21-Day Gratitude Challenge.

As I read Emotional Intelligence, I am realizing more and more what a fortunate childhood I had. I need to return to gratefulness.

— Jeffrey Nordstrom (@jeffnords) May 31, 2016

I am grateful for practically everything in my life. However, I don't think I express my gratitude very often. I'm out of practice.

Yesterday, while I was reading the chapter on Emotional Literacy in Goleman's Emotional Intelligence, I came to a renewed appreciation for my generally peaceful, stable childhood. My parents and I certainly have our differences, but I think they appreciate me and I am grateful for their attempts to give their oddball, humanities-ish son a good upbringing. I had freedom to move around and make my own choices, and I did—in my own introverted, awkward way. I'm thankful for their efforts and continued support.

This morning, while making my daughters' lunches, I listened to this video by the more-energetic-than-I-can-handle, proud-of-his-teeth Charisma on Command guy:

Reinforces my comment about #gratefulness yesterday. #happiness #reframing #mindset https://t.co/zOp4mRwqEf

— Jeffrey Nordstrom (@jeffnords) June 1, 2016

His "top of the ladder" is essentially a matter of day-to-day gratefulness, of being thankful for the things you have—without fussing over all the things you don't have.I've heard this sort of idea before, that gratefulness for the everyday is the pinnacle of inner peace, and I like the guy's "Ladder" image, so I went searching for some ways to organize some gratitude.

I quickly discovered The Gratitude Challenge, a 21-Day plan for practising gratitude deliberately and methodically. Although I'm not usually a fan of "challenges" like this, I think this might be a good time to take it on. Why?

1. Because it's the first day of the month.
2. Because my wife returns from her trip on the 21st.
3. Because I'm vaguely motivated to take it on.

I printed off the "calendar" and taped it to one of my filing cabinets in my classroom (below). I'll post my daily Gratitude Challenge updates to my  Tumblr so they don't clog up the blog.

Taped up Jeffrey Nordstrom-style.

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