What a remarkably LONG blog title huh? 🙏🏾🙏🏾 Why thank you. *writer bows*
Now, about Gratitude, I’m here for it. ALL of it. It fuels my happiness, positivity, productivity and dare I say, life. Real talk, I am building my image, business and daily routines around the action of being grateful. I started waaaaaay back in 2017. 🤷🏾♂️ (HA! I know, I know, that ain’t way back.) Why build everything around Gratitude? Easy, I have 100% control over what I’m grateful for. I mentioned that I’m handicapped somewhere in that LONG blog title with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. So a brother had to come to grips with his ever-changing mobility issues. I did that, came to grip with the mobility, by focusing on Gratitudes. EVERY day, I post/blog/speak at least THREE things I’m grateful for. On good days, I go into detail explaining the why, how and impact of those three Gratitudes. On rough days, I list them and keep moving. Regardless, I find at least three. Sometimes, I’m grateful for the simplest, most inconspicuous whatever like… the color red. My favorite Chuck Taylers are red, favorite sweaters have red, bunch of shirts, couple dress pants and stuff. You get it. 😉 Soooo, a brother is grateful that his clothes match because if you look good, you feel good. #DeionSanders! Today, I’m grateful my daughter cooked these new, amazing HOT CHEETOS FRIED PICKLES. 😁😁 Gratitudes are MY shit! So much so that I’m determined to share the joy and benefits with my kids.
Why They NEED It
Aight, THIS one shouldn’t take too long and I don’t want to get into specifics or name any guilty parties. 🤷🏾♂️Y’all, I’m a former Character Education teacher so I know kids making bad decisions, following wrong crowds, can’t get right and plain ol’ F’ed up. I KNOW the difference. My kids aren’t true problem PROBLEMS but the constant asking for stuff, no regard for what they have, complaining about damn near everything they have, urgent needs to be driven somewhere and that wack ass muttering in response to everything I ask… WHEW CHHHIIIIILE… Something has to be done immediately.
Why Gratitude Journals?
It worked for me. Told y’all, I’m wheelchair like a MUG, out in public and at home. This is a severe detriment to my earning potential and overall sense of self that led to depression, rage, family drama. I haven’t solved everything yet but I did succeed in changing my perspective and being a better, present person. (I wrote an entire self help ebook about my transformation found here, If You Can’t GET better, BE better. 😉🖤💪🏾) For now, let’s get to the nitty gritty. GRATITUDES. My ongoing process to BE better, started with Gratitudes. I took Gratitude Challenges online. I started my own Gratitude Challenge with family and friends. I did them solo but finally, never quit. It’s been over a year and I still post/write/speak those three Gratitudes everyday. The act forces me to acknowledge what is GOOD around me, in MY own eyes, MY own words. Once I am aware and knowledgeable, I can’t complain about my chronic pain, fatigue, neurosis, any of it as much because I’m too busy actively searching for more GOOD things. If I can’t get THAT kind of transformation from these kiddos, I’m cool beans with them simply developing THAT habit of acknowledgement. When they get in trouble, less fussing from me and I simply point them to writing Gratitudes. There is nothing wrong with them EVER listing/writing Gratitudes. What, they supposed to hate writing? Shhhiiiiiiid, school got them hating writing, reading, math, science and lunch anyway sooooo… 😂😂😂🤣 Nope, this is going to work.
How It Works
Every week, I’m tracking their behaviors and chores with “marks” on a chart. They start with 650pts, based on credit score because I’m a teacher. Every time they exhibit negative behavior, mark. Forget your homework? Mark. Skipped a chore? Mark. Bad notes from teacher? SEVERAL marks. Talking back? Mark. I erase marks for chores, good grades, respectful behavior, etc . At the end of the week, they will write a Gratitude for each individual mark, NO repeats, before screen time, eating, trampoline, dolls, anything fun or fly. If Gratitudes aren’t done, I have a sliding scale of repossessed benefits tied to the low credit scores of real life. I am digging this idea so much that I incorporated book reports as a paid bonus and an actual cash allowance.
How Will I Know It’s Working?
I’m thinking it will be by their motivated attempts to follow instructions and AVOID Gratitudes! Chores should be completed so a young, handicapped Daddy, like MYSELF, can blog and focus on building business. Chores should be completed so a young, working-outside-home, PRETTY ASS mom can cook without cleaning first. Maybe all those loud ass arguments over NOTHING will slow down for fear of more Gratitudes. If I trip over a few LESS toys, put away a few LESS plates/cups, hear a few more thank you’s, notice more appreciation then it’s all gonna be WELL worth it. I’m not well enough to referee kids, build a brand, write a book, blog and rock Multiple Sclerosis. Naw playa, not me. I don’t have that kind of energy, patience and mobility. To be honest, I probably never did but at least before MS I could walk and fuss at kids. I can’t now. ♿ So, instead of continuing this awful routine of school, fuss about what’s wrong, wait, fuss, wait, they asking for stuff but did NOTHING, fuss, wait, argument my daily expectations, wait, rinse and repeat. I’m just adding Gratitudes and when Friday hits, ain’t nobody eating till my Gratitudes done. I feel bad fussing from a wheelchair about chores, grades, noise, etc. I really don’t think my kids even listen anymore BUT I got something to new for their little trifling, ungrateful tails. I do NOT feel bad about giving them 100 Gratitudes because i genuinely believe will make them appreciative, present and aware of others’ (basically my wife and I).
