Author: HarrisGroup

JMH Blog

Day 26 of Gratitude Challenge

We often overlook the people that we care about the most. Perhaps we take these people for granted. Take time today to be grateful for family. Tell them how important they are to you and how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Day 25 of Gratitude Challenge

Today is Thanksgiving. It is a day where we celebrate the blessings of the last year. I plan to spend the day eating with my family, watching football, and cleaning the house for The Gathering. I’m going to take several moments to be grateful for the gifts of the last year.

Here are a few things I am grateful for, over the last year:

  1. Family
  2. 20 years of marriage
  3. Family
  4. Graduation of youngest son
  5. Visiting oldest son several times
  6. Youngest so goes to college
  7. Improved health
  8. Return to the classroom
  9. Return to the office
  10. 1st shot
  11. 2nd Shot
  12. Booster shot
  13. Ginger – The best mini golden doodle

I am grateful for those who read this blog. What are you grateful for? Today, I challenge you to make a gratitude list and post it.

Day 24 of Gratitude Challenge

“To live would be an awfully big adventure.” Peter Pan

Today focus on the greatest gift we have – the gift of life. Simply being alive is a gift. The world isn’t perfect nor am I. It is easy to focus on the negative and what we don’t have. Today, take moments to be grateful that you are alive.

Day 23 of the Gratitude Challenge

Short post today – Today, the weather forecast for the upper plains is unseasonably warm with no precipitation. I am grateful for this weather today. My youngest son is driving home from college. Additionally, my students will driving home for Thanksgiving break today. With the great weather forecast, my son and my students should have fewer problems getting home. For that, I am grateful. I also hope to take a walk outside and enjoy the weather.

Day 22 of the Gratitude Challenge

Everything is better after the Minnesota Vikings defeat the Green Packers. Also, it is Thanksgiving week. For many in the US, this means at least one day off from work, spending time with family and friends, shopping, and overeating. It also means that one can begin to listen to Christmas tunes.

My Thanksgivings as an adult are not the same as those of my youth. Growing up, our family celebrated Thanksgiving with another family (in later years, we added another family). We rotated which family hosted the meal. After the meal, the kids would play games while the adults debated and solved the problems of the world. I really miss those Thanksgivings. I am so grateful for those Thanksgivings.

In recent years, my family and parents in-law have gathered for a Thanksgiving meal often while watching the Detroit Lions play. We will do the same this year. In addition, my wife’s extended family gets together on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for what is known as The Gathering. The Gathering usually consists of three generations brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. Usually there are about 25-30 people in one place telling stories, eating, and laughing. Though it has been a part of my life for over 20 years, it still feels like a new tradition to me.

This year, we are hosting The Gathering. It is a lot of work to prepare for the event. My wife does an amazing job of coordinating all the details. And so our week will be spent preparing and gathering with family.

This year, I am looking forward to this week. Our youngest child be home for a few days. We will get at least two fantastic meals. We will spend time with family and friends. So today, I am grateful for the week to come. I am also grateful that Vikings defeated the Packers What’s something you look forward to in the future?

Day 21 of Gratitude Challenge

I read this quote the other day “When in doubt, just say thank you. There is no downside. Are you honestly worried about showing too much gratitude to the people in your life?” It made me think do I say thank you enough? The answer is no. There is little downside to showing too much gratitude

Today, pay attention to how many times you say thank you. Make an effort to say it more often and see what happens to your mood and those around you.

Thank you to those who read this blog. It probably helps me more than it helps others. But I am grateful to be able to share some of my stories.

Day 20 of the Gratitude Challenge

There is so much I want to say today. Because I keep these Gratitude posts short, I will save many of the ideas for another day.

The picture attached to this post represents so many things. It is 1 of approximately 1200 photos I took at a college volleyball match yesterday. It is 1 of 40 photos I took trying to capture the image you see. It is, perhaps, one of the best photos I’ve taken. We often fail many many times before we succeed. It’s important to enjoy the journey and be grateful for the chances we get.

Yet, this picture is so much more. The facility, the Sanford Pentagon, which hosted this event is absolutely amazing. The event was the first sporting event I’ve been to since before the pandemic that felt like a sporting event. The atmosphere was electric. For these things I am grateful.

But what truly makes the picture special are the people in it. I cannot find adequate word to express my gratitude for this team. So today, I am grateful for many things but mostly I’m grateful for the students and the athletes at my university.

Day 19 of Gratitude Challenge

It’s been one year since I took the picture. One year of change I never thought would happen. One year of steady improvement.

I began this journey alone and unhappy. I began not knowing where to start. But I made the decision to change. My advice – make the decision about why then work on the how.

Over the last year, I have received so much encouragement and support from family and friends. Thank you it made a difference. I haven’t been perfect but I have improved. And more importantly, I could not have done it without the encouragement. I am grateful for all the kindness.

Today’s challenge is for you to thank a friend and family member. Call, text, email, message, Snap, What’s App or snail mail them. Just thank this person for something they did.

Day 18 of Gratitude Challenge

Pay it forward today. Buy somebody else a coffee, meal, or something else. Be the in initiator in the chain of gratitude. You can do this anonymously or not. You can publicize it on social media or remain silent. Just do something to pay it forward today grateful.

Day 17 of Gratitude Challenge

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day where I live. It was near 70 degrees and mostly sunny. It was amazing weather for November. I was so grateful for the weather that I spent about an hour walking along one of our nature trails. While it meant I had to do some work at home later, it was worth it. I was so grateful for the nice weather and a flexible job that allows me to take a walk. The weather forecast for today is not as warm BUT it looks like it will be sunny.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She passed many years ago at the age of 97. When she was born a couple of years before the Wright Brothers historic flight. By the time she passed away, man had been to the moon and back. She lived through two world wars, a depression, the Spanish flu pandemic and basically everything else that happened in the 20th century. She didn’t smoke but she did eat eggs and bacon. She drank in moderation. She never joined a health club. She lived on her own until she was 96. Overall, she had very good health and lived long life.

I have had relatively few health problems in my life. When I look at my family and friends, I recognize how lucky I am. My father had heart issues. My mother had Parkinson Disease. Both my brothers were born with significant physical and mental disabilities. I have had friends die of cancer and other ailments.

So today, take time to be grateful for your health. Even if your health isn’t perfect, be grateful for the health that you have. Be grateful for health care workers and medicine. Thank a health care worker today.