If you’re anything like me, you probably spend a lot more time and energy pondering problems than you do ruminating on the good stuff in your life. After all, problems need attention, they need solving. Good things are, well, good enough. So, of course, the problems winds up getting more of our focus. Unfortunately, that means we overlook or under-appreciate the good stuff. And so much of life is good.
Here’s something I’ve done to counteract my stuck-on-the-problems way of thinking: Three Good Thinks
Each day, I write down three things that brought joy in my day and why they did. They don’t have to be big huge events. It’s just a way to shift my thinking to dwell more on positive moments that I’m overlooking.
Example: Yesterday, my five-year-old granddaughter sent me a ten-second voice activated text to tell me that she loved me and missed me.
Reason for joy: I only knew one grandmother and, more often than not, she always seemed disappointed in me. I was too talkative, too messy, too boisterous, too careless. (Pretty sure she was right!) But…I wanted to be a different kind of grandmother. A warm and loving relationship with my darling grandchildren is a top priority for me. Kaitlyn’s message made me feel that I’m doing it right.
So give it a try! Keeping an eye out for your day’s Three Good Thinks will start to shift your attention to more of the good stuff.
And let me know if you have any suggestions to help yourself dwell on more positive things. I’d like to hear what’s working for you, too.
“Three Good Thinks”….YOU are right on Suzanne! LOVE your idea! (AND your granddaughter’s message)
Each day is a GIFT, from God, I believe! So many memories from babysitting each of my 4 grandkids, (who are now 17, 19, 21, and 22) and so Thankful that I had that time, with each of them!
I was so sorry that their Moms had to work, but it was such a BLESSING for me to have the little ones, sometimes 4 days per week! Yes, it was tiring, and yes, sometimes I am sure I was grouchy, but they always knew they were LOVED, and still do, and it is THEM that I love dearly, although sometimes do not especially like what they do! lol!
Just wish that the years hadn’t passed us by so very quickly! Enjoy your little ones, spend as much time as you can with them, and then spend some more! They grow up SO FAST, and their lives get SO BUSY, and WE get OLD way too fast!! Blessings and <3
to you ~
P.S. My maternal Grandma died before I was two, and my other Grandma was a quadriplegic, and could not speak, or even open her eyes, for herself! She sure could smile at me though! <3
Interesting what you mentioned in the section about your grandmother. Mine was like that too, and I knew only one, also. I remember stepping on a rusty nail while we were on vacation. The nail was on a board and the nail went quite deep and we had to pull the whole thing off, nail, board and all. I screamed at the top of my lungs and she was mad about that. Believe me it hurt! I know that she had suffered a lot in the War and felt this was just a small thing in comparison, however, I learned from that experience that I wanted to be a loving and affectionate mom and grandmother. I have that kind of a relationship now and hope that when they are all grown, that they will have a good memory of their grandma, not one like mine…
no reply today, thank you.
Thanking God daily and writing down something that I’m thankful for each day. When we count our blessings we do not focus on the negative around us. Great post, Suzanne.