Comments on my thoughts exactly: an attitude of gratitude is in order

I think, instead of getting an important word tatt...

2009-07-17T16:59:56.043-04:00

I think, instead of getting an important word tattoed on mySELF, I'm going to tattoo "Thank you, Mommy" or somesuch thing right on Patrick's forehead. Do you think I would be sent to jail for that?

You are so very right about gratitude. I keep a li...

2009-07-12T08:19:23.023-04:00

You are so very right about gratitude. I keep a little blank book by my bed. I am not very good about it but I do notice that I sleep much better when I have written down at least one or two things from the day that have been positive.

I got all the way down and enjoyed your musings ve...

2009-07-11T02:59:46.179-04:00

I got all the way down and enjoyed your musings very much! Loved "that train of thought left the station." I may borrow it sometime if that is ok? Have a great weekend. Sorry we couldn't join the playground time today. I did the mature thing and cleaned up the dust bunnies screaming all around our house rather than going out to play.

The thing is, you are completely right. I always ...

2009-07-10T23:59:17.294-04:00

The thing is, you are completely right. I always find, especially after a hard or crappy day or experience, that if I can just find that thing to be grateful for in the whole thing ("Look, the house didn't COMPLETELY burn to the ground! The foundation is still left!) then I can come away with a little bit of a lighter spirit. And I try to end my blog posts that way - especially the ones about hard things, and it's not for the people who are reading. Really, it's for me, so that the last taste in my mouth about an experience is whatever good I can find in it :)

You know, once again, you may have inspired me. N...

2009-07-10T23:51:14.105-04:00

You know, once again, you may have inspired me. Not sure if that inspiration will see the light of day or not but we'll see.

From experience, yes, thinking positively helps. It took a conscious effort for a long time but it did work for me. You also need a good support system, which you have. Just know that we're all pulling for you, you CAN choose your attitude, and you CAN do whatever you set your mind to.

Thanks so much for this post, Dawn. I think I thin...

2009-07-10T22:45:13.134-04:00

Thanks so much for this post, Dawn. I think I think about how I'm feeling way more than you do. You actually come up with other, fabulous, interesting things to write about while I start draft after draft about my inner life and can't bear to impose them on the world. You're so lovely, inside and out. I was thinking just today, I swear, that I wanted to just call and hear your voice and chat. I thought,"I need to get her number from Corinne." I will do it soon.

This is a wonderful post! You spoke about many po...

2009-07-10T21:21:22.328-04:00

This is a wonderful post! You spoke about many points in my life.

The quote about keeping a gratitude journal is a good one. I may start doing that as I do believe when we keep positive things in the forefront of our minds it makes it easier for me to impart positives towards others.
Thanks.

Excellent list! Very nice. And what a sweet hubby ...

2009-07-10T16:30:09.639-04:00

Excellent list! Very nice. And what a sweet hubby you have! I'm so happy he's not living in a gutter.

Nice post (yes I made it to the end). Gratitude i...

2009-07-10T11:31:32.583-04:00

Nice post (yes I made it to the end). Gratitude is indeed a fine word and a worthy inspiration of happiness.

I used to keep a diary, but I only used it to vent when times were tough. It was kind of like my therapy. One year I took a trip to Hawaii and it hit me--looking back at my diary, no one would ever even know I WENT to Hawaii b/c it was happy and I didn't write anything about it! That was a wake up call to be more positive.

I know I whine and complain on my blog too, but I also realize that the best posts (for my anyway) are when I'm writing about happy or funny things--moment to treasure.

I thought taking things for granted was a part of ...

2009-07-10T10:40:59.194-04:00

I thought taking things for granted was a part of life?!!!?!

The gratitude comes full circle, my dear, in that your wacky family appreciates all the effort you put into us each and every day. I'm not sure where I would be without you, but I'm sure it involves a gutter and very bad personal hygiene.

<3 you!

Writing 3 good things that happened each day was t...

2009-07-10T06:59:42.556-04:00

Writing 3 good things that happened each day was the only thing that got me through my horrible first year of teaching. It is amazing the power of the mind and what thinking happy thoughts can do to lift one's spirit!