I don’t know about you but my head has been all over the place recently. I’m finding it difficult to concentrate. So I thought today I would write about gratitude and appreciation. So here goes. After my last post What I am doing to stay healthy? a reader asked me how I am filling my days?
I have been reading a lot about how people are watching Netflix, cleaning out their cupboards and reading books. I don’t seem to have time yet to do these things. Organising our food supply seems to take up quite a lot of time. Our supermarket has closed it’s doors on home deliveries so we have to walk into our village for supplies.
What I have been doing is spending more time in silence, doing my meditation practise twice a day and listening to Classic FM radio. Most important on my list every day is to contact friends and family via WhatsApp or Facetime.
I am not listening to the news, just glancing at the headlines in the Financial Times in the morning and getting the latest information about what steps we need to take from the government on a daily basis.
I thought I would talk about what is really helping me to stay as calm as possible. I keep a gratitude diary. This is not something new, I have been doing this for about six months.
Recently I have been paying more attention to the smaller things that happen throughout the day. It might be as simple as putting together a chic outfit or enjoying a good cup of coffee or tea. A treat I look forward to every afternoon is a small square of raw chocolate with my cup of tea. My favourite is Ombar Coco almond.
When I notice the small things I start to feel more grateful for what I have. At the end of the day, I write down between five to ten things that I have felt grateful for that day. I find that it works best if you write as long a description as possible in order to really feel the emotion of gratitude in your body.
As I write this post I am watching the cherry blossom buds begin to flower outside my window. I am extremely lucky to be living in a very tranquil part of London by the River Thames.
I follow Dr.Chatterjee on Instagram. He produces some great podcasts and his latest one is about how to manage our anxiety. Click here to listen to it.
Over to you. Let us share what we are grateful for in the comments box.
PS. I will be back to posting about fashion soon. I am planning to put together an outfit of the week every week using clothes that I already have in my wardrobe. Let’s see how creative I can be.
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I am afraid that when we return to work it will have gotten much warmer and I won't have much to wear because I have not been shopping. There are so many things you have to just try on to see if they will work. Will be interested to see how you re-work some of your outfits! Writing from Boston, Mass. and our magnolias are starting to flower along Beacon Street
What am I grateful for? For my lovely daughter who gave me a Goodie box yesterday with lots of little items, plus two tops and a skirt for Mother's Day. All dressed up in my new finery.I enjoyed the scones, jam and clotted cream also in the box . Then today I received a parcel from Boden with a dress I had looked at, and liked. This was also from my daughter. She has always been a great daughter and is upset that she cannot be with me in isolation. I shall have to see her tomorrow as I have an emergency appointment with my GP who phoned me this morning. After twenty years of good health after a triple bypass, my angina is returning. So what else am I grateful for? My two sons and their lovely wives; those twenty years ; the fact that I have survived two deadly diseases : the fact that I can use a PC and Face Time and have friends I can contact; the fact that I am mobile; that I am compos mentis; that in my tiny garden, daffodils and narcissi and camellias are blooming; that since November when I swapped homes with Younger Son I have enjoyed his, now my little town flat with everything new and so easy to keep clean. I would like to live to celebrate my 90th in August but till then I shall continue to read, write, watch Netflix and Prime for escapism, and keep in touch via video links with family and friends. I shall dress and make up each day for as long as I can. Josephine, thank you for your Blog. I hope you and Anyone reading this keep safe and well. Oh I nearly forgot! I have a stache of nine toilet rolls hidden away!
Thank you for this post, it is very helpful. I am used to living alone, but should reduce the amount of news exposure, other than necessary updates. Not easy, but we can do this.
Hello Marifach Well done with the toilet rolls. We have two packets in our garage. Thank you for sharing your lovely gratitude list. Wishing you all the best. Josephine
Hello Josephine .... I'll start by saying that one of the things I am grateful for today is receiving your post, your thoughts, wise words and suggestion of keeping a daily 'gratitude diary' that I have now started and finding lots to put in from my day. Many thanks. .. Looking forward to your next post. Keep safe
Hello Margaret
Thank you for joining the conversation
Thanks Josephine. We’re really lucky to have things like FaceTime it’s making a huge difference to families. Many people have loved ones at the other end of the country or abroad, indeed they may be down the road but you can’t see them in person, a visual connection is more satisfying than the phone.
Hello Maureen
I so agree. I am using FaceTime and WhatsApp daily to keep in contact with friends and family. I am really missing seeing my three grandsons.
I along with my mom, sister, and nieces were visiting London 2 weeks ago, when my mom fell and broke both bones in her ankle and dislocated it! I’m very thankful for the doctors and nurses that were so kind and helpful to us in the ER at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington. They will never know how much their help and thoughtfulness means to me!! Thank You! To all the healthcare workers around our world! You are so appreciated!
Hello Mindy
Thank you for your comment. We are so lucky to have our wonderful NHS. The doctors and nurses are all working round the clock at the moment to look after us during this crisis. I hope that your mom is recovering well.
Love your comments. .I'm grateful because all my entire family(have eleven grandsons) are healthy in the middle of this situation.I don't walk to my grocery because we are in quarantine and like I live alone have less problems than other people to feed myself.
I read many hours at day ,comunication via whatsapp with family and friends ,sometimes giving psicotherapy by phone,and prying the Lord for whose who are sick .
Here the spring is the year around and .we don't have to worry about coats,boots,Gloves,etc.
It's (was) a marvelous country unfortunately achieved now.
Have a good day chère Josephine.