Tag: smile

Day 8 – Gratitude Challenge

This blog and its posts are primarily for my own reflection and to express my thoughts on various issues. I hope that others read and find value in my writing. I can check the statistics on my blog and noticed that the numbers were down this week. I have some theories about why this might be the case. It’s during times like these that we need to practice gratitude the most.

Every day brings new adventures! Yesterday, I participated in my employer’s Give Where You Live program as part of the Gratitude Challenge. It’s a wonderful initiative that allows employees to direct a donation of up to $200 to a charitable organization of their choice. I directed mine to Dakotabilities. I really enjoyed it.

If you embrace gratitude and joy, let your face join in the fun—smile! Shine your smile so brightly that it radiates everywhere! Share that smile with your family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you meet. Don’t forget to smile when chatting on the phone; the person on the other end can feel it! Smiles are incredibly contagious—they help us connect and can brighten someone’s day. Our world isn’t perfect, but there are many positives to find. Look for them and smile. And when you’re smiling, it’s hard to feel unhappy!

Day 3 Gratitude Challenge

What things did you notice and appreciate yesterday? The first thing I noticed was the stillness as I walked my dog in the morning. There was no wind. If you live where I do, you understand what gift that is. I noticed the beautiful sky as I drove to work. I had an amazing soup and salad for lunch at MB Haskett. Listened to Condoleezza Rice discuss the current state of foreign affairs and the potential impact on markets. When you look for the little things, they are easier to find. At the end of the day I had a smile.

The challenge for today is to continue my smile. Smile all day long. Since it is Friday, and the weekend is upon us, this should be fairly easy. Smile as often as you can today. Walk into every room, including the bathroom with a smile. Sit at your desk and smile. If you’re talking on the phone, smile. See how your smile impacts people around you. Most will smile back. Some will wonder what you’re up to which might make smile more or laugh. And while you’re smiling, try to notice the little things and don’t complain!

Hopefully, when, reflecting on the day, you will find it was a good day. And you will smile again. Even my dog smiles!!

Day 8 of Gratitude Challenge

I recently read How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Katy Milkman. The book is an interesting and insightful look into how we can make change happen. Milkman writes “[I]f you want to change your behavior or someone else’s, you’re at a huge advantage if you begin with a blank slate – a fresh start- and no old habits working against you.” Of course, this is easier said than done. She further writes that “[w]e’re more likely to pursue change on dates that feel like new beginnings because these moments help us overcome a common obstacle to goal initiation: the sense that we’ve failed before and will, thus, fail again…This explains why every Monday, I’m sure the week ahead will be more productive than the last.”

I intentionally started this challenge on the FIRST day of the month which conveniently fell on a Monday. A double fresh start.

The pandemic has created more opportunities for fresh starts and provided a chance to focus on what is important. Remember during the height of the pandemic when everybody was wearing mask? You could see no expression. No compassion. No care. No joy. Just eyes hiding behind a mask.

As the pandemic winds downs and we take our masks off, we can see faces again. So today, give smiles and see what happens. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Smile at strangers. Smile at coworkers. Smile on the phone. Smile on Zoom. I bet at least one person smiles back. Be grateful for gift of human expression and emotion. Happy Monday!