stuff tagged with "gratitude"
Smuggling podcasts into a Burmese prison
🔗 a linked post to
theverge.com »
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originally shared here on
I was totally sobbing by the end of this beautifully illustrated version of Danny Fenster, an American journalist who was arrested for months in Myanmar for the crime of... uh, journalism.
One of the big things I took away from his story was how he trained himself to embrace boredom. I really should try to get into meditation.
If all you did was look for things to appreciate, you would live a joyously spectacular life.
We didn’t complain. We just went out there and did it. And with a smile on our face. We realized that this was a special time and a special moment, and we didn’t take it for granted. Nothing was ever given to us, we had to go out there and take it. That’s exactly what we did, and we proved it every single night in that ring.
Appreciate everything endlessly.
The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.
The whole universe is contained in an apple wedge in a lunch box. Apple tree, sunlight, cloud, rain, earth, air, farmer's sweat are all in it. Delivery truck, gas, market, money, cashier's smile are all in it. Refrigerator, knife, cutting board, mother's love are all in it. Everything in the whole universe depends on one another. Now, think about what exists in you. The whole universe is in us.
A Guide To Finding Joy In Life
🔗 a linked post to
goodness-exchange.com »
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originally shared here on
For a miracle to happen in your life all that is needed is your belief that the universe has acted on your behalf and for your welfare.
So, begin by keeping a journal where you note down all such instances in your life. This is stuff that you previously dismissed as a coincidence or perhaps did not notice at all.
For example, you remember an old friend you have lost touch with and determine to call him. And you receive an email from him later the same day. You forgot to make a reservation for the dinner with your husband’s boss and it turns out that he had an emergency, and the dinner has to be rescheduled. You go to your favorite restaurant and the dish you like is not available. The waiter suggests a substitute and you love it.
Constantly look, look, look for signs that the universe is dancing with you. You see a rainbow after a rain squall and your spirit lifts. You are trying to enter a busy highway and a driver slows down and flashes his light to let you know you can merge in. The latch on your screen door is not working and you make a mental note to get it fixed. The next day it is functioning perfectly again.
Record all of this in your journal. You will have a dozen or more examples each day.
For the last decade or so, I’ve operated under the assumption that the universe was indifferent.1
I like this reframe a lot. Maybe the universe is indifferent, but that’s all the more reason to be grateful when things work out in your favor.
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Yes, I’m aware that this is basically a Don Draper quote. ↩
One of the best secrets of a happy life is the art of extracting comfort and sweetness from every circumstance.
I grow little of the food I eat, and of the little I do grow I did not breed or perfect the seeds. I do not make any of my own clothing. I speak a language I did not invent or refine. I did not discover the mathematics I use. I am protected by freedoms and laws I did not conceive of or legislate, and do not enforce or adjudicate. I am moved by music I did not create myself. When I needed medical attention, I was helpless to help myself survive. I did not invent the transistor, the microprocessor, object oriented programming, or most of the technology I work with. I love and admire my species, living and dead, and am totally dependent on them for my life and well being.
What if arriving simply means waking up every day fulfilled, ready to accept the gift of another day with those that hold my heart? What if arriving simply means being confident that I am capable of handling that which comes my way?
Travel Is No Cure for the Mind
🔗 a linked post to
moretothat.com »
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originally shared here on
While travel does expand and stretch the horizons of what we know about the world, it is not the answer we’re looking for in times of unrest. To strengthen the health of the mind, the venue to do that in is the one we are in now.
It is location-independent, and always will be.
The key is not to discard The Box of Daily Experience and find a new one — it’s to warmly embrace the one that we have now — with its joys, its flaws, and everything in between.
I’ve definitely fallen prey to the use of vacation as a substitute for facing my own problems.
This article (complete with cute illustrations) serves as a great reminder that value can be derived from the monotony of our daily lives.
If you were to put your problem down on a table at the same time as others, odds are you’ll pick your own up pretty quick.
A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.
I do it for a challenge. I look around and see that most of the people I went to school with are dead or seriously ill and think how lucky I am.
