Thankful vs. Gratitude

(Click the title to link to the blog I found this at...)

In searching for some images about being thankful I found this, and I liked it. It's exactly the attitude that I'm working on changing to.

Being thankful is to acknowledge the contributions of others. While, thankfulness represents an understanding of such contributions, it does not necessarily represent a deep, heartfelt embrace of the contributions.

Having gratitude is to really feel and embrace the contributions of others and the power of the universe in your life. Gratitude moves the intellectual acknowledgment of being thankful to a deep feeling representing the intersection of intellect and soul.

So, there you have it … a quick look at the distinction between gratitude and thankfulness. We’d love to know what you think about this distinction and how it shows up in your life.

My name is Meagan, and I am a slacker.

I had all these great intentions of tracking all the food I eat & posting the nutrition info. We see how well I did with that, right? I like the Daily Plate, but I don't love it. I prefer the Weight Watchers nutrition tracker, but I don't want to have to restart my membership to do it. I need to find something better than Daily Plate.

That said, it's what I've got for now and I need to get back on track. I do a lot better when I'm tracking my food. Who'da thunk it?

Breakfast: Caramel Macchiato Shake
8 oz 8th Continent Light Soy Milk
1 scoop GNC Whey Isolate 28 - vanilla
2 scoops CLICK Mocha Espresso powder
6 pumps SF Da Vinci caramel syrup
about 1/2 c crushed ice

310 calories
4 g fat
10 mg cholesterol
315 mg sodium
20 g carbs
14 g sugar
1 g fiber
49 g protein

Gah. I need to take a closer look & see where all the sugar is coming from.

Snack: EAS AtvantEDGE Carb Control (Strawberry Creme)
RTD Protein

110 calories
3 g fat
20 mg cholesterol
260 mg sodium
2 g carb
1 g fiber
0 g sugar
17 g protein


On another note, I'm reading Mike Fox's new book, Always Looking Up: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist. I like it, but it's kind of hard to follow. He jumps around a lot. (No pun intended.) I love his basic philosophy though; You may not have control over what happens to you, but you CAN control how you react to it. It's what I've been preaching at Brian for years. Hehe... I can be pessimistic and hyper-critical at times, and it's something in me that I really DON'T like. I'm working hard on changing it, I can see how it affects my kids and I don't want to do that to them. There's also been studies done that confirm that people that live in a positive manner live healthier, longer lives. Yeah, I'll take it!!

In keeping with building a new mindset, I want to find at least three things every morning to be thankful for. If I find that something is irritating the hell out of me ( What? I NEVER get irritated!!!) I will do my best to find something from THAT to be thankful about. (i.e., Brian loves to push my buttons to drive me crazy, but he does it because he loves me and knows that I can't stay mad at him. He also does it because I probably need it!)

So for today:

I love that my son has been coming to me and asking me to scratch or tickle his back. I love when he sprawls on my lap and giggles when it tickles, and puppy growls when the scratches feel so good. I love the sly little smile he gets on his face when he's thinking that he's getting away with staying up a few minutes later when he gets the scratches.

I love that Caitlin has such an inquisitive mind, even when she won't. stop. asking. questions. She's smart beyond her age and hysterically funny and PASSIONATE. Even though it results in a LOT of temper tantrums, she has such a deep sense of justice.

I love that Bethany is growing up to be such personable young lady. I watch her with her friends and realize that she does know who she is, and thinks for herself. She knows to treat others with kindness and turns her back on those that don't.

I love watching my cats play. I can be in the worst mood, but if they start with their 'rasslin, everything washes away and I'm laughing. Queso is ping-pong kitty and defies gravity, Carne gets bunny feet when they wrestle and kicks at Queso.

I love that my dogs have to be in the same room as me, even if it does mean that they're constantly underfoot.

Ok....enough rhapsodising for now. I need to get chores done. (Ick! But when I get them done I have happyclean house. There. That's turning a a negative into a positive. LOL)

So crazy tired today...

I don't remember Brian getting up today, and usually I'm a light sleeper and get pissed at him for the multiple hits of the snooze button. Instead he came in from his Friday Running Club run at 8:30 and asked me if I was going to get up. The kids were all up and getting ready for school on their own, trying to be quiet. WOW. I ended up watching a DVR episode of Harper's Island until 10:00, poked around on the computer until 10:30, and took Matt to meet Bri for lunch. Went to Lowe's and my favorite nursery, spent too much money, and I STILL can't find any energy. The kids get home from school in 40 minutes, but I think I'm going to have to go crash. If I didn't know better I'd think I was pregnant, I'm so damn tired. (NO I'M NOT PREGNANT!!!!!! YES I'M SURE!!!!!)

Had my last mint-oreo concrete from Freddy's Frozen Custard today. MMMMMMMM....soo nom. My blood sugar isn't even spiking, which is wierd. I'm going to miss those concretes, but being skinny makes it worth giving them up.

OK...need nap...maybe I AM crashing, minus the spike...ugh...