build a life that’s a whole lot more. Details make up the whole.
smells, sights, sounds – what could you add or replace to build a better whole?
inspiring people: who can you follow on social media that will add to your life something special? Who will you no longer listen to? It’s up to you – you’re in control.
where will you go for ideas? What are you reading and watching? What is filling your brain? Examine what you can add or replace to introduce ideas of peace, or joy, or wonder or inspiration or hope?
Little details make up your whole life…
Examine the details for clues on how to make each moment of your life more… and that’ll add up…
What you see above begins with pinholes in the paper. It gets better with colorful embroidery floss and a needle. And then one stitch at a time something pretty shows up, till the whole project has a purpose.
That’s just like our lives…
Where and what we choose to put into each little spot determines our outcome. Right now I’m occupying some of my time with a few items that make up the whole:
writing words. One word at a time. (Yes, still working on a resource for you to make it easier to tell your friends how thankful you are for them.)
playing piano. One note at a time. Trying to get all the notes right to make a beautiful sound together.
making and crafting. One item on a page to make a whole that’s pleasing to the eye.
packaging and sending. One person at a time to try to bring a smile to their heart even in this COVID mess.
caring. For Rob – trying to speak his love language. And one grand at a time. (Usually. It’s easier.) Meeting the needs of our lovely little granddaughter and an amazing grandson.
eating. One good thing at a time. Replacing sugar and processed carbohydrates to make a better whole. (And there’s a whole lot of me. LOL)
watching and reading. Replacing everything I take in with something that’ll make my heart lighter and more optimistic. We watched this movie with our adult children and smiled together. Good message about what really matters in life. And… this is the daily devotional I’m re-reading to keep my thoughts centered on what really matters.
What are your details?
What needs to be added – or replaced to make the whole thing much better?
“Thank you, friend. You’re precious to me. I value you and our friendship.”
Even though reaching out to your friends may feel like a herculean task at this time… here are 5 simple ways to say “thank you!”, even in a pandemic. And there are benefits…
What is a friend?
Maybe we all have our own definition of what a friend is or what friendship means. Maybe our definition has changed over time. Or not. However, regardless of the definition we put to the word, thanking our friends means we demonstrate their value.
To whom would you want to say “thank you” for being my friend? Can you think of a few?
5 Ways to say “Thank you!” to your friend.
I’m going to simplify a complicated topic and try to make it easy to do. To that end, I’m borrowing from Gary Chapman’s work. So, here they are:
1. Invest time with your friend.
Even with this pandemic, technology makes it possible to see each other face to face. Have a coffee/tea date and chat. Here are 36 questions to make the conversation even more interesting. You will honor your friend and demonstrate how grateful you are for your friendship if you make a deliberate time to connect with the purpose of thanking her or him.
2. Tell her or him you’re thankful for the friendship and why.
Firstly, use words. Write them down. Or speak those words. Or do both!
Make a list of all the ways you’re thankful for your friend. Write a card. Make a call and tell him or her.
3. Send a gift.
Specifically, it doesn’t need to be expensive. But make it personal. The gift becomes a tangible indication of how much you value your friendship. You could buy it, or make it. Does your friend have an Amazon gift list? Ask!
Additionally, you could give something fun like these and buy one for yourself too, and wear them when you’re together! Can you imagine a Zoom meeting where you’re both wearing these? A talented friend makes these and they’re so fun…
4. Use your time to do something specific and helpful for your friend.
Gary Chapman, author of the concept of The Five Love Languages calls it an “act of service“. Could you bring supper to your friend? Or clean their car, weed their garden, or go to the post office or some other action ? Maybe shop and deliver their groceries? Even in this time period – or if you’re far away from each other – there are ways to order a GrubHub supper, or groceries through Instacart or have a service come and wash the car, do yard work etc… you’re limited only by your imagination!
5. And lastly, give a hug or pat on the back or some kind of (appropriate) physical expression of your heart.
During these times it’s tough to do this “physical touch Love Language” if your friend is far away or either of you is in quarantine. We’re not supposed to be doing the close physical contact stuff.
However. But. You could “outsource” your hugs. —LOL —
What do I mean? Make a plan with someone who can hug your friend, and have them hug your friend on your behalf! Make the experience into an event. Use technology to set up a meeting – arrange ahead of time with the person who is in their “bubble” – and do a virtual, surrogate “hug” with your friend!
And here are the benefits: demonstrating how much you appreciate your friends will lift everyone’s spirits!
Let’s lift each other up.
Why? Because friendship is even more important in this time! You are in control of nurturing your friendships. So, say thank you to someone you value!
Come on… which friend will it be?
(Specifically, leave their first name in the comments and pick one of the five suggestions from above. To that end, I’ll leave the first comment myself with who and what I’m going to do!)
PS – I’m working on a new resource just for you to help with #2 — a way for you to easily develop a way to tell your friend exactly which character qualities you value about him or her. It’ll have the exercise, a list of 265 character qualities to choose from, and even a few templates to print out, (my own designs), write your note, and send to your friends! Stay tuned…
One of (the many) writers my husband reads and shares is The Leadership Freak, Dan Rockwell. At the end of March, there was a post about a dairy farmer’s path to success that Rob read to me and it’s stuck.
Included in the article is the phrase, “Steady on.”…
Yup. Steady can be our pace as we all walk through this unique time.
Read the rest of Dan Rockwell’s post HERE. You’ll find it encouraging and insightful!
I’m doing #the100dayproject with a glassine envelope and tag every day for 100 days. It’s part of my desire to improve at Junk Journaling. Playing with paper, and making hand-made journals from scraps, found objects and unique things that would otherwise be thrown out.
To deepen my skills I’ve been watching many, many videos on YouTube to learn how, and so did my own little “craft with me” video about this tag. If you’re interested, you can watch the video HERE.
Remember:
You’re loved…
you look for things to be thankful for…
you feel the value of being encouraged & encouraging others
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