how do you daily express an "attitude of gratitude"
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Thanks for the explanation. It's needful to know where meat comes from.
Some Quipster posted a Thanksgiving prayer: "Dear Lord, we thank thee that Feathered dinosaurs evolved into a huge lump of meat with a head on..."
Yes it's very important. Not sure about where you live but the US meat and poultry industries are horrific.
The girl who made that YouTube video also has one about the chicken egg industry and the cattle milking industry. After watching the chicken egg industry video I could not bring myself to touch another chicken egg ever! Now if the eggs are from a local small farmer here in CA I will try them but still I prefer no eggs.
I also stopped drinking cow's milk. It makes no sense that we are the only mammal that has been conditioned by our government to drink cow's milk.
Thus I am now grateful for Almond Milk...it's so much more yummy and naturally nutritious vs. having to be fortified like cow's milk.
I am so grateful that I embarked upon a journey of introspection of my early life conditioning's. It's amazing all of the silly conditioning's humans put up with just because "everyone" else around them is doing it.
I am grateful that I developed wisdom about these conditioning's and no longer ascribe to them.
In fact I made a pact with myself when I was in my teens...to always remain as free as I possible can. It's a lot more work than it sounds.
About thirty years ago, I was working at a job I absolutely hated. I mean I hated it in the worst imaginable way. My boss was a complete a-hole, I was being underutilized and I felt trapped. It was a small office and I was usually the first one in each morning. One morning I was there before anybody else showed up and was feeling so sorry for myself. Then the phone rang. It was my mother. She was calling to tell me that she'd had to call an ambulance to the house in the wee hours of the morning to take my father to the hospital. She'd been there most of the night and had just gotten home. They'd admitted him, and it didn't look good. There was a very good chance that he wouldn't make it. I was numb. I hung up the phone and just sat there at my desk thinking about what she'd just said. At that moment, I thought, "If I could only go back to yesterday. Yesterday, the worst thing about my life was this stupid job. True, I hate it, but how miserable it's making me can't compare to the pain I'm feeling now, knowing I may lose my dad." Well, he ended up recovering, and living another 5 years. But the experience always stuck with me.
A couple of years ago, there was a billboard up near an intersection a few blocks away from my house. It was advertising insurance. On it, it said, "You never know when the day before is the day before." In other words, you might think you have it bad today, but tomorrow, you could lose literally everything you hold dear in a split second. On February 13, I bet there were a lot of kids at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who were unhappy with their lives. The cute girl or cute guy they liked wasn't interested in them. Their math teacher had in it in for them. They couldn't afford to buy the kind of shoes or backpack the cool kids had. Their parents wouldn't let them drive the car to school, and instead they had to walk a half a mile to get there. At the end of the day on February 14, I bet there wasn't one of them who wouldn't have gone back to February 13 in an instant. Had they known what February 14 held in store, they'd have appreciated their blessings and not focused on the things they didn't have. But February 13 was "the day before" things really got bad, and they couldn't possibly have seen it coming.
I seriously remember that saying -- "You never know when the day before is the day before" -- every day of my life now. Do I still feel sorry for myself sometimes? Absolutely. I throw the most extravagant pity parties imaginable at times, but I'm working on throwing fewer of them. I try not to let my negative (poor me!) feelings control me, because I know that I am blessed so greatly that I really have nothing to complain about.
Well said. At about 8:35 a.m. on September 11, 2001, I was really annoyed that the cafeteria where I worked was out of blueberries for my oatmeal. They ALWAYS had blueberries, and that day when I wanted them, they didn't have any. I was miffed, but I got a banana instead, paid for them, and started to walk back to my office. At 8:46 I threw the box containing the food as I started to run for my life.
So much matters so little. I am grateful every day for having been given chance to learn to appreciate the things that do matter and some tools to try to discern which is which.
About thirty years ago, I was working at a job I absolutely hated. I mean I hated it in the worst imaginable way. My boss was a complete a-hole, I was being underutilized and I felt trapped. It was a small office and I was usually the first one in each morning. One morning I was there before anybody else showed up and was feeling so sorry for myself. Then the phone rang. It was my mother. She was calling to tell me that she'd had to call an ambulance to the house in the wee hours of the morning to take my father to the hospital. She'd been there most of the night and had just gotten home. They'd admitted him, and it didn't look good. There was a very good chance that he wouldn't make it. I was numb. I hung up the phone and just sat there at my desk thinking about what she'd just said. At that moment, I thought, "If I could only go back to yesterday. Yesterday, the worst thing about my life was this stupid job. True, I hate it, but how miserable it's making me can't compare to the pain I'm feeling now, knowing I may lose my dad." Well, he ended up recovering, and living another 5 years. But the experience always stuck with me.
A couple of years ago, there was a billboard up near an intersection a few blocks away from my house. It was advertising insurance. On it, it said, "You never know when the day before is the day before." In other words, you might think you have it bad today, but tomorrow, you could lose literally everything you hold dear in a split second. On February 13, I bet there were a lot of kids at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who were unhappy with their lives. The cute girl or cute guy they liked wasn't interested in them. Their math teacher had in it in for them. They couldn't afford to buy the kind of shoes or backpack the cool kids had. Their parents wouldn't let them drive the car to school, and instead they had to walk a half a mile to get there. At the end of the day on February 14, I bet there wasn't one of them who wouldn't have gone back to February 13 in an instant. Had they known what February 14 held in store, they'd have appreciated their blessings and not focused on the things they didn't have. But February 13 was "the day before" things really got bad, and they couldn't possibly have seen it coming.
I seriously remember that saying -- "You never know when the day before is the day before" -- every day of my life now. Do I still feel sorry for myself sometimes? Absolutely. I throw the most extravagant pity parties imaginable at times, but I'm working on throwing fewer of them. I try not to let my negative (poor me!) feelings control me, because I know that I am blessed so greatly that I really have nothing to complain about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
So, here's a follow-up to what I just posted...
To make a very long story short, we have two dogs. One of them, at age 5, is still not completely housebroken. We have been trying to solve this problem ever since we got him 14 months ago and I am at the end of my rope. Every time he pees on something (most recently, his preferred object is the leg of our dining room table), I just fall apart. I am so sick of him doing this that I can hardly stand it, but being who I am, I will never get rid of him. Instead, I'll just wallow in pity once a week over how bad I have it, while other people's dogs are so well-behaved. Recently, we put a moisture sensor right next to the leg of the table. It picks up as little as 1/32 of an inch of liquid and instantaneously emits a deafening alarm the instant it senses liquid under it. We put it up a week ago and Friederik had not had an accident indoors in 7 days -- at least not until a half hour ago. But this morning, literally a matter of two or three seconds before I posted my last post, I heard the alarm go off and rushed into the dining room to find pee covering the floor next to the leg of the table.
As I cleaned up the mess, and felt my frustration growing to the point where I could easily have started to cry, I reminded myself that you never know when the day before is the day before. If, sometime this afternoon, Friederik were to somehow get out of our yard, run into the street and get hit by a car and killed, I'm sure I would willingly resign myself to having a dog who pees in my house, rather than have him gone.
About thirty years ago, I was working at a job I absolutely hated. I mean I hated it in the worst imaginable way. My boss was a complete a-hole, I was being underutilized and I felt trapped. It was a small office and I was usually the first one in each morning. One morning I was there before anybody else showed up and was feeling so sorry for myself. Then the phone rang. It was my mother. She was calling to tell me that she'd had to call an ambulance to the house in the wee hours of the morning to take my father to the hospital. She'd been there most of the night and had just gotten home. They'd admitted him, and it didn't look good. There was a very good chance that he wouldn't make it. I was numb. I hung up the phone and just sat there at my desk thinking about what she'd just said. At that moment, I thought, "If I could only go back to yesterday. Yesterday, the worst thing about my life was this stupid job. True, I hate it, but how miserable it's making me can't compare to the pain I'm feeling now, knowing I may lose my dad." Well, he ended up recovering, and living another 5 years. But the experience always stuck with me.
A couple of years ago, there was a billboard up near an intersection a few blocks away from my house. It was advertising insurance. On it, it said, "You never know when the day before is the day before." In other words, you might think you have it bad today, but tomorrow, you could lose literally everything you hold dear in a split second. On February 13, I bet there were a lot of kids at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who were unhappy with their lives. The cute girl or cute guy they liked wasn't interested in them. Their math teacher had in it in for them. They couldn't afford to buy the kind of shoes or backpack the cool kids had. Their parents wouldn't let them drive the car to school, and instead they had to walk a half a mile to get there. At the end of the day on February 14, I bet there wasn't one of them who wouldn't have gone back to February 13 in an instant. Had they known what February 14 held in store, they'd have appreciated their blessings and not focused on the things they didn't have. But February 13 was "the day before" things really got bad, and they couldn't possibly have seen it coming.
I seriously remember that saying -- "You never know when the day before is the day before" -- every day of my life now. Do I still feel sorry for myself sometimes? Absolutely. I throw the most extravagant pity parties imaginable at times, but I'm working on throwing fewer of them. I try not to let my negative (poor me!) feelings control me, because I know that I am blessed so greatly that I really have nothing to complain about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
So, here's a follow-up to what I just posted...
To make a very long story short, we have two dogs. One of them, at age 5, is still not completely housebroken. We have been trying to solve this problem ever since we got him 14 months ago and I am at the end of my rope. Every time he pees on something (most recently, his preferred object is the leg of our dining room table), I just fall apart. I am so sick of him doing this that I can hardly stand it, but being who I am, I will never get rid of him. Instead, I'll just wallow in pity once a week over how bad I have it, while other people's dogs are so well-behaved. Recently, we put a moisture sensor right next to the leg of the table. It picks up as little as 1/32 of an inch of liquid and instantaneously emits a deafening alarm the instant it senses liquid under it. We put it up a week ago and Friederik had not had an accident indoors in 7 days -- at least not until a half hour ago. But this morning, literally a matter of two or three seconds before I posted my last post, I heard the alarm go off and rushed into the dining room to find pee covering the floor next to the leg of the table.
As I cleaned up the mess, and felt my frustration growing to the point where I could easily have started to cry, I reminded myself that you never know when the day before is the day before. If, sometime this afternoon, Friederik were to somehow get out of our yard, run into the street and get hit by a car and killed, I'm sure I would willingly resign myself to having a dog who pees in my house, rather than have him gone.
My one owner car of 13 years was stolen this week. The first 24 hours I was 'Chicken Littling'! Clouds on the ground! Clouds on the ground! The next day I reflected on your posts. My car may never be recovered, but it's not the end of the world. And with the next car, I'm going to live a little instead of worrying over adding mileage to the car.
how do you daily live in, and daily express, an "attitude of gratitude"
How do you put into practice on a regular basis in your own daily life, an "attitude of gratitude"
How does an "attitude of gratitude" fit in with your own personal "religion and spirituality" beliefs
bonus question / for extra credit / optional:
Do you include your personal challenges / obstacles / painful situations / difficulties / setbacks
in your "attitude of gratitude." Why or why not?
I go the window when I wake up and see the day break and the sun come up, the birds at my feeder, and I am filled with joy and gratitude for the abundant beauty that exists for no reason at all. I believe this spontaneous feeling that wells up in me IS my "religion and spirituality".
My challenges etc., that I am unable to resolve I view as my penance for whatever deeds I might have committed knowingly or unknowingly and try to move on. I am thankful for where I am TODAY, this moment and try not to dwell on the past and get full of regret, and other negative emotions.
I go the window when I wake up and see the day break and the sun come up, the birds at my feeder, and I am filled with joy and gratitude for the abundant beauty that exists for no reason at all. I believe this spontaneous feeling that wells up in me IS my "religion and spirituality".
My challenges etc., that I am unable to resolve I view as my penance for whatever deeds I might have committed knowingly or unknowingly and try to move on. I am thankful for where I am TODAY, this moment and try not to dwell on the past and get full of regret, and other negative emotions.
What about you, Tzaphkiel?
what about me?
i don't see challenges as punishment or penance. we didn't come here to suffer.
i see them as surrounded by solution and i ask the most benevolent solution to reveal itself.
i ask "show me what i need to know" regarding the situation.
i ask for peace in my heart no matter what i am facing
what about me?
i don't see challenges as punishment or penance. we didn't come here to suffer.
i see them as surrounded by solution and i ask the most benevolent solution to reveal itself.
i ask "show me what i need to know" regarding the situation.
i ask for peace in my heart no matter what i am facing
Penance is not the same as punishment. It is a matter of attitude with which we work through difficulties, situations beyond our control, and eventually emerge on the other end, changed. With adversity also comes wisdom, a gift. Raging against adversity, why me, is not productive.
Edit to add: I realize penance has a specific meaning in Christianity, of repentance. I meant it to suffer through adversity with equanimity. It is an internal dialog of how you deal with what seems like an unfair punishment by life. Does that make sense?
Penance is not the same as punishment. It is a matter of attitude with which we work through difficulties, situations beyond our control, and eventually emerge on the other end, changed. With adversity also comes wisdom, a gift. Raging against adversity, why me, is not productive.
i agree with the bold above. fighting against something keeps a person embroiled in it, perpetuates it, feeds it, makes it larger and stronger. where as flowing around it, flowing through it moves me past it gently with ease and peace and grace. i agree it is not productive to rail against it . I also agree that "why me" which is a victim stance is also not helpful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008
Edit to add: I realize penance has a specific meaning in Christianity, of repentance. I meant it to suffer through adversity with equanimity. It is an internal dialog of how you deal with what seems like an unfair punishment by life. Does that make sense?
i don't do suffering. again, we did not come here to suffer. every life has its portion of pain and difficulties, sorrow and tears. but suffering is not those. i totally agree with you on the value of peace, serenity, in the face of anything, what you are calling equanimity.
thank you for your thoughtful input
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