Grace In Small Things: A Challenge For All Of Us
Saturday, November 22, 2008 Although I have written entries here aimed at focusing solely on the positive before ("1000 Words About Things I Love", for example), I tend to bristle at the idea of imposing anything remotely pollyannaish on myself as a regular practice.
Too much niceness in others tends to bring out adverse reactions in this Schmutzie. Something about sweetness lined with naïveté makes me want to turn into a shin-kicking, hair-pulling schoolyard bully. I don't, of course, because I recognize that no matter how nauseasly saccharine I find a the-glass-is-completely-full view of the world, I recognize the beauty hiding in the idealism, and it is alluring.
When my counsellor brought up the idea of keeping a gratitude journal this morning, visions of Oprah had me doing my typical bristle routine, but I could see that she had a point, and since growing evermore bitter and prickly has not been doing much for me lately, I decided to taker her up on it.
The world we live in is loud and harsh and bright and demanding, and it is easy to slide into a less than thoughtful survival mode in which we do what we have to do to make it through the day with the least amount of strife possible. This robs us of the time and energy to be mindful of ourselves and those we love and to recognize the grace that exists in small things.
It is with this thought that I am beginning one year of posts called "Grace In Small Things". Every day for 365 days, I will post a list of five things that have graced my life, either on that day or at any time in my life. Feel free to join me. Or mock me. Or, you know, do whatever's in your heart. You can start on whatever day you want, so if you come across this six months from now, don't let that hold you back.
I have even used the Official Seal Generator to create a badge for this project in case anyone wants to join me. Just copy the code below your chosen seal size and paste it into your entries or your weblog's sidebar.
<a href="http://graceinsmallthings.ning.com/" title="Grace in Small Things"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v491/schmutzie_pickles/buttons/seal.gif" style="border:0px;" /></a>
<a href="http://graceinsmallthings.ning.com/" title="Grace in Small Things"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v491/schmutzie_pickles/buttons/seal-1.gif" style="border:0px;" /></a>
<a href="http://graceinsmallthings.ning.com/" title="Grace in Small Things"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v491/schmutzie_pickles/buttons/seal-2.gif" style="border:0px;" /></a>
I am going to start this project tomorrow, and this is the perfect time of year for me do it, because I hate the Christmas season. I hate cranberries, fruit cakes, Christmas shopping, too many family members in one house without alcohol, and seasonal television specials, and this little project will help keep my mid-winter teeth-grinding in check. As will some good liquor. And my lovely counsellor, Madame B, who brought this project up in the first place.
UPDATE: Grace in Small Things has a social network, so come on over, check us out, and join in!
Reader Comments (78)
What a cool idea, and I am excited that you are undertaking it. It probably would be good for me to join you in doing this, but I'm not sure I am ready yet.
This is a great idea, and I'm glad you found a creative way to follow through on Madame B's advice without selling yourself out. And you get to inspire others, too. Hazzah!
Grace and gumption, posting everyday for one year.
Oh, do I relate so completely to what you wrote. It's hard to do these things, and be an informed observer of the world. But like you say, it beats the alternative.
I don't know if I'll do five every day, but I think I'll to start this in early December.
I will love to do it. Not everyday, but every once in a while. Is that allowed? I hope so!
Do it once a week, a month, three times a day. Any old rules will do!
i had to do a similar exercise a few years ago in order to re-remember good memories. i felt like all i had were bad memories (specifically of childhood). so every time i had a positive memory, i wrote it in a notebook. it did me more good than i expected. and some days i hated it because somehow it was easier to be bitter.
i might try this idea too. who knows? maybe it will transform me too. :)
I am trying ot imagine a family gathering with no alcohol.
*shudder*
Are you allowed to repeat yourself in that 365 days because I am doing the math and that is a heck of alot of things to be grateful for.
All the power to you however.
This season is like a stageplay for me. I go thru it so falsely...
i admire your resolve.
i lack resolve.
we shall see...
I certainly believe that this project has the potential to be life altering. I am planning another 365 and very well might incorporate this idea of yours. This brilliant idea of yours!
I have done this before, and am glad for the reminder to do it again. I used to keep a separate journal, but I think for now I'll just keep it as their own entries with my regular during the day entries.
I used to write things like: seven hours of sleep, good coffee, a seat by myself on the train. It was enough to see things in a new light. Thanks for the reminder.
Really, you hate Christmas? The whole holiday season? I love moments between Thanksgiving and New Years...like when my 12 year old stands up to sing during the Holiday festival,and I know how he hates being on stage...and from the behind the tallest girl in his class, he find me in the audience an flashes me a quick smile..those moments. Thanks for the invitation to play.
I've been given similar advice in the past, and yes, visions of Oprah danced in my head at the time.
First thing in the morning seems to bring max benefit. Every morning when I wake up I think of 3 things, people, or circumstances to comfort me. Not to make me feel pathetically warm and bubbly, but to help me (re)focus.
It has dramatically reduced my snappy sarcasm throughout the rest of the day. If I know I have to deal with someone who aggravates me that day, I will force myself to think of the last nice thing they did for me. It makes Jacqueline me less SOS scrubpadlike.
Thank you for this. I am going to do it as well.
And you're right -- there's something about the Christmas season that drains the gratitude from me. Probably because I hate it so. But this is the perfect remedy.
Wonderful idea, babe.
I don't know if I can do it on my blog, but I can definitely do it in my bedroom with my journal.
Well, if I did I might just say...I am grateful for women bloggers like you. So much to be grateful for here.
I'm in! you may be starting a movement here... and i'm going to start by giving myself the permission to not do it everyday... but i will give it the old college try. :D
Hooray!!!
This is exactly what I need.
Thanks!
I admit I’m intrigued and will give this some thought. I’ve been keeping a list in my sidebar during November of one thing I’m thankful for each day as part of the Giving Thanks Challenge started by South Breeze. I’m planning to continue this practice through December and possibly throughout the new year … but since I post only once daily on each blog and since I’ve participated in Blog 365 all of 2008, I’m not sure I want to take on a daily task like this. I suspect that I shall enjoy following along however. I do keep a list of 5 things I’m grateful for each day in my hand written journal, and have done so for many years.
Hugs and blessings,
I love this idea. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep it up every day, but I'm gonna try!
Thank you!
Schmutzie, you are amazing. I too have gotten so cynical that I'm sort of ashamed even to have a moment of hope in the power of positive thinking. I mean the whole thing just sounds so book club of the month.
But? Then I find myself going through these "OH MY GOD!!" phases where I wonder what the hell is going on in the world. And I think, "Why is this happening?" It makes no sense. And I try to figure out a way to fix it. And I can't figure it out.
I will do this once a week with you. And I'm going to add the badge to my site to try to spread the message to my five readers. LOL
Awesome, Schmutzie. Just awesome.
This is such a good idea.
What an awesomely wonderfully happy idea. Good and happy thoughts, when done over time, are incredibly healing. I can't wait for next November to hear what your conclusions are after a full year of this. I'll even try to participate a little!
I read of your project at Chapter Next, a favorite haunt of mine. I'll be coming on board as well. Keep the faith ^j^
I suspect that if I did this I would find some way to make it not graceful.
Like: I'm grateful all hand lotion doesn't smell as hideous as this hand lotion.
It's how I roll.
But grace away, my graceful friend. Gratitude is beautiful, not selling out. Really feeling and not just saying it it is the best thing ever.
I'm in.
I tried to do the x365 thing last year and ran out of steam. I'm thinking of picking it up again. I like this 365 grace idea though. Maybe it will help me re-focus my tendency toward the snark. I'll give it a go.
A good idea is a good idea - I'll give it a try.
I've heard about people like you. I thought it was only Urban Legend, people who hate Christmas. OOooooo. Some things are spooky.
The gratitude is a great idea. Every day is a whole load of grace. Maybe you'll turn yourself to a delicate pile of sweetness?
I, too, need some consciousness thankfulness in the midst of just trying to get through the day. Love the badge. May join you just for the badge...
I would love to join in your 365 days of grace.
I was doing this for a while on 43things.com, and then I fell off. But I think it saved me.
It is so important to remember these things, especially when life gets hard and the world gets scary.
I even have a blog specifically for this... but I have lapsed.
So I think it's time to go back to wonderlanding.
Thanks for the push.
I'm in. This is a nice reminder that the good stuff is all around us. Thank you!
That is a great idea - it's so easy (for me) to get consumed by the negative, this is awesome.
I'm joining in. I think I need to take at least one day a week to think of the good things, instead of the usual annoying, stressful, awful things.
I think I just saw something in a newspaper about a study showing that people who kept a "gratitude journal" were (something something something0. It was something beneficial and heartening including recovery from major stresses... Of course I don't have an attribution, but I think it's very cool that there seem to be medical/mood benefits. Sometimes we need it prescribed to us to heave ourselves up (grumbling) and make the effort.
I can't wait to glom on/dive in to this, yet another of your great ideas. I'm enjoying what I'm reading so far. And: cool badge!
What about a full time crumudgeon?
OMG I love it!
Okay. I've sucked it up. I'm in.
I'm going to try and do this. Maybe not 5 things a day, every day, but I will take the time out to post something, as often as I can, to be thankful for my life and those things that bring me joy.
This is a great idea! I'm totally going to do it, too!
I'm in. I'm probably going to stick to once a week, though.
I'm in -- starting January 1st. I do a year-long blog every year, and I've been waiting to find an idea for one. I love this!
I find myself needing a little reminder of all of the things that make me happy. The weather, season and my crazy have been keeping me pretty negative.
I'm in.
Mabuhay from the Philippines!
For almost four years, one challenge after another had faced our family. Both my parents got sick. I lost all my savings and even lost my job and many people whom I thought were my friends. Then early this year I decided it would be great to write gratitude notes on my Multiply site everyday. The more I recognized the small and great things in my life, the more prosperity, abundance and hope manifested. Every day I pushed myself to have the mindset of a thankful person. That's why my site is called Tobbie Thankful. My life has been even more blessed since.
I am in!
Sweet idea.. if I didnt have toddler's and had more time I would join you!
I really like this idea! I hope to start it soon!
I'm starting this tomorrow and am so excited! Thanks, Schmutzie.
Great idea! I will do this. I don't know that I can make a post every day, but I'll try!