I have not abandoned my blog. Nor have I abandoned your blogs. I am still laid low by the flu. While lying in bed coughing my head off, I’ve been thinking about an earlier post about the gratitude challenge (I’m Grateful for That).
So here’s how it works. When you are feeling negative about something, you say you are grateful for it, even if you’re not. Then you just keep going until some small rays of real gratitude break through the dark clouds.
I’m going to try it. I’m grateful for the flu. (No, I’m not. I’m feeling whiny.)
I’m grateful that in the midst of recent stress, my body took charge and ordered me to take a break. (Hawaii would have been nicer.)
I’m grateful for the hot tea my daughter made for me. (I haven’t coughed in 10 seconds.)
I’m grateful for the daughter that made it. (My two daughters still at home have been very attentive this week.)
I’m grateful for my warm blankets and soft pillows piled high on my bed. (They are comforting.)
I’m grateful that I have terrific colleagues who have filled in for me this week while I’ve been sick. (They are truly the best.)
I’m grateful for blog friends and other friends who have sent me get well thoughts and made me feel cared about. (Y’all are truly the best, too.)
I’m grateful that I am generally a very healthy person and this is a temporary condition. (I am so lucky to have good health.)
I’m grateful to have more blessings that I can even begin to count. (Wow, this really works. I am feeling grateful. How silly to be whiny when I am blessed beyond belief.)
From flu blues to sunshiny gratitude. I'm grateful for that!
Enjoy your bed rest and store up as much sleep as you can. It's nature's way of nurturing you. Lucky you to have such caring daughters. Just sink into those fluffy pillows and warm blinky's and enter dream land.
ReplyDeleteLove and peace,
Manzanita
Wow, it did work....love it...and when you said your body was taking a break, it reminded me of your word, was it yield? Yield you are doing and still reaching out to us with wisdom...I'm glad you liked the groundhog video...it was so darn refreshing to me I had to share him! Take care!
ReplyDeleteDear Galen,
ReplyDeletefirstly, I hope that you do get well soon!
Secondly, thank you for this wonderful piece of advice. I tried this while saying my prayers just now and miraculously it worked. It took awhile to get past the misery and whining but after some time I managed to find something to be grateful for in the midst of all the negativity.
Thank you again Galen. Once again, such great advice. :)
Shaheera
An ounce of gratitude goes a long way, awesome!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that you're still not feeling well. Tell yourself that you're healthy, you are in optimum health and do this every time your mind wants to say I'm so sick... the power of positive thinking works! :-) Take care and I know that you will be in excellent health in no time at all.
Galen, so true. It only takes remembering all we have to be grateful for to begin to help us to put things into perspective.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, I hope you feel better!
Hi Galen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this humorous post. I'm glad your focusing on positivity. Take care!
Oh please feel better and aren't you lucky to have some helpers at home - yes! Be grateful
ReplyDeleteI posted just about the same thing...though I am watching TED videos to cope with my latest detox regime and remain grateful. Be feeling awesome and that there is still life to be lived with joy
Thinking of you...and having a cuppa myself.
Hi Galen,
ReplyDeleteI love your upbeat perspective of your flu. Sure you still have to get better, but looking at it from a more positive angle does help. Do take the time to rest and get well soon! :)
Irving the Vizier
Hey Galen, I hope you feel better soon. It's great that you can look at your situation with positiveness, appreciation and grace.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Evelyn
Hi Galen,
ReplyDeleteAmazingly so this works! And I know the flu blues oh so well. I'm just coming out of a family flu crisis-yup hubby, baby and me all one after the other and even over lapping while in the flu :)
So here goes, I'm grateful for YOU, who reminds me to see the rays of gratitude today :)
So Much Love,
Z~
Hi Galen :-) So so very sorry that you've been down with the flu. I missed this somehow... distracted as I was this week on local matters. Gratitude is sometimes hard to muster. But it does work wonders if we can. So glad you are feeling better and you are warm and cosy and being cared for well. Take care. Keep warm. Sending you happy healing thoughts from this side of the planet. Hope you're feeling better soon... Jean x
ReplyDeleteAwww Galen!
ReplyDeleteFeel better hon! I've been fortunate so far not to have been hit with what seems like the fall and winters little "snowball" of gunk, but your attitude will help me get through if I do!
Loved your way of thinking! Esp about the blessings that our children can truly be in times of need, as well as VERY understanding coworkers (and bosses in some cases).
Get well soon my dear!
Terri
Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I am starting to feel better. I started catching up with some of your blogs yesterday--I missed a lot!
ReplyDeleteTo those who tried this gratitude technique, it really does work, doesn't it?! It's amazingly simple. I wish I could remember to use it more often!
Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday--I'm grateful for that!!
Galen: I am so glad to hear that you are starting to feel better. I really liked the way you stepped back and decided you were going to work to change your perspective on being sick. I think that is a good approach for us all to follow the next time we are feeling less than 100%. Great post. Really loved the line where you said you were feeling whiny. Pretty funny stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sibyl! Glad you appreciated the whiny humor.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could be that positive when I'm ill...I just sulk!
ReplyDeleteCyber 'well wishes' to make you feel better.
Carol XOXO
I actually feel better with you! Hope you get well soon :) I love your posts!!
ReplyDelete