If you believe the newsfeed, the world is hurting. If you believe the comments on social media. Everyone is angry and spouting venom. It’s true that a lot of people are unhappy. That’s nothing new. Social media has given everyone a voice/platform for those frustrations. Even before social media was the ubiquitous force it is today, the average person could fill a legal-sized sheet of paper with what they disliked about their day. It even felt like a competition to see who could bottom out first. “You think YOUR day was bad! I had to shovel shit with a teaspoon into an active volcano!” Then and now, anyone could (and still will) tell you their pet peeve at a moment’s notice.
How often do people talk about what makes them happy? Michael Che (in his hilarious Netflix special) spoke about how the average person is willing and able to share the details of their favorite horror movie. While that same person is shy/hesitant to talk about the type of porn they watch. We talk about the gruesome while keeping distance from our pleasures. I say “we” because I’m certainly guilty of it. When asked what I seek in a partner, I can rattle of the sins of my exes and the type of woman I’ll never date again much faster than I can just leisurely imagine an ideal mate. You know, someone who makes you feel gratitude just to be around them. Gratitude (and expressing it) is important. We have no control over the habits of others. We can only control our thinking and our habits.
About a year ago, I decided to revisit an old exercise that helped me to manage my anger. The gratitude project. It is designed to redirect focus. You can do this for as many days as you want. I’d recommend a minimum of 21 days (in hopes of forming a habit). I started with the goal of thirty days. For 30 consecutive days, my intent was to list all that for which I was grateful. I’ve been up to it for over a year. Today is day 398! When you make your list (assuming you want to start this challenge – I mean, what’s the best that could happen?) The list can have 1 item or 100. Sharing is optional, but it must be written. I chose to share mine via Social Media. I’d also suggest that you journal what your days are like during the 30 days. This exercise will not (I repeat – WILL NOT) make your days better. The hope is that you’ll redirect your focus from those pet peeves and petty things and find yourself focusing on everything you love in your daily life. I don’t really believe in the concept of good days or bad days. The concept of good/bad are just perceptions that we attach to events.
So, try it out. Take a moment every day for the next 21, 30, or 398 days to write down that for which you are grateful. Pay attention to the things you start noticing. Here’s my entry for the day.
A wild turkey was trying to cross a busy road. I stopped traffic to assist in the matter. I saved their life a few times by standing in front of cars. As I chased the turkey, I was carrying a bag of fried chicken. Does that make me a #hypocrite ? Some dude watching this all happen asked, “Hey, man! Is that yo turkey!?” (with the intonation of WTF!?) I responded, “Ha! Yeah!” (with the intonation of lampoon). Dude: “Really!” Me: “NO!” (with the intonation of, “Duuuhhhh!”) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I proved that I live in the future by having MMJ delivered to my door in under 8 minutes.
I’ve been feeling sexy again. (A lot of pre-summer heartache wounds have finally healed.) There’s nothing wrong with feeling yourself and celebrating that! I’ve also seen evidence that some women are smelling my pheromones and picking up what I’ve been putting down. Life is good. 398 #DaysofGratitude