Another week has come to a close and you may have noticed something a little different here at Ex-Consumer. I haven’t been that regular in posting my Friday Favorites over the past several weeks.
Things have been busier than usual around work and home, but the real reason I haven’t been posting my Friday Favorites is because I was begininning to feel a little redundant.
Maybe it’s because every Friday my post had the same title. I’m not sure.
What do you think? Do you want me to continue to post my favorites each Friday? Or would you prefer a more sporadic round-up type post? I’m up for whatever you would like to see here.
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As I write this, there is a major thunder storm roaring outside. The lights are dimming and flickering, and the rain is pounding on the windows and side of my house with near the force of a fire hose. Hopefully the battery to my laptop will see me through to the end of this post.
I’m grateful that I’m able to sit inside my home and safely watch the ferocious storm roll through. In fact, I’m grateful for a lot of things.
Finding the Silver Lining
My first grader officially became a second grader earlier this week, and until his part-time summer camp starts next week, he’s been expecting me to entertain him. He hasn’t quite switched into summer mode yet, which means he anticipates that his days will be filled with a variety of activities.
Also, my 21-month old has entered the tantrum-throwing phase of discovering his independence. And he wakes up in the morning with more energy than I can conjure with two huge cups of coffee.
I consider myself to have a moderate energy level. It’s not low, but it’s not extremely high either. Keeping up with two balls of fire (my two sons) can be challenging. Throw in a full-time job, husband and a blog — and I’m feeling spent before my usual 10:30 bedtime each night.
In the past I spent much of my time wondering why my kids were so much more…rambunctious than other kids I see their same age. Kirk and I are both pretty quiet and laid back, so it seems odd that both our children are so rowdy.
Then it dawned on me that I was looking at things the wrong way. I started to see how lucky we were to have such healthy, energetic and boisterous children. They are both filled with such a blazing light, that like the lightning illuminating the dark sky outside my window right now, they will light up any darkness with which they collide.
And what more can you really hope for when it comes to your kids?
I’m discovering that most of the things in our lives that we think are difficult, or unusual, or less than, are really just blessings waiting to be seen from the proper perspective. Once we realize this, our lives become instantly more joyful.
Try it for yourself. What is one thing that has been bringing you stress lately and that you wish you could change? Is it your health? Your job? Your spouse, kids, etc.?
Now try to think of one thing in that same area of your life for which you can be grateful.
For example, let’s say you just found out you have high blood pressure. Can you be grateful to have that knowledge, so that you’re able to change your lifestyle before it’s too late? Can you focus on a part of your body that is working well and be grateful for that?
I realize this isn’t always easy to do — especially when it comes to health problems. I have a chronic health issue that surfaced with my last pregnancy. When it’s rearing it’s ugly head, I have a hard time feeling grateful. But, I find that when I do focus on what I can do to help reduce flare-ups, and recognize all of the wonderful things my body gets right — I’m much happier and more content.
Everything in life is simply a matter of perspective. And even though I know this, I have to practice and focus on adopting a positive perspective regarding the stresses in my life each day. Even with constant practice and attention, storms of negativity and unhappiness still sweep through my mostly joyful world at times.
But I’m grateful that just like the storm passing overhead outside, the negativity that charges into my thoughts when I’m not paying attention is never permanent. I just pull back the curtains, admire the strength of the hissing wind and the beauty of the bolts of lightening, and eventually the storm gives way to sunny skies and a gentle breeze. Every. Single Time.
Your turn! Please let me know how you want me to handle the Friday Favorite posts going forward. And please share with us how YOU practice gratitude in YOUR life.
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Lovely post Jenny. Thanks so much. I’ve just finished writing my new post for next week – and it’s all about gratitude, and how the key to gratitude is perception. So this post really ties in. I agree with you – we have two choices – look at the positive in any given situation, or focus on the negative. If we focus on the negative then we end up in a place of dissatisfaction which leads to being miserable (not a good place to create a better life from) – whereas, if we focus on the positive (and there’s positive in every situation) then we can become grateful. Gratitude leads to satisfaction which leads to happiness (which is a great place to create a better life from).
I like your Friday Favorites – just sayin’
Steve
Thanks Steve! I can’t wait to check out your post that’s along the same lines. We must be on the same wavelength this week.
Thanks for your vote to keep the Friday Favorites as well. I’ll take it under advisement.
Gratitude is an essential part of any successful life. Without it, even a fun life is empty and meaningless.
I like your Friday posts, but I’ve learned not to tie myself down. While I try to write new stuff on Tuesdays and recaps, rehashes and reruns on Fridays along with guest posts, I ultimately do whatever seems best at the moment. You’ll never regret writing about whatever’s on your mind.
Gip
Hi Gip. You’re so right. A fun life wouldn’t even seem or feel fun if the individual living it couldn’t find gratitude. And a seemingly dull life could be fulfilling to someone who is grateful for the mundane things that make up his life.
It really is all a matter of individual perspective.
Well said Jenny!
Thank you Jill!
Jenny,
I had been doing a roundup post for a few weeks, but I didn’t like that title either! Not sure of the answer, sorry!
When I was reading your question about your kids I was reminded of a conversation over at my daughter’s house. This daughter has 6 kids. This daughter is very creative and innovative and has a couple businesses (check out http://saucyspirits.com and http://refab.biz) I was helping her clean house and her daughter’s kept bring her things wondering what should be done with them. Almost every time she said “throw it away”. To which they wouold retort “but we could make a such-n-such out of it”. She was frustrated by their insistence to keep stuff. I turned it around, I told her to be grateful that she is raising kids to be so creative, to see the potential in all things. I don’t know if it helped ot not, lol!
I remember one time being frustrated with my one son and asking “why do you have to be such a BOY!” It was somewhat in joking tone. My husband shot back “as opposed to what?”
Definitely changing your perspective on something can make a big difference in your attitude and your outlook!
Bernice
Hey Bernice! I’m still not sure of the title. On the one hand I think it will help readers know what to expect. On the other hand, I feel like seeing the same title every third post is mind numbing. We’ll have to keep pondering the solution to that one.
That is great advice you gave your daughter! Even if she didn’t seem to take your advice at the time, I’m sure it rings in the back of her mind each time her children come up with a creative reason they need to keep something.
Thank you for the links to your daughter’s sites too! I’ll be checking them out for sure!
Sometimes I can get caught up in my own problems, or just have a bad day. Taking time out to think about what I have to be grateful for really help put things in perspective.
Hi Mike,
I think we all get caught up in our own little world sometimes. Just realizing that we’re wallowing can be all it takes to snap us out of it.
Friday favorites are good, as long as there’s something else to lightly hold things together (a story from the week, etc.)
Otherwise I could take them or leave them. I don’t think you’d lose any subscribers if you axed them.
Thanks for the feedback on the Friday Favorites Robert. I like the idea of including a story from the week to add some substance. I’ve been including a recap, and that seems to help. I think I just need to get a little more creative with the Friday posts. I’m bored with them!
If you’re bored with them, that answers your question Jenny!
I try to do a weekly link up post(agree with you re the title, ugh) but view mine as more of a ‘grateful for the blogosphere post’ I’ve gained so much from blogging all these years and wouldn’t be where I am now without it. So being able to highlight a new (or a well established) blog I feel in my small way I’m giving back a little.
Hey Laura. I feel the same way (about giving back to the blogosphere). I truly enjoy providing the round-ups, I think I just need to get creative with the title and other content provided in the post. I like how you intro your round-up with a little story — I might try that.
I like your roundup posts, it helps point out good posts/new blogs I may have missed. Doesn’t really matter to me what day of the week you post it tho.
Thank you so much for letting me know minhus. I’m planning to continue them next week.
I’ve enjoyed your Friday Favorites…but at the same time I am a firm believer that the best blogs follow a person’s life – fluid. If you feel like doing a Friday Favorites, do it! If the end of the week comes and you don’t, well, then don’t. You don’t have to do one or the other, you can balance between the two. After all, life is all about balance, isn’t it?
Hey Travis! I like the idea to remain flexible and post the round-up some weeks, but not every week. This is basically what I’ve been doing. I guess I was worried that readers would miss the predictability of the Friday round-up post, but it isn’t sounding like anyone is too attached to old way of doing things!
I’m trying to entertain being more flexible and spontaneous in my life as a whole. I’ve always been a “plan it out, everything the same all the time” kind of guy. So, I figure mixing it up a little wouldn’t hurt. For instance, maybe sometimes I’ll just stop my comments mid sent…..
Travis, you crack me up! I’m so with you. The last thing I want to do is get stuck in a rut. Being flexible is a good thing. Resiliency is born from flexibility — and I want tons of BOTH those things in my world!
The Friday Favorites are fun, but if you’re bored with them, or feeling stifled by doing it every Friday, shake it up! I did a minimalist blog round-up for a while and it was fun…. but then I got bored having the same title every week. I also noticed folks didn’t comment as much on those posts. I polled my readers and they said they could take it or leave it, they wanted more action tips instead.
I dropped mine and now I link out in my regular posts. It’s what fits best for me. Sometimes I don’t link out in a post and sometimes I’ll get a wild hair and link to 8 or 9 blogs in a post. It’s more free-wheeling and I like it!
Gratitude is such a powerful concept. I am grateful for the health, the friends, the family and the prosperity in my life. I am grateful for the trees rustling in the breeze and the hint of a summer thunderstorm that may come along or may pass me by.
Hi Tanja! I like regularly linking out to other bloggers when it’s relevant too. Hmmm.
I think I’m just going to take each Friday as it comes. If I feel like doing the round-up — I will. If not, I’ll skip it and write whatever else is nagging at me (most of my posts nag at me until I give them a platform to breathe).
Thank you for your feedback and for sharing a few of the things your grateful for!