Truth and Dare Movement (TAD) Book Club, Continued! discussion

The January book selection is The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life.

It is January 1st, so most of us probably haven't started the book, let alone finish it. However, we can start by thinking about this question.

From the Reader's Guide:
In the survey that launched the book, the author found that more than 90 percent of people think gratitude makes you happier and gives you a more fulfilled life— but less than half regularly express gratitude. What do you think gets in the way of our expressing gratitude?

I think it’s easy to get sucked into the challenges of life and focus on what we lack versus what we have. I was laid off in November and it’s been a daily challenge to retrain my brain to think of what I do have, how fortunate I am, and what I am grateful for. Though I do not currently have financial stability, I now have more time to spend with my children during the day. That time is irreplaceable and I am truly grateful for the extra snuggles and playtime. I am also grateful for the awareness of my thoughts and how I can witness them spiraling downward when I start to think about my loss of income and what the future holds. That awareness allows me to shift those thoughts to more positive productive ones and experience peace of mind.

I agree. It's so very easy to get pulled into a scarcity mindset. Everything I've been reading/hearing indicates the power of a positive outlook. I did not last long writing three things daily (it felt too forced) but I have tried to be more aware of when my thoughts take a dive for the negative. I'm curious to get into this book to see what it offers.

Same here. I had difficulty writing 3 things daily as well. Not because I wasn’t grateful; more because I wasn’t feeling it when I wrote it down. Like you said...forced. Instead I try to be grateful in each moment I experience. Grateful for food in my fridge, grateful for a car to get us where we need to go, grateful for good health, etc.

Andrea wrote: "I think it’s easy to get sucked into the challenges of life and focus on what we lack versus what we have. I was laid off in November, and it’s been a daily challenge to retrain my brain to think of..."
I love your shift of perspective.

The author asked, "was giving life a positive spin creating a reality that wasn't real?" She mentions the experiments where wine connoisseurs thought the more expensive wines tasted better when it's the same one as the one labeled as a house wine. She also mentions the experiments where patients thought Advil (brand name for ibuprofen) was more effective than the generic ibuprofen - even though they have the same ingredients. Another experiment gave people the same medication, but people who were told they got Advil got better pain relief than those who were told they got ibuprofen.

The experience doesn't change. The way we label the experiences can. She did not create a reality that wasn't real, it is just her way of labeling experiences with a more expensive wine label.

Marisa wrote: "I agree. It's so very easy to get pulled into a scarcity mindset. Everything I've been reading/hearing indicates the power of a positive outlook. I did not last long writing three things daily (it ..."

The author started with three things daily but decreased her frequency to writing three times weekly.

I think consistency with any gratitude writing goal you set will allow you to benefit from the experience.