I can’t wait to start this blog segment. When the idea first hit me, my fingers were itching to put them into paper and to materialize them here on my blog. The inspiration came from the idea of “Cafe Gratitude”.
A coffee and gratitude corner where you will be seeing a lot of pretty coffee images and lists of things I am grateful in life. They will be just little things that make me happy.
If you’ve been reading self-help or Psychology books. You might have come across with this concept. These “Gratitude Lists” are proven to significantly increase happiness to the person who are doing them. They should be very specific, the more you do it often the better the results.
It exercises your brain to look for the good more than the bad. To appreciate the little things, no matter how mundane they are. The ones we usually overlook, because we are more inclined to look for the imperfections and to want what we don’t have.
Writing the things that you are grateful for. It is just a simple activity. But somehow has the ability to tap into your subconscious thus instantly making you feel good. Not temporarily like with social medias every time you get likes. We are talking about the “joy” or the “inner happiness” here. You will see the effects are more long-lasting.
If you are not familiar with the inspirational “black dot story”. Here it is. If you do, you can just skip it.
“One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions….just a black dot in the center of the page. The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following:
“I want you to write what you see there.”
The students confused, got started on the inexplicable task.
At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc. etc. etc. After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor began to explain:
“I am not going to grade you on this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift given to us by God, with love and care, and we always have reasons to celebrate – nature renewing itself everyday, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see everyday…….
However we insist on focusing only on the dark spots – the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend etc.
The dark spots are very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds.
Take your eyes away from the black spots in your life. Enjoy each one of your blessings, each moment that life gives you.”
I have also chosen “coffee” to be the theme of this blog segment and also serves as my symbol of gratitude. I love coffee and it makes me happy every time I have a cup of coffee in my hand. I drink two cups of coffee every day. The first thing I do in the morning is making a cup of coffee.
So every time I see a cup of coffee. It will make me remember the promise of having a grateful heart. It’s like having a gratitude stone. It worked for them because every time they see that stone (they usually put them inside their pockets), it reminds them to be thankful for everything. Sometimes, all we need is be reminded.
I am now cutting the ribbon for the soft opening of my “Cafe Gratitude”. You are welcome anytime to visit, stay and have a grab of coffee. Hopefully, I am sharing you the love for gratitude.
My “Cafe Gratitude” is now officially open.
We are so much blessed!
-Anna
2 Comments
ELLEN
April 7, 2017 at 8:21 amGOOD , I LOVE IT
Anna
April 10, 2017 at 4:38 pmThanks, Ellen! 🙂