Gratitude Journal: Gratefully Lucky6 Oct 2011
One day I will show you the photo of a girl to whom I owe a slew of apology to for having so belittled her and by so doing, I am sure, belittled the path that she might have been able to walk. For now, I will just dedicate this Gratitude Journal to her.
Like many of us, I have heard of Gratitude Journal, intermittently for ever so long. One of my main reminders is Oprah Winfrey. A few days ago I had the fortune of seeing yet another of her YouTube videos; all "by chance" of course. And again "by chance" she mentioned the importance of Gratitude Journals.
Side Note:
That YouTube vid was a recording of Oprah's show where she was interviewing the author of the supposedly phenomenon "The Secret", as well as the other 'gurus' in that movie. I have yet to see "The Secret". Something to look forward to.
Even now I seem to be putting off starting my Gratitude Journal, so I will start . . shortly.
Just a few guidelines for myself. These might prove useful should I choose to follow them. Otherwise I have a tendency for extremes: either too much or too little.
Simple Guidelines
Though there are always many things to be grateful for, I will no more than 5-7 listed per day (posting?) and they need not be in order of importance. Usually what pops into my mind or is most current at the moment.
Gratitude Journal Entries by date
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2011-12-07 Grateful Bed
"A bed, a bed - my kingdom for a bed".Sometimes my bed is my kingdom and oh what a kingdom it can be. When was the last time you were ...
Posted 6 Dec 2011 11:31 by Helena Asmus Lim
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2011-12-02 World AIDS Day
1 December is World AIDS Day. And it makes me think .... how very lucky I am that I am not an AIDS sufferer. I cannot even imagine what challenges they ...
Posted 1 Dec 2011 19:35 by Helena Asmus Lim
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2011-11-28 Space to say Thank You
Free Space to say Thank YouIt has been so long since the last time I dropped by my Gratitude Journal. Despite best intentions, I have managed to fall off ...
Posted 27 Nov 2011 21:15 by Helena Asmus Lim
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2011-10-14 Air We Breathe
What is there to be grateful for?I opened my eyes this morning and I breathed in breathable fresh air. How many in the world, right now, are breathing air ...
Posted 13 Oct 2011 17:43 by Helena Asmus Lim
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2011-10-09 Sun
I am Grateful that I Already Live a Dream LifePhoto source: unknownFirst seen on Facebook
you hate your life,while some peopledream of having your life.I ...
Posted 8 Oct 2011 19:58 by Helena Asmus Lim
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posted 6 Dec 2011 11:31 by Helena Asmus Lim
"A bed, a bed - my kingdom for a bed".
Sometimes my bed is my kingdom and oh what a kingdom it can be. When was the last time you were grateful for (having) your bed? I don't think I have ever been consciously aware of being grateful to mine.
And now I am. Very much so. Though it may be morning and the birds may be heralding the dawn of a new day, I am looking forward to my bed after a full night of work and thoughts. And strange tho it may seem at first blush to be grateful for having a bed, just thinking about the many millions, and not just in far flung, war torn lands, who have no bed, no resting place, no comfy soft landing to cushion tired bodies - I cannot but feel how truly lucky I am that I do have one. And it is soft and fluffy and comforting. And tho my aches never quite diminish, my body does get to rest not on stony rocks and dirty surrounds, but it can rest in the comfort of a good and warm bed.
So many don't even have that. If you do, how can you not feel grateful? I am.
Thank you Bed!
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posted 1 Dec 2011 19:35 by Helena Asmus Lim
1 December is World AIDS Day. And it makes me think .... how very lucky I am that I am not an AIDS sufferer. I cannot even imagine what challenges they must fact - the disease, the impact, the attitudes they have to deal with. I just learnt some news facts about AIDS coz I have just written a bit about it.
I am so grateful to be healthy. I am so grateful that no one close to me has AIDS. I am so grateful that in this world, there are people (like Bono) who work tirelessly to bring awareness to the issue and to create events that help raise funds to cure this horrible illness.
Though my family and I have seen some serious health issues this year, I am so grateful I still have all my family and that we are all AIDS free. It might not be something one thinks about much when one is AIDS free but when you consider how it could happen to anyone and it is not even a matter of your sexual orientation, your age, your wealth or lack thereof, your situation in life, your education - when one realizes that it is truly a case of "by the Grace of God", - then I for one am more aware of how grateful I am right now - aches and pains notwithstanding.
Please if possible, wear a red ribbon for AIDS awareness on this or any other day.
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posted 27 Nov 2011 21:15 by Helena Asmus Lim
Free Space to say Thank YouIt has been so long since the last time I dropped by my Gratitude Journal. Despite best intentions, I have managed to fall off my routine (which didn't last long). But hey, no matter - I am back.
And I want to say Thank You for this Space. Something so many of us take for granted now - to have a space (often free) to put down our thoughts, have our say, blog to our hearts content. And nary a person to wag their fingers at us when we fall behind and don't write for days, weeks, months.
It really is something to be thankful for. How lucky and privileged we are to have this freedom * freedom to speak, to write, to express * freedom to be and a free space to express ourselves.
Thank you to all the providers out there who give us this free space: Google Sites, WordPress - to but name 2. I really appreciate and am grateful for this freedom and free space to just say Thank You.
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posted 13 Oct 2011 17:42 by Helena Asmus Lim
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updated 13 Oct 2011 17:43
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What is there to be grateful for? I opened my eyes this morning and I breathed in breathable fresh air. How many in the world, right now, are breathing air thickened with gun smoke, pollution, debris? How many didn't wake up this morning? How many woke up to horrors? How many woke up coughing their last?
What is there not to be grateful for?
I am so Gratefully Lucky. I am ... by the Grace of God. |
posted 8 Oct 2011 19:51 by Helena Asmus Lim
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updated 8 Oct 2011 19:58
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 I am Grateful that I Already Live a Dream Life
Photo source: unknown First seen on Facebook
you hate your life,
while some people
dream of having your life.
I am thankful for the life that I have. It is filled with care, safety, love, and abundance.
Such a moving image to remind me not only of how very very very fortunate I am but that there is not one but so so many who can but think that the life that I have is an unattainable dream in this lifetime.
I am thankful to be able to feel as well. If you can look at something like this and feel both the pain for them and at the same time, one's own immense gratitude for what we have - that is a mind boggling miracle. I am thankful I am part of that miracle of humanity.
How strange and miraculous it is that while one would think that a child (? person?) as seen in the photo would be more likely to be thankful to one of us in the affluent world who might occasionally donate gifts or aid or something, yet it is equally if not more so that we, that I feel deeply grateful to them for the humbling and elevating realization of how much abundance and fortune I already have, right NOW, in my life.
I am Grateful and so Lucky.
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posted 7 Oct 2011 00:14 by Helena Asmus Lim
Grateful. Truly and Fully.
I can get up at any time I want to, and still be loved. I can work as many hours as I like, for as long as I like and no one frowns at me and my body supports me. I am doing the job(s) I most like in my life so far. I choose what I write about, if at all. I decide what to make. The Universe is giving me an endless flow of energy. In meditation a day or so ago, I was made aware that instead of choosing to feel so overwhelmed (so many ideas, so little time and energy) - I am actually so very lucky. And it is just the way a bountiful Universe would work. I was "told" that this is how the Universe works for me: that there will always be more coming in than going out.
Why be stress that I have more supplies than I can use? Or be stressed that I have more and more ideas and I cannot materialize all of them. That I have so many things and people I want to write about and I can only choose a few select to write about. Do not be stressed. Be thankful. Be Grateful. For that is the Universe saying to me, reminding us all -that the treasures it has for us; there will always be more coming in that going out.
And that is what I can also choose to believe about Wealth, Abundance, Money. (working on it!!! :) )
And now, another thing to be Grateful for. Friday evening. I had forgotten: I don't need to cook tonight. Petey is taking me out to dinner.
Yay! Thank you. I am so Gratefully Lucky
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posted 5 Oct 2011 19:22 by Helena Asmus Lim
- I am so lucky to have a person like Peter in my life; as partner, as best friend, as daily companion. He is the most calming person I know. He is not always hungering after more things like most people. Yesterday was his birthday, and though for the past few years I have not had a lot of money to buy him big presents like I used to and like I most like, Pete is always ok with it. He always makes me feel that he is perfectly happy with whatever I can give him. And the most amazing part is that I think he is. This is a man who has a deep core of peace in him. There is no envy; there is no greed. He has been, he continues to be my best teacher. I am so very very lucky to be with him.
- What a wonderful house we live in. I often gripe that it is not large enough and things are falling down or not working anymore. And though those gripes of mine are factual, I have not taken enough time to Remember and from remembering, realize how wonderful a place I am now living in.
When I remember what I thought when I was growing up - when I so desperately wanted to live in a Western country, to think that one day I would live in such a house as this would have been beyond the realm of possibility in my mind.
When I remember where I was just over a decade ago - pretty much lost and unsure if I would ever have safety or anyone to love me again, and if I could have looked forward to this day and seen what I do have now - I would have been horrified to see that the future me who lives in this place and with such a man, would dare make any complaints at all. The girl that I was then would have fallen on the floor with amazement and gratitude to be where I am now, to have what I have now. And I, in remembering, am so very grateful.
Even a few years ago, when I was already so lucky in comparison to where I was before and what wishes I had that I thought would never come true, - what I have now and what we had a few years ago - wow. Again, just a few years back, if I could have looked forward and seen where I would now be, who I was then would have wept for joy!
Thank you. I am so grateful for what I have right now.
- Australia. How can I not be grateful? I live as a citizen in a land that is beautiful and free. Peace reigns here. The people are open-minded and friendly. One is allowed to be whoever we want to be. I am so grateful to live in Australia and to be an Australian citizen. I am blessed indeed.
- I have arms and legs. My god - that is a miracle and blessing every single day. For so many who do not or have impaired limbs, what a heaven it must seem to have my working arms and legs. All the things I depend on them for. All the things I use them for. All the things I need them for. The feeling in my fingertips. The fingers that are able to type out these words. The back that lets me sit here quite comfortably. The legs that will take me to a kitchen for a drink shortly. All these things - I am so lucky.
I am Gratefully Lucky.
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