And it’s not even Thanksgiving

18 Mar

gala darling recently read the following in the Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine. She felt compelled to share it and so did I:

Grateful people reported feeling 25 percent more happiness & energy & 20 percent less envy & resentment in several recent studies at the University of California. They also slept 10 percent longer each night & exercised 33 percent more if they wrote down what they felt thankful for. “Gratitude,” Lyubomirsky says, “is an antidote to negative emotions.”

I read it last Thursday and every day since I have just been saying aloud what it is I am grateful for at that moment.

Today I am grateful for Jim. He’s not home and I’ve been in one of those moods. One of my “I’m so absent-minded, I left my ATM card in the ATM machine. I’m so worthless” kind of moods. Rather than be sad that I seem have trouble staying ‘up’ when he isn’t home, I’m just feeling happy to have him.

I should really write down what I say each day and post it weekly. I can barely remember the other things I have been grateful for this week. Although, “JJ, I am grateful for you and the fact that you’re handsome” does stick out in my mind.

Perhaps one my lovely readers would participate?

6 Responses to “And it’s not even Thanksgiving”

  1. The Editor 19. Mar, 2010 at 1:56 am #

    i am grateful that i could stand in the sunshine today and feel its warmth on my face…that friends came over to pass some time…i’ve made it to another Friday without my husband…it’s one week closer to his visit…the kids are clean, fed, and sleeping…i have some time to myself to browse the internet and collect my thoughts before heading to bed…i don’t have a headache(migraine)…my vehicle has a full tank of gas…and there’s milk in the fridge

  2. reyna 19. Mar, 2010 at 2:17 am #

    Hi. Love your blog. I followed! Please chk out my blog and follow on the “networked blogs FOLLOW’ under my ABOUT ME on my blog. Thanks!

    reynalay.blogspot.com

  3. Brooke 19. Mar, 2010 at 6:29 pm #

    @Editor Thank you for sharing : ) The sun & the warmth are certainly something to be grateful for. Have a wonderful weekend!
    @Reyna Thank you for your kind words.

  4. Amanda (supermanda) 20. Mar, 2010 at 5:58 pm #

    How did I forget Grattitude on my top 10 ways to happiness!!!??? Anyway, my mom says “If you’re grateful for today, it’s like putting a down payment on tomorrow.”

  5. Barb 23. Mar, 2010 at 9:23 pm #

    Grateful for my forgiving family that still adores and loves me even after I’ve behaved badly. Grateful for my dogs. Grateful for 65 degree weather in Phoenix. Grateful for my new fitness center and new pool in my new apartment.

    Grateful LOST is on tonight.
    (grateful for Sawyer……..ahhhhhh)

  6. Brooke 23. Mar, 2010 at 10:30 pm #

    Barb- thank you for continuing to participate! I have a draft with random things I am thankful for throughout the week and when I add enough, i will post? hopefully! and boo hoo, sawyer wasn’t in LOST tonight!

penny for your thoughts