Grateful - setting hourly alert on phone

[EveHarrington]

One of my friends has been teaching me about gratefulness.

His therapist told him that it’s impossible to feel anything negative while being grateful. (Ok, not arguing the “impossible” bit as that’s tangential to my point.) He set an hourly alarm on his phone to remind him to think of things that he’s grateful for.

I was inspired by him to do the same. I now have an hourly alarm on my phone to remind me to think of things I’m grateful for. I use the “alarmed” app. I have a chime that alerts me when my sound is on, and a pop up reminder as well.

It’s amazing how this has really changed my thinking! At first it was a struggle but now I have no problems thinking of things I’m grateful for.

It’s just a little reminder to think of something positive every hour. It helps that my home screen / wallpaper is a pic of my newborn nephew, smiling like crazy.

Just thought I’d share this little idea because I thought it might help others, too.

:-)

 

[nowthisisme]

What a great idea! I am glad it helped you! I will definitely try it.

 

[Changing4Best]

Great idea. I wish my phone would do that. I can set a once a day alarm though, so I will do that. Thanks for the idea.

I noticed that I could label the alarm, so I did and called it: Grateful fors?

 

[LuckiLee]

Nice idea Eve. Everyone should do this.

I'll start now.... I'm grateful for this forum and all the people here. You've all helped me in your own ways. Thank you!

 

[Happyplace76]

One of my friends has been teaching me about gratefulness.

His therapist told him that it’s i...

Today I am grateful that I was able to leave the house.
I am grateful that my car still works.
I am grateful that I shared some of my story for the first time since I left a month and a half ago and he believed me. I wasn't judged like I thought I would be. It was comforting.
I am grateful that my brain has not been misfiring as much today... not as many panic attacks.
I am grateful that my psychiatrist can finally see me after over two months of not seeing him.
I am grateful that I saw a glimmer of hope.

 

[CdnCopper]

If you've ever watched/read, "The Secret" , Gratitude/Gratefulness is a big part of it. I watch this/ listen to the audio books every couple of months.

It does help.

 

[Tornadic Thoughts]

Grateful observation daily is one of the major things that keeps me going each day, each moment. From the moment I awake I begin giving thanks and I don't stop until I drift back off to sleep that night. (which used to be quite the challenge) Remembering the times I had nothing, nowhere to go, and very little hope helps keep me grounded enough to want to stay in that space of gratitude, perhaps. Not really sure what the motivation is, but I'm sure glad it's there.

Constantly giving thanks for things like my breath, mobility, sight, hearing, taste, heightened sense of smell to the nth degree, for all the things inside of me that make up who/what I am that automatically work without needing any prompts or direction, the trees, the plants, the animals in all forms that cross my path, the sun, the stars, the drops of dew on each blade of grass that looks like diamonds on sunny mornings, the leaves that fall from the trees as if they wish to share their last dance with me, for the water that sustains life, for the folks who f*ck the water/environment all up for showing me who I never wish to be, for the folks who choose to use their turn signals and drive safely, for the strangers who smile in kindness...just because, for the gardens that grow, for the death that helps me appreciate the life, for the ability to unlearn as well as learn, etc., etc., etc.

Focusing more on those kinds of things rather than the potential pending doom I was damn sure was about to happen with pretty much each and every move I made (as I'd grown scarily accustomed to) helps shift happen much more smoothly in my world. It seems we are very much what we think/feel/believe just as much as we are what we eat, I've found. Speaking of scary thoughts. lol

 

[Teasel]

Really happy for you Eve. I find practising gratitude daily is almost comically miraculous in how good it makes me feel.I'm part of a gratitude group connected to meditation. It's lovely actually, and catching.

“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.”
~ Rumi ~

Edited to add @EveHarrington
Just thinking if you are getting something good out of practising gratitude, might be worth you looking into practising Metta too, might not but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[SeedMan]

Thank you for posting this great idea. I've heard it said that the difference between a $10,000 race horse and a $100,000 race horse may be only a second or two difference over the racecourse. That said, I believe it is the little things that give us a bit of an edge that can make all the difference in the world.