July 16 Weekly Challenge: One Small Word
themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
Theme: Greater Happiness
Challenge: One Small Word
The goal of this week’s challenge is to boost our gratitude for the many gifts and blessings each of us has in our lives. We’ve had gratitude challenges in the past, and we will again, but this week’s challenge has a twist. Let’s see what a difference it makes in what we say to ourselves when we exchange one small word for another. Can it have an impact? I think so.
Chances are at some point you have said to yourself something like:
“I have to go to work.”
Or
“I have to pick up my kids at day care.”
In this context, “have” is an obligation and a requirement. It’s something you must do. While it’s likely true that you do have to work and day care providers need punctual parents, notice how the whole tone of these statements changes from a burden to a recognition of good fortune when the word “get” is used instead:
“I get to go to work.”
and
“I get to pick up my kids at daycare.”
Whatever you do for work, there are unemployed people who would love to have your job. There are other people who would happily change jobs with you because your job sounds pretty great. And couples who have struggled for years to have a child yet remain childless would not mind one bit picking them up at day care. They would be overjoyed to have that pickup be part of their daily routine.
Our word choices matter and the words we tell ourselves matter most of all. Sometimes a small shift in how we think about things can lift our mood and our sense of appreciation.
As I was testing out the impact of this word swap, I found it surprisingly applicable to lots of different scenarios.
“I have to take out the trash.”
Became
“I get to take out the trash.”
I know, on the surface that seems kind of silly. But think about it. How great is it that once a week a truck appears that takes our recycling and discarded items away? Much of the world lacks a basic sanitation infrastructure and as a result, diseases and illnesses are very common. We don’t have that problem. We are very fortunate indeed.
This Week’s Challenge: As you move through your week and find yourself saying, “I have to...” try substituting “I get to...” and see if it doesn’t shift your perceptions into something more positive. Does the shift make you more appreciative? I’m sure “get” won’t be appropriate in every case, but you might be surprised how impactful this one word swap can be. Please share what you observe this week!
Shout out to @JamesClear for the suggestion (https://jamesclear.com/how-to-be-thankful)
Make it a great week!
Challenge: One Small Word
The goal of this week’s challenge is to boost our gratitude for the many gifts and blessings each of us has in our lives. We’ve had gratitude challenges in the past, and we will again, but this week’s challenge has a twist. Let’s see what a difference it makes in what we say to ourselves when we exchange one small word for another. Can it have an impact? I think so.
Chances are at some point you have said to yourself something like:
“I have to go to work.”
Or
“I have to pick up my kids at day care.”
In this context, “have” is an obligation and a requirement. It’s something you must do. While it’s likely true that you do have to work and day care providers need punctual parents, notice how the whole tone of these statements changes from a burden to a recognition of good fortune when the word “get” is used instead:
“I get to go to work.”
and
“I get to pick up my kids at daycare.”
Whatever you do for work, there are unemployed people who would love to have your job. There are other people who would happily change jobs with you because your job sounds pretty great. And couples who have struggled for years to have a child yet remain childless would not mind one bit picking them up at day care. They would be overjoyed to have that pickup be part of their daily routine.
Our word choices matter and the words we tell ourselves matter most of all. Sometimes a small shift in how we think about things can lift our mood and our sense of appreciation.
As I was testing out the impact of this word swap, I found it surprisingly applicable to lots of different scenarios.
“I have to take out the trash.”
Became
“I get to take out the trash.”
I know, on the surface that seems kind of silly. But think about it. How great is it that once a week a truck appears that takes our recycling and discarded items away? Much of the world lacks a basic sanitation infrastructure and as a result, diseases and illnesses are very common. We don’t have that problem. We are very fortunate indeed.
This Week’s Challenge: As you move through your week and find yourself saying, “I have to...” try substituting “I get to...” and see if it doesn’t shift your perceptions into something more positive. Does the shift make you more appreciative? I’m sure “get” won’t be appropriate in every case, but you might be surprised how impactful this one word swap can be. Please share what you observe this week!
Shout out to @JamesClear for the suggestion (https://jamesclear.com/how-to-be-thankful)
Make it a great week!
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Replies
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Monday certainly has gotten an image reboot with this group!
Please post your Monday workout on our Move It Monday thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10637806/move-it-monday-weekly-challenge
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I never thought of gratitude this way. I LIKE it. Please excuse me while I am fortunate enough to get to empty the dishwasher. LOL This could be fun and enlightening.6
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Unfortunately my husband has parkinson's disease and I see how he struggles everyday to do the simplest of tasks, things that he was able to do without much effort prior to the disease. I've become more conscious and grateful to still have the ability to do the littlest of things.7
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@pennysob Hugs. It must be difficult but that is a great perspective.
This is funny that it is the challenge of the week. I struggle with this big time. I have lost many friends/family relationships because I seem to be more realistic, pessimist rather than grateful. I work so hard to become a much grateful person but some days for me are better than others. Trust me I try.
Today I downloaded an all called 365 Gratitude and I listen to my affirmation podcasts daily. I have a happiness jar I write on every day.6 -
I get to sleep more ... I get to sleep more! ... I get to sleep more (I feel the stress of having wayyy too short a night of sleep and more importantly the stress that this reduced sleep will have in the health I am working g so hard to create...dissipate... this works!) Ian lucky to get at least 6 hrs of actual sleep in average...I am lucky to get at least...
I get to have my labs drawn. They are reassuring, diagnostic, affordable, done by capable people. I am grateful for the invention & the availability of tests!!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Hugs4 -
I am grateful that I have a beautiful, safe home that I get to clean today.5
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I get to return the new phone that I ordered from Apple last week because my daughter found her phone on the boat and it’s still working!
Seriously, how great is it that the technology we rely on can get delivered right to our door just a couple days later???
I’m also thankful her phone wasn’t lost in the ocean. There’s way too much stuff in our oceans.5 -
I am thankful that I get to go to physical therapy to get my shoulder healthy again. I am thankful for my Physical Therapist who admits to being one of the more aggressive ones at the place I’m going to...it hurts but it’s working. :-)6
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Thankful that I get to stay home and spend time with my kids, even when they drive me crazy
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I got to walk in the rain today! And then I got to appreciate how nice a dry. comfortable office is.4
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I get to create a tea party for two friends I have had for 30 years!!!!5
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I prepare two different meals 5 nights a week. Dave eats red meat and potatoes. I am more of a salad and chicken type of gal. Tonight as I was about grill his steak I purposely said to myself " I am happy to fix Dave his meal after he worked all day." Something I did not realize I have taken for granted and I was thankful to do this for him.6
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Today I saw the Pain & Spine doctor. I am thankful that I got to see her and that I get to have an MRI already tomorrow morning. I am grateful that after the appointment I got to go to work, and I'm so lucky I get to work at such a wonderful organization with such great benefits!4
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Just joined this group. Looking forward to it. I get to go to work today. I am really am lucky to make money where I enjoy the people I work with.... I get an hour in the car to myself on my commute home.
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I’m grateful that I have the time to exercise on a regular basis.4
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I get to start a new work project today!4
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I get to hang out with my teenage kids today!
Welcome new members
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This so what I needed today. I have not been showing up here in quite some time. My job has kept me very busy and at home I'm very busy or just tired.
I've not been very motivated lately, but I really, really want to get back to the same spirit I had last year. When I realize how fortunate I am, my spirit is uplifted, and I feel so much better.
I get to go to work at a job that is indoors, away from this triple digit Texas heat. I get a drive an affordable, air conditioned car, too. I get to eat a meal three times a day. I get to skip a meal if my day gets too hectic, that's how luxurious my life is! I can forego food because there is something waiting for me when I do have have time.
I may not get to go on amazing vacations or drive a vehicle with the latest and greatest technology, but what I do have on a daily basis is far more than what a lot of people have, even here in the US. And for that, I am utterly grateful.4 -
MmamabearR wrote: »This so what I needed today. I have not been showing up here in quite some time. My job has kept me very busy and at home I'm very busy or just tired.
I've not been very motivated lately, but I really, really want to get back to the same spirit I had last year. When I realize how fortunate I am, my spirit is uplifted, and I feel so much better.
I get to go to work at a job that is indoors, away from this triple digit Texas heat. I get a drive an affordable, air conditioned car, too. I get to eat a meal three times a day. I get to skip a meal if my day gets too hectic, that's how luxurious my life is! I can forego food because there is something waiting for me when I do have have time.
I may not get to go on amazing vacations or drive a vehicle with the latest and greatest technology, but what I do have on a daily basis is far more than what a lot of people have, even here in the US. And for that, I am utterly grateful.
@MmamabearR, I was so excited to see your post. I’ve missed you! No, make that — we’ve missed you! But we can certainly understand your need tor step away for awhile. Welcome Back!
I really like your focus on uplifting your spirit. No matter what we have going on in our lives, ignoring self care and the core of what makes us happy makes every other aspect of our lives more difficult. Pausing each day to appreciate small and large gifts in our lives is both important and makes for a happier life.2 -
My job is transitioning to a hybrid where I will have an office in two places with two different departments. Today was my first day with my new colleagues and they couldn’t have been more welcoming.
I don’t have to work with them. I get to work with them! I feel very fortunate!3 -
I get to take long walks in my neighborhood !4
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I get to make my breakfast (and other meals) just the way I like them.2
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Perfect timing - I just got a book from the library today, Hardwiring Happiness by neuropsychologist Rick Hanson. It's about how our brains are hard-wired to focus on and learn quickly from negative experiences and not so much from the good ones: "It's an ancient survival mechanism that turned the brain into Velcro for the negative, but Teflon for the positive."
So I am definitely employing this easy word swap, while I am getting to read about the details of how I can "re-wire" my brain by how I choose to look at things.4 -
themedalist wrote: »@MmamabearR, I was so excited to see your post. I’ve missed you! No, make that — we’ve missed you! But we can certainly understand your need tor step away for awhile. Welcome Back!
Thank you so much! That made me feel good. I will certainly try to make it back more often. This group is so amazing!4 -
Perfect timing - I just got a book from the library today, Hardwiring Happiness by neuropsychologist Rick Hanson. It's about how our brains are hard-wired to focus on and learn quickly from negative experiences and not so much from the good ones: "It's an ancient survival mechanism that turned the brain into Velcro for the negative, but Teflon for the positive."
So I am definitely employing this easy word swap, while I am getting to read about the details of how I can "re-wire" my brain by how I choose to look at things.
I’ve read this book and I am a big fan. Our tendencies to think positively or negatively about things become habits over time...well worn tire tracks in our brains for how we think about and react to things, both positively and negatively. Apparently it’s rooted in our evolution. Our prehistoric ancestors had to worry about tigers hiding behind bushes ready to pounce and that evolutionary predisposition to fear and worry is something we’ve inherited. But the good news is with practice we can change our negative thinking patterns and become more positive if we’re willing to put in the hard work, time, and effort that is needed.
Enjoy the book!2 -
Newbie here. I am so grateful that I get to join such an inspirational group. I love the idea of using “get to” instead of have to. I get to work in my garden. I get to eat enjoy health food. I get to enjoy sleeping in a comfy bed every night. I get to spend time with family and friends. I get to work from home and learn new things every day.3
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I get to finish up some projects at work today!1
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MmamabearR wrote: »themedalist wrote: »@MmamabearR, I was so excited to see your post. I’ve missed you! No, make that — we’ve missed you! But we can certainly understand your need tor step away for awhile. Welcome Back!
Thank you so much! That made me feel good. I will certainly try to make it back more often. This group is so amazing!
@MmamabearR So nice to see you! I think we all have times that we get pulled away or need to just take a break. xoxo1
