Grumpy or Grateful - We Can Choose

Do you ever wake up feeling grumpy, stressed  or with that feeling of gloom and doom about the day ahead?  I did this last Sunday morning. It reminded me, of how years ago I had been in the habit of doing this. I was working across town and would wake each morning and hop aboard that 'grumpy negative thought train'.  I would have thoughts like, Oh no, I don't want to get up, I've got to drive to work in all that traffic, I have so many people to see and reports to write and its raining!! 

So in years gone by and on Sunday morning Instead of seeing the many positives about my amazing life, I was choosing to see all the negatives. I did not realise that I had a choice. I also did not realise, the choice I was making to board the grumpy negative train was making me very unhappy. And on Sunday I forgot I had that choice.

Fortunately, many years ago I received some wise advice and turned that negative unhelpful habit around.  In last week's blog, 'Myth Busting Mindfulness and Meditation' I shared how I find it useful to think of mindfulness as simply remembering to pay attention to what is happening and meditation as thinking about or putting my mind on something (useful).  

I was introduced to a very simple mindfulness meditation many years ago, it is now a well established helpful habit of mine, except for when I occasionally forget.  It is, simply to remember to wake up grateful.  I introduced this in last weeks blog, and thought it might be helpful to elaborate on as a reminder for us all, including me. This simple practice has turned around my grumpy morning mindset habit into a grateful one instead. 

So what happened last Sunday? I woke feeling grumpy.  I was aware of feeling this discontent and  instead of remembering to be grateful for what was going right I forgot and choose to board that grumpy thought train.  "I was tired, hadn't slept so well, our 30th wedding anniversary camping trip had a few hiccups, including mechanical problems with our camper.  STOP.   Yay, my mindfulness/memory kicked in - remember to be grateful.

There was of course so much to be grateful for.  I had woken up for a start, have been married for 30 years (what a wonderful assignment from the cosmos), have a great family and an amazing life full of so many blessings.  So after remembering my morning gratitude practice I got up feeling grateful and decided to embrace whatever our 30th anniversary Grampians adventure looked like.  And look where we ended up - here in the beautiful Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld.  I am so grateful for 30 years of fun, frustration, laughter, tears and joy and the wonderful family and friends with whom I share my life, with all its ups and downs and interesting twists and turns.

Maybe you find it fun to start a morning gratitude practice too.  Here are some things I find it useful to remember to be grateful for.

• For Others - you can go wild here. It is amazing, when we stop to think about it, we couldn't survive for a second without all the kindness of others, mostly unknown to us. The farmers that grow our food and the animals that produce it too.  Those workers that harvest, process, pack and transport it.  Those who make and sell all the goods, like appliances, clothes, furniture and cars that give us the comfortable life we have.  Those who provide our services like roads, water, and electricity.  Those who teach us and care for us. Each morning as I have my breakfast I try to remember to be thankful to all those involved in what I eat, including Mabel and Myrtle for their eggcelent eggs.    
• For our amazing lives- All the many comforts we enjoy.  We live in a safe county with abundant resources.  We have safety, food, shelter, and access to education.
•  For Nature - we have so many wonders of nature to enjoy - our beautiful bush, parks, rivers, beaches and gardens and all the amazing flora and fauna within them.
• For ourselves - remembering to be grateful for us too.  Being grateful and happy about  all those ways in which we are all a positive force in the world.  

Giving it a go - Ways to practice gratitude 
Gratitude is guaranteed to make your happier. You don't have to restrict gratitude to the morning -

• Wake up GRATEFUL - Each morning when you wake, think about - meditate on - all the things that are going right in your life and be grateful for them.  We have amazing lives with so much going right, but often we forget to concentrate on that, and instead unhelpfully think about what is going wrong.  I have found this simple practice a life changing way to start my day.  
• You can mindfully remember to be grateful all day long.  Meals are a great reminder
• Do a gratitude meditation. You can tack it onto the end of the mindfulness breath meditation recorded here. I always start my meditation with this 8 minute - 'Here and Now Breath Meditation' meditation. I find it useful to then go on to do a gratitude meditation by simply thinking about all I am grateful for. 
• Keep a gratitude journal - this really helps us remember to be grateful 
• I have decided to make some 'Feeling Grateful pyjamas' for Christmas this year. Hopefully they will serve as a reminder.  

Feeling very grateful to share with you all.  Thank You.
Have fun being grateful

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Have a peaceful fun and happy week
Kind regards
Maree xx ​