My daughter and I had a late night discussion recently, which centered around all the things that she feels are NOT going right in her 13 yr old world. Now keep in mind, this child is amazingly optimistic. Always upbeat. The one who all the OTHER angst-filled 13 yr old girls go to when they need a little shot of encouragement. To see her sitting on my studio floor, looking up at me with tears in her eyes broke my heart.
My Angelface has been a “journaler” for a while. She doesn’t write in traditional “Dear Diary” form, but writing has always been her method of figuring things out. So, as usual, I encouraged her to pick up her pen and write. Although that seemed like the obvious solution, she wasn’t convinced. The questions she posed brought me to tears. I’ve paraphrased the ones that hit home:
- How does that inspire positive thinking?
- How can that energy be used more effectively, to help you feel better?
She was absolutely right. Shouldn’t we be focusing our energy on the good stuff?
This was the birth of our Family Gratitude Journal. Every night at dinner, we each share one thing for which we are grateful, and write it down. It’s a time for us, as a family, to celebrate the things in our lives that bring a smile.
Do you have ways to stay positive? What puts a smile on your face? Please feel free to post your comments here, and join me in celebrating the little things in life.
1 comment:
Sounds like you have an awesome daughter which is a testament to you as a parent. You both are blessed!
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