‘Extreme/Radical Gratitude Diet’
What a new wonderful idea!
“The struggle ends when the gratitude begins.” — Neal Donald Walsch
“Gratitude has magic in it and what we appreciate we get even more of.” — Anonymous
Jan M Flynn wrote this article about Radical Gratitude recently. I love it. She said she was challenging herself to register a ‘daily miracle’ every day for the month of November. I think it’s an awesoooome idea!
I came up with a similar idea back in May. I called mine ‘The 7-Day Extreme Gratitude Diet.
Radical Extreme Gratitude.
In these extreme negative times, extreme Gratitude might be called for. To combine Extreme Gratitude with Radical Gratitude… that’s even more powerful!
For those who might have a tendency towards not being grateful or to think negative or fearful thoughts, I think Gratitude is a perfect cost-free medicine!
I can’t think of any time in my life when Gratitude didn't help me.
Even in the midst of the most horrific horrors in my life (and I’ve had a lot of those!) I still pulled out a pen and wrote a Gratitude List in my journal or on paper. This was even before Oprah suggested it. I think instinctually I knew it would help me. I definitely felt it wouldn’t hurt to try, plus it was free.
So, does anyone wanna join in?
From now till the end of November I’m committing to a Daily Radical Extreme Gratitude post. Since it is the Thanksgiving month this makes even more sense.
Ok, I'll start :
MY RADICAL EXTREME GRATITUDE LIST:
November 6, 2019
- My health. It's pretty good for 58. I'm not as spunky as I used to be and my memory is a little slower, oh, and I have more aches and pains but overall I’m doin’ — OK.
- I’ve survived 3 nervous breakdowns, a dependency on a benzo medication, Ativan, (that I took as prescribed and which almost did me in) a lifetime of eating disorder issues, C-PTSD and anxiety issues, and a dysfunctional family — soo, heck yea I think I deserve a peaceful life now GODDAMMIT!
- I recently set healthy boundaries with mom and sister. Yay for peace of mind.
- My wonderful friendships and great friends and readers here on Medium and my S*W*A*T Team. Supportive Women Acknowledging Truths, **Oh, that includes a few men too!**
- My tenacity with my writing life. My ability to write and publish stories steadily for over 2 years in the midst of it all. I feel like a warrior sometimes. As Steve B Howard so eloquently wrote in his recent piece, ‘Writing is nothing short of heroic’. Thanks Steve! No matter what mood I was in I still put my ass in the chair, showed up and did the work. I still do. This week I’ve had very little sleep because I was up concerned about my dad dying — but I didn't use that as an excuse. Instead, it might’ve been fuel.
- I got a free coffee today at Pilot Gas Station! I belong to the Pilot Gas Station Rewards Club. For every 5 coffees, you get one free. I’m a total fan of their wonderful coffee that is freshly ground while you wait! For a buck a refill you can get 5 of them for every one Starbucks. I went there today and they said I had earned my free one! So I got me an iced sugarfree vanilla cappuccino! YUMM!
- I no longer have to drive frantically and anxiously around the country selling my art at art shows and festivals getting lost on backroads or having to smile and try to sell my art to people. I don’t miss that life one tiny bit since retiring from it a few years ago.
- My 4 ‘Angels With Tails’ aka, My cats. I always feel happier and more joyful interacting with or even watching my furkids. I even take 2 of the 4 out sunbathing with me in their carrying cases which they love. Hey, they're sun sluts like their momma.
9. I live in a peaceful non-dangerous neighborhood. There’s hardly any traffic around here and the weather is usually mild, not extreme.
10. My wonderful patio area outside my house, complete with table and chairs, bbq grill, firepit, lawnchair and now a new groovy hammock that Bob my man got me for my birthday — which I totally love! Oh and my own big ass tree outside my house I get to lay under like I’m doing right now while writing this story. It’s like my little private zen nature area outside my house.
10. My music rehearsal recording area complete with a great state of the art sound system.
So, there’s a lot I am grateful for today. Honestly, I dreamt of having the exact life I have now of:
PEACE CREATIVITY CATS and FRIENDSHIP.
Oh, and lower pressure than my previous life.
I’m thankful and grateful daily that my life is looking a lot like the one I envisioned and dreamed of 20 years ago.
That song ‘Our house is a very very very fine house with 2 cats in the yard. Life used to be so hard. Now everything is easy…cuz of youuu…” comes to mind. I have this now, but 4 cats in the yard!
OK, Gratitude rocks! Feel free to share your lists below.
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