Complain or Be Grateful

A friend of mine posted this on the 40 Good Things event page on facebook this weekend. And it really captures well a sentiment I’ve tried to live by. We can either fill the world and our lives with negativity or we can choose to find the positives and focus on them. It is so easy to find things to pick on and complain about in the world. Believe me, I’m guilty of doing so. But I always feel better when I choose (and this is the operative word I believe because it has to be an active choice) to find the good in life. It isn’t always easy, sometimes it is nearly impossible, but it does make a difference.

 

More Good Things!

I haven’t updated for awhile. But I’m excited that there are over 20 Good Things Done now. I have my list of Thankful Things and will be updating that this weekend, too. Now that I am down to the last two weeks of my first 40 days of year 40, I will have to work harder to inspire more Good Things if I want to hit my goal of 40.

I have so many Good friends who do Good things all the time. I know it is hard for some of them to talk about their Good Things because they don’t want it to be about them. Well, it isn’t about who does the Good Thing, it is about the Good Things done and the people we impact when we do them.

Some Good Things are so small, like smiling at someone you don’t know. But something as simple as a smile from a stranger can really brighten one’s day. All the Good Things really add up.

I’ve updated my list of Thankful Things. I would love to hear your thoughts and have you share some of your Thankful Things, too.

Also, I would really love to hear some Good Thing Suggestions. So, if you have an organization or cause you’d like to share, please comment below or send me an e-mail at 40goodthings@gmail.com. I would love to hear about the Good Things you are involved in.

One last thing, if I’ve missed posting your Good Thing, please let me know.

I am so grateful for this new year and the exciting things it has brought to me already. Thank you for following along.

Five Days In, Thirteen Good Things!

40 Good Things is in it’s fifth day and we now have thirteen Good Things reported. Thank you to everyone who has already done a Good Thing and thank you to everyone who is still thinking about what their Good Thing will be. It is fun to keep hearing about the things people choose to do and I’m excited to have inspired so many Good Things already!

If you have ideas for Good Things, maybe you know an organization who needs volunteers or you know someone who needs an extra special pick me up or you just have a great idea for a Good Thing, please feel free to share! I will post. You can add in the comments below, add on the Facebook page or send me an e-mail at 40goodthings at gmail dot com.

A few of you have asked to remain anonymous, and that is totally fine with me. This isn’t about shouting to the world, look at me, I did this great thing. It’s more about the Good Things done. And I know so many of you already to so much Good in the world. I put together this campaign because 1) I wanted to express my gratitude for the Good Things in my life, and 2) I wanted to inspire people to do some Good Things that they might not have done otherwise.

When you are thinking about your Good Thing, maybe you want to think outside your normal routine and push yourself to do something you hadn’t thought of before to make the world a little bit brighter. I know you have great ideas. Go out and do them!

Thanks everyone, thank you for taking the time to read this and thanks for doing Good Things!

Little Good Things

A friend of mine asked today if something small could count as a Good Thing. And, well, I think it can. She had helped a woman take her shopping cart back up to the store. Especially, on a cold day in Ohio like today, that can really make a difference to someone. So if you are worried that your Good Thing has to be a huge gesture, don’t. Like they say, it takes millions of drops to make an ocean, but the ocean wouldn’t be with out each little drop. 

If we all do the little Good Things when they present themselves, wouldn’t the world be a much nicer place?

So Extremely Grateful

As I wake up the day after my 40th birthday, I am filled with gratitude for the wonderful people who have made my birthday so special. So far, there are 31 people who have signed up for the 40 Good Things event and I already have five Good Things to report! At one point, I was going to do the 40 Good Things campaign for the 40 days before my birthday, but I always hate the feeling of birthdays being over. So, I decided to do it for the 40 days after so I could extend it. Also, I wanted to take some time after turning 40 to really think about my life and all the things I’m thankful for and all the people who take the time to care about the world and who show their love.

If you have ideas for Good Things, please do send them along and I will add them  to Your Good Things Suggestions. And if you need ideas, check it out.

Thank you to everyone who is following along on this journey with me, YOU make life a Good Thing!

And the 1st Good Thing Has Arrived

Thank you to my friend who has posted the 1st Good Thing! I’m so happy! I’m totally new to how to make a blog work so hopefully it is easy to follow and find things.

And thank you to the 24 wonderful friends who have already joined the 40 Good Things event on Facebook. I can’t wait to hear about all the Good Things you do!

Today is my actual birthday and it is actually quite happy. Thank you for helping me celebrate!

Good Things

I’ve been around now for 40 years and it wouldn’t have been possible without two things: 1) wonderful people who care about me and the world; and 2) a purpose and plan to do good. What I want to do for my 40th year is to celebrate the good things my friends and family do that inspire me everyday. Doing Good isn’t always easy, it isn’t even always clear what Good really is, but I believe the more Good we bring to life, the better the living. Life is not always pleasant, but it is because of the Good Things that we keep at it.

So, to celebrate Good, I am asking friends and family to take time over the next 40 days to do something Good and tell me about it. I will collect the stories and photos and publish them here each day, along with stories of 40 Good Things I’m happy to have in my life.

If you are inspired by this to do a Good Thing, please let me know in the comments or e-mail me at 40goodthings at gmail dot com!