Let’s stay positive!

Hey, Grace here.

Life.

When something is just starting to go really well, good ol’ life LOVES to throw a spanner in the works, eh? Just to see how you respond 🙂

This is my office normally…

I love it!

Beautiful isn’t it? Or wasn’t it! Due to an ongoing problem, the floor is being (quite suddenly) entirely replaced over the next few days. Should be fun! In the meantime, my Clarity office is in the kitchen!

*Shrugs* Works for me… closer to the fridge!

And the bits of desk, cupboard, furniture, Clarity products and everything else is piled up in the hallway and guest room!

There are two blokes upstairs using every piece of loud equipment you could possibly think of, removing all the floorboards, and the plywood underneath. It’s crazy loud and smelly, whatever they’re doing. And it sounds like the newborn baby next door is not very happy about it either.

This is the sort of situation that could stress someone out. Someone could start to spiral and think things like ‘I can’t hear myself think‘, ‘what if they don’t finish the job by Monday?‘, ‘how am I supposed to get anything done?’, ‘what if the job is much bigger than they realise?’, ‘what if I let someone down at Clarity?‘, ‘what if the entire apartment is covered in gross moldy wood dust by the time they’re done?!‘.

Who would you rather be in this picture? Woody or Buzz? I choose Buzz.

I have always been a perpetually positive person. Thankfully! Of course we all have our moments, but as a default, I try to look at things from a positive viewpoint, almost to a fault:

“Oh I didn’t get the big movie role? Well, something bad was probably going to happen on set, and the universe helped me avoid it! Thanks Universe, for not giving me my big break!!”.

“I missed my flight home! Oh well, everything happens for a reason. The engine was probably dodgy”.

“I didn’t book that voice over job in the end. Nevermind! Someone else needed it more than I did”.

“Stuck in traffic for hours? Don’t stress babe, it’s the universe protecting you from something!!”

I’m aware that this is pretty ridiculous at times, but it works for me. And certainly helps with not sweating the small stuff. It’s actually quite a nice way to live.

I think the reason my mind works like this, is because I’ve been doing something quite regularly since I was a little girl. Thanks Mum! Writing out gratitude lists, or positivity points about a situation.

You’ve seen that before! “Write a gratitude list”. You’ve probably seen it hundreds of times and just rolled your eyes. But honestly, it’s like “Drink Water”. People keep saying it because it’s genuinely good for you, and it WORKS.

It’s quite easy to write a list of negatives! Always. But writing a list of positives can be a challenge when life is testing your patience! But it’s a habitual thing. Just like crafting, you get better at it the more you do it!

And now I’m shimmying around the kitchen, being as productive as I can be, and feeling much lighter about it! – Can’t hear myself think though 😉

So yeah, write gratitude lists. Write them when something bad is happening, write them when something good is happening, write them when nothing is happening. It’s a sure-fire way to retrain your brain to think how YOU want it to.

See you Thursday!

Lotsa Love,

Grace xoxo

26 thoughts on “Let’s stay positive!

  • 21st January 2020 at 4:04 pm
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    I hope the floor laying goes well and most of the noisy, dirty work is done.
    I like your gratitude list, this is something I need to work at.
    Good luck and as the saying goes ‘this too shall pass’ xx

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  • 21st January 2020 at 4:10 pm
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    Love your positive take on life, Grace. 👍
    We went through this and more when we moved here and I am still recovering from the trauma so I do sympathise. On the plus side I have a brand new kitchen to die for and a completely re-fitted bedroom and en suite so it was worth the aggro.
    Hope all goes well for you.
    🍒

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  • 21st January 2020 at 4:37 pm
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    I know this is just a ‘speed bump’ that won’t even register with you after it’s all done! Enjoy the new view from the kitchen….. 🙂

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  • 21st January 2020 at 4:42 pm
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    Thank you Grace for this, my so. Is going through a really bad time at the moment and I thing a positive list may just be something he needs to write down so stop him from being in a very negative spiral. Really hope everything is sorted soon for you I’m sure having a bit of a clear out and reorganising you’re workspace will also help you in the long run!
    Loving your blogs by the way x

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  • 21st January 2020 at 5:07 pm
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    We have been doing this too. We have had a bereavent and been arranging a funeral (to be on Thursday). Having to write about about Pete’s sister, made us realise what a lovely and special person she was. Her funeral is now to be a celebration with people wearing something bright, happy music and some funny anecdotes. Sorting it out has been a blessing and has lifted us out of the doldrums for sure. Keep on keeping on Grace, every day is a day nearer to getting your space back xx

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  • 21st January 2020 at 5:13 pm
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    I seem to remember your Mum being challenged to mention Hakuna Matata on the TV. Your positive attitude is a good lesson to us all not to dwell on the problems in life. Thank you, Grace. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter)

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    • 21st January 2020 at 5:23 pm
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      Love your positive thinking good luck with the floor laying thanks for keeping us in touch xx

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  • 21st January 2020 at 5:31 pm
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    That’s a great attitude Grace and I’m sure it will get you through this ordeal. Love your positivity, must take a leaf out of your book.xx

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    • 22nd January 2020 at 6:23 pm
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      Love the comment about being nearer the fridge, I like your thinking. I feel sorry for the baby & it’s mum though! Enjoying your posts. X

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  • 21st January 2020 at 5:34 pm
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    Grace, I literally love this! You’re absolutely right, this too shall pass and the end product will be worth it. Keep on blogging xx

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  • 21st January 2020 at 5:58 pm
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    Dear Grace. Hope your floor is fixed soon, do you live and work in the same place? You need a mind like that if that’s the case. You sound very sensible. Enjoyed your blog once more. Xxx

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  • 21st January 2020 at 6:00 pm
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    An uplifting blog ! Always good to see the positives x x

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  • 21st January 2020 at 6:51 pm
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    Love a bit of positivity myself too. And your gratitude list is wonderful. In a week or so it will be forgotten and just a story to tell when someone else is having to endure some DIY upheaval. Pop next door and give the new baby a wee cuddle – I’m sure the mum will appreciate a bit of moral support if she is having to cope with building noise as well as a crying baby!

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  • 21st January 2020 at 7:32 pm
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    Thank you so very much for this blog. We are having great life problems in the family at the moment. The days are dark and the mood low.
    I have just done what you suggested. It works, it really does. The pain hasn’t gone away but more able to cope with it.
    You are a star.
    Much love

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  • 21st January 2020 at 7:39 pm
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    All will be well! Love your approach to life , and your blogs and your enthusiasm. You are certainly a ‘chip off the old block’! If everyone was as thoughtful as you and your family what a wonderful world it would be. In the meantime I am sure we will all try to do our little bit in the hope of making a difference.
    love Pam xx

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 6:21 am
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    Great blog Grace! That floor needed sorting! Good grief! An attitude of gratitude certainly lifts the spirit in this house! Love you xxx Mum

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 6:21 am
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    Hello Grace
    Our family motto now is ‘It’s not a brain tumour!’. (My daughter-in-law was diagnosed in 2006 and died in 2014.) Everything else is surmountable.
    Love
    Roz.xxx

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 9:26 am
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    Caught up with your blog now, the page was not accessible last night because I should have been in bed & if I had stopped to read all this lovely comments I would have been very late/early to bed depending how you few the time – late night /early morning !! Great idea to look at the positives not the negatives. The negatives are all too easy to think of but in finding the positives it makes you think.
    Hope the work doesn’t take too long though & there are no hidden problems lurking in the background. Just think of the nice new office space – does anything else need tweaking whilst you are moving things about. Look forward to seeing the finished result x

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 10:13 am
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    Hi Grace, love your positive attitude. Hope you’re back to normal floor wise asap but in the meantime put your earphones in and play some music x

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 11:25 am
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    Hi Grace, what a lovely and timely blog. It’s dull and grey here and a time when we can all feel down but your positive spin on life has made a difference. Thank you x

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 11:31 am
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    Lovely words Grace, uplifting in fact. Back here in the UK. it’s a grey winters day, dismal in fact ! But wait a minute…let’s turn that around , there is much to be thankful for, and as Mum says an attitude of gratitude can lift the spirits in almost any given situation. Have a great day.
    Dave (Dv). x

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 3:01 pm
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    My mom read “Pollyanna” to me when I was actually too old to be read to. It is one of my fondest memories and, because of that, I have learned to lean on that philosophy to get me through some really tragic, and not so tragic but annoying, events. Gratitude goes to moms who love us enough to teach us to be grateful!

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 7:46 pm
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    Fantastic, positive reading, thanks Grace, a dull day here in England and just had news of another death in the family ( unexpected ), your blog has lifted my spirit, Thank You xx

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  • 22nd January 2020 at 10:44 pm
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    Grace
    Is this still part of the mold issue?? Love your blog will stay tuned. Love you
    Debby

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  • 23rd January 2020 at 6:21 am
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    Hello Grace, a really great blog post, thanks for the prod to write gratitude lists. Hope the flooring gets sorted. Bx

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