"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust
Do you think you are more of an optimist or a pessimist? I've always imagined myself as a rational optimist; meaning I'm typically happy for specific reasons. However, when I started practicing meditation and attending positive, faith driven services, many moons ago, I connected to a joy inside that was not dependent on concrete events. Of course, being human with my share of flaws and foibles, I've also experienced the ups and downs of this seemingly elusive emotion called Happiness. Why do so many spend their lives chasing after Happiness? Why is it that some seem to have more of it and others less? Is it the Law of Attraction? Grace and a grateful heart? Personality? I've met very, very few people, aside from some spiritual teachers, who are perennially joyful. A friend once said to me that being born into the world = a certain percentage of unhappiness. Is that so?
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." Denis Waitley
What makes you happy? How has the month of February been for you? What makes me happy today? Aside from the major examples people give like family and friends, the simple things we take for granted make me happy; breath, water, vision, completion, and peace of mind. February opened some great doors for me. For example, when I discovered the Weekly Gratitude Sharing group on NaBloPoMo, I was looking for a concrete way to remind myself to stay grateful. Despite the usual challenges in life, I wanted a way to publicly acknowledge the good in my life; to see the glass as, at least half full. I'm delighted to say that it was a wise move because my wishes were met. So far, writing my weekly Gratitude post is a wonderful reminder that we are not only responsible for our own happiness, but also must make a commitment to honor it daily.
More Below!
"For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends." Ralph Waldo Emerson
What are you grateful for today? When you think of Gratitude, what images arise...Do share below
How to get involved in the Gratitude Linkup:
Write and post an entry in your own blog containing your gratitude list for a moment in time.
Share the URL to your gratitude blog post by clicking the "add your link" button at the end of this post and filling out the information.
Share the Gratitude Linkup with your blog readers by clicking the "get the InLinkz code" link at the end of this post and copy/past the appropriate code into your gratitude blog post.
Visit some of the blogs listed in the Gratitude Linkup and comment on their posts.
Viola! Have a great Week a head!
get the InLinkz code
Some Food for Thought: Do you keep a Gratitude Journal? What are you Thankful for this month? If you could go back to the beginning of this month, what would you change or do differently? What makes you happy? Love and Peace!
I would love to hear from you: Please leave me a comment. Thank You!
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photographs: half full glass, happy monkvia happy Bostonians,Wikipedia, News media, Flickr or my personal collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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| Gratitude: Is the Water Glass half empty or half full? |
Do you think you are more of an optimist or a pessimist? I've always imagined myself as a rational optimist; meaning I'm typically happy for specific reasons. However, when I started practicing meditation and attending positive, faith driven services, many moons ago, I connected to a joy inside that was not dependent on concrete events. Of course, being human with my share of flaws and foibles, I've also experienced the ups and downs of this seemingly elusive emotion called Happiness. Why do so many spend their lives chasing after Happiness? Why is it that some seem to have more of it and others less? Is it the Law of Attraction? Grace and a grateful heart? Personality? I've met very, very few people, aside from some spiritual teachers, who are perennially joyful. A friend once said to me that being born into the world = a certain percentage of unhappiness. Is that so?
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." Denis Waitley
 |
| What makes you think you're happy? |
What makes you happy? How has the month of February been for you? What makes me happy today? Aside from the major examples people give like family and friends, the simple things we take for granted make me happy; breath, water, vision, completion, and peace of mind. February opened some great doors for me. For example, when I discovered the Weekly Gratitude Sharing group on NaBloPoMo, I was looking for a concrete way to remind myself to stay grateful. Despite the usual challenges in life, I wanted a way to publicly acknowledge the good in my life; to see the glass as, at least half full. I'm delighted to say that it was a wise move because my wishes were met. So far, writing my weekly Gratitude post is a wonderful reminder that we are not only responsible for our own happiness, but also must make a commitment to honor it daily.
More Below!
"For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends." Ralph Waldo Emerson
 |
| St Paddy Day: Does gratitude for special events make us happy? |
What are you grateful for today? When you think of Gratitude, what images arise...Do share below
How to get involved in the Gratitude Linkup:
Write and post an entry in your own blog containing your gratitude list for a moment in time.
Share the URL to your gratitude blog post by clicking the "add your link" button at the end of this post and filling out the information.
Share the Gratitude Linkup with your blog readers by clicking the "get the InLinkz code" link at the end of this post and copy/past the appropriate code into your gratitude blog post.
Visit some of the blogs listed in the Gratitude Linkup and comment on their posts.
Viola! Have a great Week a head!
get the InLinkz code
Some Food for Thought: Do you keep a Gratitude Journal? What are you Thankful for this month? If you could go back to the beginning of this month, what would you change or do differently? What makes you happy? Love and Peace!
I would love to hear from you: Please leave me a comment. Thank You!
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photographs: half full glass, happy monkvia happy Bostonians,Wikipedia, News media, Flickr or my personal collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
I think I am a little bit of both to be honest. It depends on the day LOL. I try to be optimistic as much as I can, though.
ReplyDeleteI used to be an optimist, but now would classify myself as a pessimist. I think life's experiences will lead you one way or another.
ReplyDeleteI'm an optimist - but married to a pessimist. It's a bit of a struggle in our home at times. I have the Gratitude Journal app on my iPhone - and I love it! It is my way of slowing down at the end of the day and reflecting on all that we've done and what we should be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I would probably have to say I am a pessimist. I believe the cup is half empty.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an optimist and my husband is the pessimist - we balance each other well. Sometimes (and I repeat sometimes) it is nice to see his take on things versus mine!
ReplyDeleteI don't keep a gratitude journal but i am thankful everyday for my son.
ReplyDeleteI have found that I gravitate more to the negative. I have to consciously work at being happy. Which is sad to admit. But it is just natural. The only way I can consciously work on being happy isn't faking it til you make it. It all has to do with how grateful I am. As I focus on my blessings and all the good things in like, the happier I am. When I see what I don't have...the worst I feel. So being grateful and keeping a gratitude journal is so crucial for me.
ReplyDeleteI don't keep a gratitude journal, it is something I never thought about doing before. Today, I am grateful for my Hubs. He got up and made me breakfast and then took me shopping. I am hoping he cooks tomorrow too.
ReplyDeleteThe month of February has been great, but my family makes it priceless, they are my inspiration & my life. Thanks for sharing this inspiring post, you put a smile on my face
ReplyDeleteA friend has been posting daily gratitude on Facebook. It has been making me rethink how I approach my day. I would like to start this practice.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful every day! It's hard not to when I have my family near me and food to eat and a place to stay!
ReplyDeleteI like to think of myself as a realist but I could probably work on being a bit more optimistic.
ReplyDeleteThat is always a tough question to answer. It depends what is in the glass.
ReplyDeleteI should really sit and think more often about all the things that happen each day that make me grateful - I like the idea of keeping a gratitude journal :) x
ReplyDeleteThank you for the quotes. I am simply grateful that I got home from the hospital, and recovering.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of the time, I am a positive person for sure! And I don't have a gratitude journal,but I have a blessings jar in which I keep blessings written down!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say I'm a pessimist, but I'm definitely a realist. I guess that falls somewhere in between.
ReplyDeleteI don't keep a gratitude journal, but i visited a cafe recently that is based on "the secret" and think it is quite inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably more of a pessimist because I'm always realistic about what could go wrong.
ReplyDeleteI like to think that I am a cautious optimist. I have a positive outlook but yet I am very aware of my surroundings and I am prepared for obstacles so that I am not shocked or disappointed on certain outcomes.
ReplyDeleteI do not keep a journal like that but i think i should there is always something everyday to be grateful for.
ReplyDeleteI have an inner faith that makes me peaceful, even if something is happening that is not happy. I'm pretty quiet, not bubbly happy, but I almost always feel at peace, content, and happy (by my definition of the word). :)
ReplyDeleteGratitude always brings me to my family; I am so grateful for them every day. But I need to get back to meditating!
ReplyDeleteI love all the positive thinking and gratitude stuff! I never thought about a journal-that's cool idea.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an optimist but have those bad days too. I don't keep a gratitude journal but I do take time each day to count my blessings.
ReplyDeleteI think that I am a glass half full kind of gal. I try to see the positive in any situation.
ReplyDeleteI try to find something small in each day to be thankful for, though I don't keep a journal. My girls have a positive jar they like to keep. When something makes them happy, they write it down and put it in the jar. At the end of the year they go back and reread all the things that made them happy that year.
ReplyDeleteI always try to be positive. It's hard sometimes but geesh...I think life would be even harder if you were always looking at the negative
ReplyDeleteFebruary was pretty wonderful for us. We celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in Hawaii :) I am grateful for that.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful. Happy 7th Anniversary to you and your hubby!
DeleteI think of myself as an optimist as well.. I learned early on from my mom that if you have faith in the situation, you'll find the positive in it.
ReplyDeleteReally great quotes. I love the first one. I feel like I am an optimist...with a pessimist lurking inside. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I am definitely a glass half full kind of person. I have even been told that I remain positive in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Someone was poking fun at me when they said that and I took it as a compliment! :-)
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an optimist but with 24/7 news reporting of everything going wrong with the world it CAN be easy to get discouraged! Which is why I am very careful and selective about what I feed my mind. :)
ReplyDeleteI am often more of a pessimist so I try to read articles like this to encourage more positivity in my life.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing!
I try really hard to be an optimist, but I think I'm more of a pessimist. :( Especially when something is going wrong or could go wrong, I always fear the worst!
ReplyDeleteThank you Terin! I appreciate the feedback. I believe most of us humans are more like what you described.... we do the best we can to get back on track
DeleteLOL - when I read your 'what makes you Happy' question, my sweetie was flicking through the channels and Pharrell's 'Happy' song played for a moment. Awe - that made me smile. Well...just being around my sweetie and family makes me extremely happy. If I'm ever down, they always find some way to uplift my spirits - intentionally or by accident. February has been pretty productive for me, which was one of my goals for 2014. It did fly by though. I am looking forward to March....my birthday month!
ReplyDeletehave a happy day, Elizabeth!
Thanks for sharing this great article. I struggle sometimes with optimism mostly because my parents were cynical. That is my goal for 2014, to see the glass half full instead of half empty! Thanks for the reminder! :)
ReplyDeleteThe glass is always half FULL! :)
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an optimist! Sometimes ridiculously so, but I do think it's my natural set point. I don't have a gratitude journal, but I speak openly of my blessings and acknowledge my gratitude whenever I can!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an optimist. That's not to say I don't feel down at times, or have negative thoughts... but for the most part I do tend to see the glass as half full. Thanks for the thought-provoking post, and I'm glad you joined this weeks Gratitude Linkup! :)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for me I tend to be more of a pessimist-- I so wish I wasn't/
ReplyDeleteI actually never meet in my life any entire optimist or pessimist. They are all of both sides in different circumstances. I personally think it is the best to have both characteristics since one can't always see situations entirely bad or good. Mistakes are essential to thrive for wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI would say I'm more of a pessimist. I got that from my dad! My hubby is the opposite so we kinda complement each other!
ReplyDeleteTrying very hard to be more of an optimist. What makes me happy? My husband, my mom, my animals, that today is actually warm and sunny, the things that I have, being alive, Maymont Park...lots of things.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, half the time I'm an optimist and half a pessimist. I'm working on it to be of an optimist.
ReplyDeleteI try to be more optimistic everyday. I am grateful to be alive and live is short. If you dwell on the bad things it will stop you from living.
ReplyDelete