Today's Appreciative Narritive thought comes from chapter 3 of Jackaline Kelm's book "The Joy of Appreciative Living."
For good or ill, we are subjective creatures. We shape our entire lives around what we think we see, but the fact is we see what we want to see. Our beliefs and thinking patterns direct our attention toward what we believe is important or enjoyable or interesting to pay attention to, and this process is not going to change anytime soon. The point is to be aware that we are all biased by nature, and that our perspective is just that: one perspective. We need to hold our beliefs and truths open to new information and further investigation.
What's one thing you are grateful for?
It could be time you spent with a pet... something particular about your home... a phone call with a family member...
Think of a second thing you are grateful for.
Now a third
Now think about what role you played in these three things.
What is something, no matter how small, you can do today that will bring you joy?
One of Kelm's study participants said:
"I learned that joy doesn’t have to be big. Joy can be found in small, daily things. I found joy in floating in a lake with tiny dragonflies landing on my arms. I found joy in having something super-yummy planned for dinner, or cuddling with my three-year-old. How blessed I am!"
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