Update Your Thinking and Outlook
The Journey, How Can I Not Say Thanks? is a book of poems that shares wonderful family moments that anyone can relate to. A scene may trigger memories of childhood for someone. For another, a scene may trigger ideals for childhood. All the concepts will relate to readers on some special level.
Throughout the book, you will read how the speaker of each poem often gives praises to the Most High creator. This is the major suggestion that Mae gives in hopes to ease some of the strains of the journey through life. It is the major suggestion that Mae gives to encourage readers to acknowledge and give thanks to the Most High.
So the goal of this article is to give a bit more insight into the book of poems, The Journey, How Can I Not Say Thanks? This article will also give more creative ways on how to handle those troublesome times on our journey through life.
The Division of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas started a journey through life project. It shares some of the same concepts as the book of poetry. While The Journey encourages spiritual remedies, the Division of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas offers creative, innovative activities for you to stay focused and positive on your journey. https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/personal/personal-journey.aspx
Imagine both of these recommendations put to use: the spiritual and the creative innovation. Your journey through life will definitely be a happy one. Update your thinking and outlook with both spiritual, and creative activities.
The Division of Agriculture outlines a seven-step process for enjoying your journey through life. You will be able to enjoy life through the good and challenging times.
Step 1: Enjoy Today
Enjoy today. Think about ideas that are most special to you and jot them down (you’ll want to keep a journal – preferably a decorated one). What parts of the day do you hold dear? Focus on positive things. Don’t let frustration and disappointment to taint your positive outlook. Identify what you can do to appreciate change in your life. https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/01_enjoy_today.pdf
Step 2: Locate Gems in Your Past
The gems that you need to locate are happy moments in your life. Look back on difficult memories from a positive perspective. Use your wonderful ability of understanding to heal relationships. And the University suggests a couple of nice activities. One is writing letters to people who have positively impacted you. Another is to interview older family members. Study old pictures and the lives of your ancestors to learn of and absorb the strength they walked in. https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/02_find_gems.pdf
Step 3: Look Forward
Balance your thoughts, avoid any one of them to overcoming the other. Yes, difficult thoughts may be there, but acknowledge them with positive eyes. Identify a learning experience from the negative/difficult. And in stead of worrying about things, what can you do about them to keep from worrying? “Notice when anxiety and fear is causing unhappiness,” and ACT. https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/03_look_forward.pdf
Step 4: Use Your Strengths
Do you even know what your greatest strength is? Another activity the University suggests is writing 20 things you love to do. You want to see which one of those things offers insight into any of your strengths.
It’s through using your strengths that ultimate happiness will be acquired. Ultimately, you want to reach, or experience what the university’s project coordinators call “flow”. This is anything that you enjoy doing so much that you lose track of time. What does that for you? https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/04_strengths.pdf
Step 5: Choose to Serve
Nothing brings self fulfillment like helping someone else in need. “Match your strengths to opportunities that fit you [and] use your strengths to make the world a better place.” https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/05_choose_serve.pdf
Step 6: Choose to Grow
“Actively choose to grow…what tasks or projects will actually increase you?” https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/06_choose_grow.pdf
Step 7: Don’t Forget Your Compass
“Live with integrity, be compassionate, and make good choices. Life is a journey of choices – are you making choices that fulfill your life purpose?” https://www.uaex.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/docs/07_dont_forget.pdf
Think about it. Act on it. Be happy with it.
The speaker in The Journey How Can I Not Say Thanks poems, often praises the Most High through good and difficult times. This is a positive outlook on the many different things that can happen on anyone’s journey. This is the positive outlook that the University of Arkansas refers to, and creates innovative activities for.
So, what can you do today to keep your journey through life a happy one?
Please leave a comment. Let’s talk about it.
