Three Things...Gratitude Thread

[DianaMB333]

Good Morning!

#1 - From my Grandma - Always keep your house company ready, so you never have to say, “Don’t mind the mess, I wasn’t expecting anyone to come over.” Do I follow this advice? Yes I do - always! Now, my house may have a little dust and the floor may not be freshly cleaned, but everything is always vacuumed and put away. The bathrooms are always clean. To the naked eye, the house always looks clean. Sometimes I stand at the front door, in the entry way, and look around to see what others would see when standing there to make sure everything is acceptable.

#2 - From my Grandma - Always look like a million dollars regardless of the day, finances, emotions or anything else. Do I follow this advice? Absolutely! Even in the toughest times, I will always look like it’s one of my best days - probably better. The better I make myself look, the better I’ll feel, and I don’t want the way I look to show others how I feel. I don’t wear my emotions on my sleeve.

#3 - From my Grandpa - Never stop learning. Do I follow this? Yes - I enjoy reading about different things, going to museums and reading a lot of things posted at exhibits, watching documentaries and more. My DH recently, this year, started working at a Chicago museum, one that we’ve visited our entires lives. When he took the job, the first thing I said to him was - my Grandpa is smiling from heaven. He would be so proud and excited for you.

Loved your post, thanks for sharing!

 

[LuvOrlando]

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Get a job where you can support yourself and not need to depend on a man ! Be able to stand on your own always

When doing a project - Expect the worse that way when you don’t get it all is good !!! Meaning it’s not that bad !!

Always double the estimate when doing home projects ! You often times run into situations that cost !! If you don’t all is good

Never judge a book by its cover !! Some of the best looking people can’t be trusted and some of the scariest looking people are the nicest people ever !

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Don't live your life worrying about what others think.- Obviously, there are times when it does matter...like job interviews and work performance, but too often we clutter our lives and minds with actions and worries that hinge on the opinions of others and superficial matters. The reality is that most people just don't care and those that would probably aren't the kind of positive energy we all need in our lives.

If you want to be the best, you need to compete against the best.- This comes up a lot in our travel ball world, but for me, I think about it more with singing. I'm reminds me of an audition back in high school. Another highly ranked girl was walking the hallway on audition day and saying things to try and psych out the other singers that were waiting to go in. I rolled my eyes and brushed it off until she tried to drag me into it. She pointed me out, asked if any of them knew who I was, rattled off my name and ranking and how they should be scared. I cut her off before she could go on and told her to quit it. I don't remember exactly how I said it, but I said something like how the ranking only means something if I'm competing against girls who are bringing their best.

Always be weather aware.- I think that's what really still has me triggered by last week's storm. I was aware and did nearly everything I was supposed to do (even though DH thinks I'm nuts when I go into storm mode). Still, at the time we were impacted, I was focused on a hook echo about 20 miles away. I really thought we had more time, but I didn't even think about the gust front ahead of the squall line because all of the 80MPH+ straight line winds were being reported from within the storm. I keep second guessing...like if we'd just parked a little farther down in the driveway...would it have been better? Of course, the whole reason for being weather aware is the unpredictability of Mother Nature and protecting people above all else.

 

[bluecastle]

I have been saving quotations that I like for years. Here are 3 that I need to be reminded of often, especially the two about worrying! (Which I am sorry that I have no attributions for)

Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities
Dumbledore


Fear does not stop death. It stops life.
And worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace.

 

[mumto3girls]

My dad always told me to “not worry about the day you never saw”. I am a worrier so I remind myself of this one regularly.

I think I mentioned on here recently that I had a family therapy professor once told the class that you can’t want something for someone more than they want it for themselves and therefore you should not be making more effort towards their goals than they are. I apply this to parenting older kids—can be really hard.

This too shall pass. Youngest DD is going through her first real breakup. She is emotionally a mess. Basically most of my advice boils down to this too shall pass. Right now she does not think that it will.

 

[Tink-osophy]

Ooh, interesting.

Wise advice I've been given: -

Don't believe everything you think. Just because you're used to thinking it, doesn't make it true.

"...the less authors read of criticism the better. You have a perfectly fresh and original vein and I think that the less you bother yourself about critical canons, the less chance there is of your becoming self-conscious and cramped..." Sir Leslie Stephen speaking to Thomas Hardy (in 1876, early in Hardy's success). He went on to say, "I ...advise (reading) the great writers ... who give ideas and don't prescribe rules."

To me, that's not just good advice for writers, but for everyone, in whatever way they want to be creative ...or even just be themselves.

Here's another way of putting it (again not my words)

"There are things that do not grow on trees; that we cannot learn at school and which money cannot buy. It is the art of seeing the world through your heart."

The more loving and uplifting your words; the more loving and uplifting their effect.

 

[newski_mom]

Don't borrow trouble - in other words, don't worry about something until it's time to worry about it - similar to Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Your life is a series of small every day choices - in other words, it's not always the huge decisions that guide you, it's what you do everyday and how you spend your time that ends up defining your life

Garbage in, garbage out - my mom used to tell me this when she wouldn't let me watch certain tv shows as a kid. As an adult, I agree, that if you fill your life with positive people and things, you tend to be more positive about everything. The opposite is true too.

 

[DianaMB333]

Move on. Each day the sun starts over.

Be your best friend.

Be willing to experiment / learn and feel uncomfortable.

 

[newski_mom]

Move on. Each day the sun starts over.

So true - my girls and I used to sing Tomorrow from Annie to each other when we had bad days. It does put things into perspective sometimes.

 

[leebee]

My sister always says that the hard choice is usually the right choice.

 

[PollyannaMom]

"Be patient with them, they'll eventually grow up." - from my Dad, basically telling me to attribute rudeness to immaturity rather than malice. He was right in that incident, and I think carrying the same attitude forward into other situations has made me a happier person.

"Live below your means." - I'm not sure who exactly told DH and this when got married (probably multiple people) but I'm super glad we listened!!

"The days are long, but the years are short." - Probably said by one of my aunts when DS was a baby, but I've definitely heard it lots of places. It's soooo true!!

 

[SpaceMan5]

I have been saving quotations that I like for years. Here are 3 that I need to be reminded of often, especially the two about worrying! (Which I am sorry that I have no attributions for)

Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities
Dumbledore


Fear does not stop death. It stops life.
And worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace.

Most excellent!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Today's Topic - 3 games or play-related things you are or have been been grateful for

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Scrabble

Deck of cards - too many games to mention - Rummy / Crazy 8 / Poker / Pinochle ( well special cards for that) / Solitaire

Monopoly

Yathzee

Any Trivia type game

 

[slo]

Good Wednesday Morning!

I’m going to stick with board games and/or cards.

#1 - Chinese Checkers - DD20 and I used to play Chinese Checkers all the time. So many laughs while playing - good memories

#2 - Disney’s Scene It - Both my girls loved playing this game with me - we had so much fun! DD20 will still play it with me, but it’s more fun with more people.

#3 - 500 Rummy - Our favorite card game. DD20, DH and I enjoy playing this together. When DD20 was younger she’d wear sunglasses like the poker players on TV. I have pictures of her and I chuckle every time I look at it.

 

[mumto3girls]

1. DH and I used to play 500 Bid with my parents.
2. We still occasionally play Spades with friends but we used to play almost weekly pre-children.
3. Jack box games with extended family.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good mornimg

Sorry, Rack-O, and Uno are three favorite games dad and I enjoy playing. Great and fun topic dear PollyannaMom, thanks

 

[Tink-osophy]

Games/Play-related

Just quickly, today. I'm grateful for games that make us laugh together (past/present): -

Pictionary
Apples to Apples
Twister

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Trivia Games - Everything from the digital ones in restaurants, video ones like You Don't Know Jack, home board ones like Trivial Pursuit, to TV ones like Jeopardy.

Monopoly (and spin off games) - Traditional Monopoly has gotten us through many longer power and internet outages. We also have a holiday version called Snowmanopoly. Growing up, my brother and I also used to play a game called Solarquest.

Card Games/Bingo- This was made up the chunk of every day each time we stayed with my maternal grandparents. We'd typically play for pennies. Gin was our typical card game, but sometimes we'd go easy and play things like war and slap jack...and sometimes we'd go more challenging and they'd try to teach us things with more strategy like bridge and poker. We never really caught on, but it was good time together. Bingo is obviously less strategy, but still fun and I can still hear my grandfather's funny way of calling bingo.

Honorable mention for phone games, including Game Pidgeon. The little personal games help pass the slow times, but Game Pidgeon gives us variety and allows us to play with the kids even when we're not together. I love getting texts that DD15 has challenged me to a game of digital 8-ball or speed Scrabble.