RULES? What Rules??

Ever since posting yesterday's piece, a part of me has been engrossed in analyzing my choice of the word 'rules', as in 'rules pertaining to the Gratitude Journal'. Here's a sample of my circular thoughts: 'Rules? Who am I to lay down rules?' 'Rules? How distasteful!' 'What rules? This is supposed to be fun, and simple to do - spontaneous ...' I decided then, that the choice of the word was inappropriate, because what I really was going to be writing about was akin to responses to a set of FAQs. And that's what it's going to be - phew!

I'm not going to list all the questions that I've been asked over the years, but simply the responses I've given to people. If anyone has a question that's not been answered, please do feel free to write/comment and I will address it. Fair?

Responses to FAQs:

- First focus on THAT day's positive events and write them down. If there's stuff from other days you want to express gratitude for, by all means do so, but these would be #6 and on.

- To anyone who says they can't think of anything to be thankful for 'in this sucky life of theirs', I say: 'Really now - the fact that you have this Gratitude Journal poised on you lap means that at some level you believed you'd have something to write - yes?' Some reminders for things to be grateful for: you're breathing; you're alive; chances are you have some loving family members, especially if they said or did something nice for you; someone outside the family said or did something nice; a good chance you had a fairly decent dinner, before sitting in bed with your Journal; at work your boss came in later than you did; parking was easy; you didn't miss your bus; nature - flowers, trees, sun, rain, sky; there's something or someone to celebrate; you received an email that gave your heart such a lift you decided to forward it to all your friends ;-); a last minute cancellation of a meeting that freed up your time; even as you feel compassion for, and do what you can for people in dangerous/disaster stricken areas of the world, you and your loved ones are safe. Bet you can find hundreds more to add ...

- On a REALLY BAD day, you can write one or two things and repeat them till you have five. The idea here is to stay in positive anticipation.

- In this list you can be sarcastic :-)! You can say stuff like, how grateful you are that the day is over :-)! Don't worry - it's perfectly OK ... helps to externalize the negative feelings ... then take a deep breath, exhale and think again. Now perhaps, the list will exceed 5.

- On this list you can be mad/angry, with the Higher Intelligence. Surprised? Well, what I've learnt is that being angry with people causes too much damage on each side, and at many levels - physical, mental, emotional, and finally spiritual. Better instead to 'speak strongly' to God :-), and tell Him/Her that you didn't approve of something that happened to you :-), and while you were willing to concede that a few 'little' things did go OK, you expect a better deal the next day. I personally have had quite a lot of fun with this :-)!

Ok folks, that's it for today! Number 1 on my list tonight is going to be my 9:45 a.m. call from San Francisco from my younger grandson: "Nanu, nanu (my grandsons' cute distortion of Nani)", he went, "I made a house for the fairies in the garden last night. They were so grateful, they left me a crystal in the bathtub I made for them." My daughter came on the phone to say that when he discovered the crystal this morning (left by the grateful fairy, equivalent of the tooth-fairy - big 'WINK') he was besides himself with happiness and excitement - and after sharing his news with his parents and older brother he asked to phone me and tell me his story!

Feel free to share this blog with anyone you believe might benefit from it. Thank you.

Have a great whatever time of day it is, wherever you are,

Kiki ;-)