Gratitudinal lines
It's a new year! And I still haven't kept up the blog writing. I'm not sure anyone reads them apart from the lovely boyfriend and lovely parents but it can be quite therapeutic in the same way a diary can be- and always fun to read back and get embarrassed over a few months later!
I have actually always been a diary writer- again in random sporadic bursts- almost all my diary entries begin 'I haven't written in SO LONG' but I really enjoy it and love reading back on them and seeing how things have changed. Life's a funny old bean- things that seemed to take up the whole world with their importance and terribleness seem like a distant vaguely amusing memory...
Anyway... I have only been writing a sentence a day recently- just one thing per day that has made me smile because it is important to pay attention to those things. Diaries (for me anyway) often read back as a catalogue of misery and grumpiness- which can be a great way to get a load off your chest without having to whinge to an unfortunate friend- I always feel better after a rant- but what if we focused our minds more on the things that have made us happy!? It's a very simple thought.. but surprising how few of us do it.
If you want to be happy... work out what makes you happy.. and do more of that! I know.. Einstein watch out, that is a seriously complex theory. Step two.. work out what makes you stressed, unhappy, etc.. and do less of that! You can choose to be happy and refocusing your brain to pay more attention to the little (or big) things that bring you pleasure can strengthen the old brain muscle in that area, making it easier and easier to bring a smile to your face!
Here are a few of my entries- and yes I may have chosen some of the more poetic...
-Pinks and purples sunset over a lake
-A surprisingly beautiful result with ink
-A perfect tiny bright purple flower growing in the cracks of a wall
-Morning run in golden sunlight high on Exmoor
-A buckeful of delicious mussels!
-An old couple holding hands, each assisting the other
-A flock of Canada geese in the autumn sunshine
-Having something so happy to see you come home in the form of a very wiggly doggy!
-Morning stretches under a heap of warm blankets
-Completing a crossword by the fire with good friends and dogs
Even if you don't write them down, it's worth paying a bit of closer attention to little things you see that make you smile even if it's inwardly (although I highly recommend smiling too- it will make you feel better and you'll be surprised how many people smile back)!
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