Upward Spirals

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“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward

This was first published on 8/17/2022. I’ve been slowly moving some things I’ve published on other blogs to this one and it’s a great reflective practice for me to remember all the things that touched my heart two years ago – and still do now! Thank you for your patience as I consolidate things if you already read this.

As I was writing my post Good Mood of the Soul, I came across the research that joy and gratitude often result in an upward spiral. The more we focus on gratitude, the easier it is to perceive joy. And when in the midst of joy, we are more open to gratitude.

So here’s the list of things I’m grateful for this week:

For everyone that is willing to read why I am grateful for

That I can still hear the Click and Clack, the Car Talk brothers in the Cars movies.

The quiet way my three-year-old son says, “you are my best mom friend” to me so that I have to lean down to hear. In that position it goes directly from my ear to my heart.

That we have the ability to take pictures with our hearts.

The way it sounds when my daughter says, “I’m thankful for the tooth fairy.” while missing her two front teeth.

For out-of-the blue notes from individuals I admire telling me something I’ve done right.

That I’ve been able to learn, to some degree, how to fix the things that I’ve done wrong.

That broken eggs make food, literal and metaphorical.

For whoever invented yoga pants and made messy hair look sexy, at least on the West Coast. And if that was only in the 90’s and is no longer a thing, for anyone that continues to let me think that.

Speaking of inventions, whoever invented self-sealing water balloons that fill 20 at a time.

That life keeps giving me opportunities to learn that suffering just softens me up for the next great thing.

For every grown-up that showed me what vulnerability looked like when I was a kid.

For every grown-up that shows me what vulnerability is when I’m a grown-up.

For this necklace I bought on a whim and have worn for 20 years that says, “Strength is having a grateful life” and that I have grown into knowing what that means.

Cool sheets on a hot night.

That I have a bed to sleep in.

Green tea on dark mornings.

That connect-the-dots works in art and in life.

For the human traits of kindness, courage and generosity.

For the Divine traits of grace, faith, hope and love.

For the times I’ve been on my knees needing loyalty, courage, generosity, grace, faith, hope and love – and that what I’ve received in those moments has opened me up to knowing what those traits are in my bones.

I am grateful for upward spirals.

What are you grateful for this week? What have you learned about upward spirals?

(featured photo from Pexels)

47 thoughts on “Upward Spirals”

  1. Lovey, Wynne. I am grateful for the thought that “I have a bed to sleep in.” Not to be taken for granted. And, I am grateful to be reminded that the gratitude for that bed creates a responsibility within me to act in such a way that others will, as well.

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    2. A wise author (Proust) once wrote “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” I am grateful for your post, and as Gerald said, for the reminders.

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  2. ‘you are my best mom friend’ is so incredibly moving. I am grateful that I was able to spend quality time with my sister, who lost her husband, the love of her life, since age 14, on Christmas Day. she came to spend time with the whole family here, made it through the global flight crisis day, shared laughs and tears with all of us, reminded me through example, to keep my patience and understanding with our brother, who pushes the limits at times. a few of us got ill after her visit, but I was grateful when my daughter offered me her chicken noodle soup, my sister made it home and expressed how happy she was she came, and we all learned how important we are to each other

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    1. Oh, what an incredible list of gratitude, Beth. I’m so sorry about your brother-in-law. The way your sister breezed through the airports almost makes it seem like the magic knew she was meant to be there. Beautiful!

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  3. I love so much of what you shared here…I’m challenged to pick a fave, but this one tickled my funny bone…so much! Regarding your gratitude, “For whoever invented yoga pants and made messy hair look sexy, at least on the West Coast. And if that was only in the 90’s and is no longer a thing, for anyone that continues to let me think that.” I’m with you, my friend! If it’s no longer a thing don’t tell me. Please.
    I’m truly grateful for friends like you who keep showing me how vulnerability, growth and gratitude roll together. xo, Wynne! 🥰

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  4. I find a little bit of gratitude easy. We all have something to be grateful for. What you are demonstrating here, I think, is that we need to broaden the base of our gratitude stack in areas currently unexplored.

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  5. “The more we focus on gratitude, the easier it is to perceive joy. And when in the midst of joy, we are more open to gratitude.” I’m grateful for wise friends who remind me to get out of my own way and be grateful for the. wonderful things in my life. Thank you friend.

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  6. I am grateful that when challenges still come from others I believe in my power as a woman to step up and handle things, knowing I have everything I need inside of me that I need.

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      1. Well…I probably wouldn’t dispute that idea Wynne 😉 We are so much stronger than people often give us credit for. So much stronger than we even admit to being to ourselves. I follow a wonderful writer/blogger/storyteller who is about 10 years (maybe a bit more) older than me. She is heroic in the ways she has overcome adversity. Magical in her ability to lead, solve issues, fix things and people. She often refers to herself as a bad ass. I want to be her when I grow up 😉

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  7. I love this: “For every grown-up that showed me what vulnerability looked like when I was a kid.”
    That’s sums up my mom. I do agree that gratitude and joy are connected.

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  8. I agree with Malcolm, we always need to look for reasons / opportunities to broaden our gratitude base. Gratitude certainly helped me lately to overcome my growing resentment about the daily grind of household chores. And I’m with Victoria, yoga pants and messy hair also made me smile. Thank you, Wynne! I’m grateful for you.

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    1. I love the idea of a gratitude base – so, so good! And yes, about the yoga pants. I might update that for today to include skorts! 🙂 Thanks, Susan. I’m grateful for you!

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  9. This is such a wonderful reminder of raising our gratitude meter up a notch every day Wynne. 🙏🏼 Several years ago I kept a Gratitude Journal, documenting something I was grateful for on that day, for a whole year. Writing it down increased my sense of humility for sure. I love how your necklace, “Strength is having a grateful life” gives you an upward spiral of joy. What a testament my friend. 🤗💖😊

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  12. I love this: “I have to lean down to hear. In that position, it goes directly from my ear to my heart.” Just beautiful. I’m grateful that I was able to limp my way through the finish line during the Bix 7 (7-mile race) last Saturday.

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  13. Taking photos with the heart. Wow what a powerful action spoken in just a few words. And these photographs are the best as you feel them in addition to seeing them. 💕 And joy and gratitude are indeed the best lens with which to view these moments.

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  14. These are wonderful,Wynne, and especially suffering just softens me up for the next great thing. Powerful! 💕

    Today, I’m grateful for my health, all the wonderful people in my life, work that feels meaningful, and the overcast skies with a faint hope of rain.

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      1. No rain in months. Unfortunately, Phoenix metro has been overdeveloped, creating a heat bubble that storm systems skirt around. Just happened against last night and I saw a great radar image, so maybe I’ll right about it. One of these days, it will rain…

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  16. What a perceptive curator of blessings you are, Wynne! I too am grateful to God for similar things you’ve mentioned, but let them pass me by without notice–even though I keep a daily gratitude journal! Perhaps I need a category-list to jump my thinking: something kind someone said or did, a simple pleasure that made me smile, a lesson learned. What I DID write down this week included fresh tomatoes and sweet corn from the farmer’s market. I’m grateful that God created each season with its own special flavors!

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