Tag: Little Things

2024 Gratitude Challenge Day 3

“Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of what’s going on around us and in our bodies….it is the continuous awareness of our bodies, our emotions and our thoughts.” Thich Naht Hanh

How did Day 2 unfold for you? Were there any little details or standout moments that truly grabbed your attention? It’s so important to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate those small, beautiful aspects of life that often go unnoticed. They can make all the difference!

I wandered outside for a refreshing walk and stumbled upon a group of fishermen reeling in a stunning catch. The thrill in the air was palpable, and it was a joy to witness their excitement firsthand. I’ve included a picture of their impressive haul at the top of this post—don’t miss it!

Today, embrace the present moment with mindfulness and gratitude. By immersing ourselves in the here and now, we free ourselves from worries about the future and reflections on the past. Let your focus shine on today.

2024 Gratitude Challenge Day 2

How did your Day 1 turn out? I found myself slipping into complaints a few times, but I quickly caught it and shifted my focus. Honestly, it made such a difference! Embracing positivity really turned my day around. How about you?

I apologize for getting this post out later than usual. I decided to embrace the joy of sleeping in. Last night, I attended a fantastic basketball game that stretched past my usual bedtime. Appreciating the little things, like giving ourselves the gift of rest is essential.

Today’s challenge is to embrace the beauty of life’s little things. Imagine how different life would be without them. With the weather promising to be lovely, I plan to take a long walk outside, observing the small and the big things around me.

Anticipation and Hope

While rewatching season one of Ted Lasso, I heard him say something inspiring to his team before a big game:

“So I’ve been hearing this phrase y’all got over here that I ain’t too crazy about. “It’s the hope that kills you.” Y’all know that? I disagree, you know? I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you. See, I believe in hope. I believe in belief. Now, where I’m from, we got a saying too, yeah? A question, actually. “Do you believe in miracles?” Now, I don’t need y’all to answer that question for me… but I do want you to answer that question for yourselves. Right now. Do you believe in miracles? And if you do… then I want y’all to circle up with me right now. Come on. Let’s go.”

Last week, we celebrated the epic anniversary of the Miracle on Ice – an unforgettable moment in sports history when a group of young college men achieved the impossible by winning a gold medal and captivating a nation for two weeks. It got me thinking, does hope ever kill you? And what about the thrill of anticipation for an amazing experience? Can it ever be a bad thing? Let’s explore!

On Sunday, I was eagerly looking forward to Monday and the rest of the week. Since Monday was a holiday and the workplace was closed, I decided to take advantage of the good weather and make plans to go for a morning walk at a local nature area. After that, I planned to spend the afternoon reading and sipping tea. Luckily, the weather held up, the walk was wonderful, and I was able to finish reading my book. The anticipation and hope that I felt on Sunday turned into a reality on Monday.

As Monday slowly came to an end, I couldn’t help but feel an excitement for the upcoming Tuesday. It held the promise of a pivotal business meeting, a flurry of challenging tasks to tackle at work, and to top it all off, a thrilling college basketball game to watch. And boy, did Tuesday deliver! The day flew by, filled with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, just as I had hoped for.

As evening arrived, I was getting ready to watch the best college basketball team in the country, UConn, play against my son’s university team, Creighton. My son is good friends with many of the players, and I have also had the chance to get to know some of them. Watching them play, I often feel like I am watching my own family. However, my hope and anticipation for the game were wavering, and I began to have doubts, similar to what a long-time Minnesota Vikings fan might experience in the fourth quarter of most games. But in the end, the game surpassed my hopes as Creighton emerged victorious. It was two days where hope and reality perfectly aligned.

Recently, we have been eagerly anticipating our upcoming travels. One of the destinations we are most excited about is the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Our first visit there was on our honeymoon, and we have returned several times since then. Even though we have been there before, each visit is unique and just as enjoyable as the first one. We can hardly wait for this trip and are looking forward to having a fantastic time. Only time will tell if our hopes and reality will align.

Upon reflection after a week, Lasso’s argument may have merit. The feeling of hope and anticipation could enhance the overall experience. What are you looking forward to?

I hope you have a great week.

Day 12 Gratitude Challenge

Yesterday was a very good day. I list the reasons why:

1. Got to see my youngest son and have dinner with him

2. Watched a great basketball game between Creighton and North Dakota State University

3. The football team at my alma mater won a big football game to clinch the conference championship outright for the first time since 1959.

4. Michigan best Penn State.

5. Great late fall weather.

Todays challenge is a wild card challenge. Find three things to be grateful for. Have a great Sunday!

Day 10 Gratitude Challenge

It’s Friday! Made it to the end of another week. After nine days of gratitude I can feel a change. Driving to work is less stressful (no complaining). People I care about are happier because I have let know how important they are. When I smile, people either smile back or think I am up to something….which makes me laugh and smile.

There are two parts of the challenge today. First, spend at least 60 seconds thinking about three things you are grateful for in your life. It could be family, friends, work, hobbies, faith, health, or anything else. Attention to how thinking about me. If this makes you feel. Does it change your state?

Second, get outside. Look around. What do you see? Was there a beautiful sunrise or sunset today? Could you see the stars or the clouds? what phase is the moon currently in? Did you notice beautiful landscape? There is so much beauty in nature Get outside and enjoy it today.

Day 2 – Gratitude Challenge

If I am being honest, the first day of this challenge is always hard. I have perfectionist tendencies. Towards that end, no complaining means just that. Did I make it through the entire day without complaining? No. I struggle with difficult customers/clients, other drivers, and traffic regulation systems.

While I wasn’t perfect, I interrupted the complaining before it became a derailer. Additionally, when people asked how things were, I responded “No complaints!”

A note of perfection. It is the lowest standard. It sets you up for failure because it is unattainable. Don’t strive for perfection, strive for excellence.

For Day 2, the challenge requires you to focus on the little things. There are so many things in life that we overlook, ignore, or disregard. Sometimes this is intentional but often it is not. For instance, do you have a reliable mode of transportation? Do you have a roof over your head? Clean water? Basic food? Notice a small thing about someone you care about. Take moments today to focus on the little things that you do have. Consider the benefits these little things provide. Make a list. Appreciate the list.

The picture at the top of this post is one of those little things. I took this picture while on vacation this summer. My wife and I were walking back to our hotel after a wonderful dinner. I looked up and saw this. What a beautiful view. It’s the little things. So today, look around and see the beauty

Day 13 Gratitude Challenge

“The ultimate purpose of habits is to solve the problems of life with as little energy and effort as possible.”

— James Clear

It’s been almost two weeks since we started. Have you noticed any difference in your your attitude? Are you happier? Are you more appreciative? Do people respond to your gratitude?

One of my goals is to make gratitude a habit. It would be great if everyone did but I can only change myself. Habits take time. But it isn’t hard to incorporate gratitude into your routine. If you have read and completed all the challenges so far, you are on your way to a habit.

Todays find time and reflect. Reflect upon the progress you have made since the beginning of the challenge. Be grateful for what has happened. Notice what is working? How have you changed? Are you complaining less? Focused on what you do rather than what others do? What didn’t work? How can you improve? Just as sports teams make adjustments at halftime, so should you. SKOL Vikings

Day 2 Gratitude Challenge

Remember the goal of Day 1? No whining? No complaining? Day 1 did not start off as hoped. Few things irritate me more than my morning commute. My commute is short (about 5 miles). On a good day, it takes about 15 minutes. Most days, it takes a little over 20 minutes. For many reasons (school zone, two construction zones, stoplights, heavy traffic), yesterday’s commute was longer in duration than usual. For most of the commute, I kept my cool, thought positive thoughts, and enjoyed the time alone. However, within a mile of work, a man in a pickup (which describes about 45% of the vehicles on the road) pulled a U-turn in front of me, parked in a no-parking zone, and severely limited traffic flow. After some choice words, I stopped myself. I admonished myself for the outburst as it violated the day’s goal. Upon arrival at work, I paused and refocused my efforts to be positive and not complain. Often merely interrupting your negative thoughts (complaining and whining) before they progress further is a victory. I was not perfect today, but I was better. I will try to do the same again today in addition to the challenge for the second day.  

Not knowing that she was preparing me for Day 2, I came home last night to my wife watching a fireplace on tv. It is a thing. We had a discussion about Norwegian Slow TV which was popular a few years back. After dinner, I put on a video of a slow train ride in Scotland. As the film progressed, we were struck by the overall beauty and began planning our next trip to Scotland. After a few minutes, we started to notice more little things. A deer running up a hill. The lack of authentic train noise. The train did not stop in some towns and we wondered why. We noticed the colors. In a short period of time, we were completely relaxed and in awe of all the wonder of the video. One of us became so relaxed she fell asleep!

The challenge for Day 2 is to notice and appreciate the little things. What is something you see or experience every day that you do not think about AND impacts your life in a positive way? Notice these things today and be grateful. Want to take your gratitude challenge to the next level? Take time at the end of the day to think about things you noticed, write them down, discuss them with a friend, or all the above. Have a wonderful day.

Day 2 Gratitude Challenge

Take time today to notice and appreciate the little things. Look around. What little things can you notice and appreciate? Maybe you will experience something in nature. Perhaps you will notice the smile or laugh of a friend. How about the smell of fresh coffee or tea? How about electricity or running water? Find the joy in these small things and be grateful.

An example from yesterday – While walking my dog, I saw a whitetail doe darting across an open field nearby. While I was watching her run, I noticed the reason she was running. I young buck was chasing her. My dog also noticed and wanted to join the chase! It only lasted about 10 seconds before they bounded out of sight. I am thankful to live in a city where this sight is possible. I am thank the gift of nature.

What will you notice today?