Gratitude Journal

For a little over a month now I have been keeping a gratitude journal. I spent a few minutes each morning listing off 5 things I am grateful for. My friend Tara shared this concept with me and it has been helping me tremendously in life. My entry today was pretty significant and I would like to share it here.

5 things I am grateful for? Well for one, this list. I love this list that I have been making. I know it is a journal but it is also a list of journal entries to be technical and I like being technical. I am grateful for this list because it has helped me to get outside of my head about my life. I am grateful for each and every bit of it; the good and the bad.

I am grateful for the fire. In June of 1998 my house burned down and I am grateful for that. How does that work? Well it helped me to let go of my attachment to material possessions; stuff. And the ability to let go of that has helped me tremendously in my life. I LOVE my camera and the beautiful photos I take with it but I can live without it. I am not owned by the things I own because of that fire and I am grateful for that.

I am grateful for my time of unemployment in 2003. I had been working as a temp at a local college for about 5 years. I was a network technician and thought I was the greatest but got my wake up call when all of the temporary employees were laid off and I was not rehired into a permanent position. I was devastated and felt it was the end of the world. I spent a few months in unemployment but was eventually able to find the job I have now which I love. I am grateful for the lesson of humility it taught me.

I am grateful for the job I have now. It taught me how inexperienced I was and taught me to approach things with a beginners mind. I always felt I had the mind of a prodigy and working in a tough environment taught me that just being bright doesn't cut it. I am grateful for that.

I am grateful for the wound I took in 2005. I was riding my bike and lost my balance and fell. My right leg was impaled by my brake handle. Recovery was quick but the accident taught me that I am not invincible. I am grateful for that.

I am grateful for lessons of humility and the awareness that bad incidents can have good consequences. I have learned about detachment, humility, and meditation through reflecting on my life and I am grateful for that.

Comitting to a complaint free world

My good friend Tara on her blog about comitting to a complain free world.

Here is the gist; you make a committment to stop complaining. If you complain about anything switch the bracelet to the other wrist and start your committment over from day one. Along with Tara I am making the committment
to do this for 21 days. You have my permission to point out to me when I need to move my bracelet to the other arm. And I’ll keep you posted on how I do.
If you want to do this too, let me know and we can support each other. I know this won't be easy for me. Join in and let's make this a complaint free world.