Please & Thank You Are Still Magic Words

Just a reminder from littleminnowdesigns shop on Etsy.

Complaints & Gratitude

Do you complain a lot? 

Because of the no complaints challenge held by 365 Grateful last week, this is the subject I've been thinking about more than usual recently. I came to realize that in me the fact that I don't complain much is a result of focusing on the things I'm thankful for rather than the things I'm lacking. 

For instance, I might not feel happy about some argument with my parents, but hey, I actually HAVE parents who are still around, not drug addicts or alcoholics and who actually love and care about me - I should be thankful. And I really do feel thankful often and try to express it just as often, and I feel it might be exactly the thing that prevents me from expressing dissatisfaction in the form of complaints. And when I do express my dissatisfaction with something it's because I want a solution, which means I either get over it and move on or share my feelings with someone I trust and then listen to their opinion and advice, making it a conversation rather than one way whining. In my world complaints and gratitude are mutually exclusive and the more thankful I am the less I'm prone to complaining.

This is my take on the subject. What do you think? 

P.S. Please note that the above is not meant to offend anyone. I'm just expressing myself and the way I see it and trying to spark some conversation here. You're only allowed to get offended if it'll help you complain less.

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How About You Thank Your Favorite Server?

Or bartender, or barista, or mechanic, or librarian, or shop assistant, or beautician or God knows who else you might want to thank. The point is, some of the people in the service industry are just so amazing that a 'thank you' and a tip just don't feel like enough. And I mean, how many times in a row can you actually say 'thank you' to your waiter on a single visit for it not to seem odd?

A while back someone complimented me on my blog (thank you!), I followed the link back to his, then via his twitter I discovered an interesting app, then later I realized he was involved in the making of this app... To make a long story short, it's the ultimate thankful app!

You get great service somewhere, you open We&Co, you press "thank". The server can thank you back or even offer a freebie... Or maybe you can even help your server get a raise if he/she becomes one of the most thanked! A way to promote a business by putting the emphasis on its people.

Do read more about the We&Co app in this article on my beloved good.is and in the write up here.

P.S. Just remembered how my funny grandma once jokingly said to my mom - "you can have your 'thank you' for lunch". If she was tech savvy enough, maybe she'd enjoy using the app to add a little extra to her 'thanks', ha!

Appreciate Summer

Appreciate summer while it lasts!

"Life, even in the hardest times, is full of moments to savor. They will not come this way again, not in this way" - Paula Rinehart

Sertac Yuksel shot this video over a couple of days on the streets of Istanbul. He took his camera, strolled through the streets alone and had a great time with the help of summer and a real life outside - Times Like This is the outcome.

FM99.3 Radio Interview Rerun

As you may remember, back in January I had the honor of being interviewed for Australian radio station North Shore's FM99.3. This weekend Breakfast in Bed show turns 2 and to celebrate they're talking about all things thankful and featuring my interview along with lots of new fun gratitude themed songs and segments! Here below is the full schedule:

Tune in to FM99.3 this Sunday at 7:30 am Sydney time if you're located in Australia, or use a world time zone converter to figure out what time it's going to be in your city and country when it's 7:30 am in Sydney if you're located elsewhere. You can listen to the show ONLINE, following this link. 

P.S. To ensure the online web-streaming works for you, it is advised to try it out or download the needed software beforehand.

Some Thankful Inspiration

Some of the heartwarming thanks given in comments to the Thankful Survey:

“ Today I'm thankful for ideas that cross my mind, and for having/finding a chance to express them. ”

“ Being with my kids... Being able to bring them to places that put smiles to their faces. ”

“ I am thankful for the things that break me down because I gain strength, wisdom and a greater understanding of myself. ”

“ Being healthy and having a healthy family. It is something to be thankful for everyday, as it can change at any time. ”

“ The people who make the teabags I use and the people who grow the oats I eat every morning. ”

“ Being able to have a friend willing to listen to the silliness of my life. ”

“ Thankful for the opportunity to be inspired daily by the creative minds of others. ”

“ I'm thankful for the simple joy of watching my cat thoroughly enjoy the warm breeze from the open window! ”

  

What are you thankful for today? 

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Dear Blank Please Blank

Interesting twists on thank yous and not only: dearblankpleaseblank.com

Thankful Survey: Final Results

I am ready to share the rest of the Thankful Survey's results! This time we're taking a look at what exactly the survey respondents felt most thankful for at the time of sharing their thankful thoughts. Things haven’t changed dramatically since the last time I reported on it, but there are still some minor dissimilarities. 

We're seeing a slight increase in the percentage of people expressing gratitude for their health and well-being, life and nature, spirituality and religion and for various objects and life facts, with everything else showing a minor decline.

The percentage of people who couldn't categorize their gratefulness according  to the survey's requirements is also smaller than before, and many of those who couldn't choose a category stated in the comments that it was due to their gratitude overlapsing several of the suggested options.

Where does your thankfulness rank?