Gratitude

  • Gratitude,  Health & wellbeing,  Optimism

    Three’s a charm

    “Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are: Something to do, something to love, and something to hope.” ~Joseph Addison, English poet and essayist There’s something magical about “The Rule of Three” — a time-honored literary device. Just for starters, there are three blind mice, three musketeers, three little pigs, three spirits of Christmas, three wise men, and the three fates. And of course, in countless myths and fairy tales, the hero on the journey is typically granted three wishes or given three tasks. I’m also a fan of Dr. Andrew Weil’s “Three Good Things” journaling exercise, which suggests making a list of three good things that happened each…

  • Aging well,  Gratitude,  Where I'm published

    Another Year: Thoughts on a Milestone Birthday

    “Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift.” — Aretha Franklin A friend jokingly refers to the first week of August as my “birthday week” because I usually take full advantage of the opportunities to celebrate. This time around, however, I’m feeling a bit less celebratory and a lot more reflective. My driver’s license proves that I’ve landed on one of those milestone birthdays — the kind that inspires black balloons from the party store and bad jokes about seniority. For the past two years, I’ve facilitated a monthly workshop/discussion group titled “Aging with Grace & Courage” at a local library. Thanks to this group of thoughtful women,…

  • Civility and manners,  Communication,  Gratitude

    Are thank-you notes old-fashioned?

    “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward In one of her recent advice columns, Amy Dickinson (“Dear Amy”) said the largest percentage of her mail comes from baffled readers who are hurt or angry because they didn’t receive thank-you notes for their gifts. At the same time, many other readers who leave comments on her columns don’t believe it’s necessary to write thank-you notes now. One young bride said she didn’t have time to write thank-you notes for her wedding gifts because her life was “too busy.” (Never mind that she’d found the time to mail out invitations…

  • Gratitude,  Happiness,  Health & wellbeing

    You are legendary

    “Don’t be satisfied with stories, or how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” ~Rumi   In our celebrity driven culture, it’s easy to dismiss our own lives as unglamorous or uninteresting. But as the Sufi poet Rumi reminds us in today’s quote, comparing ourselves to others is a waste of precious time. And besides, do all those curated Instagram photos and People feature stories reveal the whole truth of “how things have gone” with others? So do yourself a favor today: Appreciate how far you’ve come. Think of all your gifts and advantages, no matter how small or large. After that, consider everything you’ve done to touch…

  • Gratitude,  Health & wellbeing,  Inspirational quotes

    All-inclusive gratitude

    “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson When we think about gratitude, we immediately think of our blessings, large and small. But as Emerson suggested, “all things” have made us who we are today. That includes setbacks and challenges such as health crises, relationship problems, or financial troubles. Nobody welcomes bad luck of any kind, yet we all have to deal with it at some point. Sometimes negative events can be catalysts or lessons for self-improvement, moving us toward…