start monday with gratitude
week 33
Welcome to Week 33, lovely soul.
Below you'll find the video and video transcript introducing you to this week's quote and musings.
Scroll further and you'll discover this week's daily exercises, high vibe tune, and downloadable wallpapers.
video transcript
‘Thank You’: two very small words that can have such a huge impact. And, yet, two very small words that are often incredibly difficult to express.
When I was a child and I received a gift from someone, my father would hound me daily, asking me if I had phoned the gift-giver and said “thank you”. Picking up the phone to call a relative or friend and say those two small words always felt like the most difficult of tasks being asked of me. And the longer I left it, the harder it became.
Looking back, I’m honestly not sure why I found it so difficult to pick up the phone to say “thank you”. Was it because it would lead to a longer conversation with the gift-giver and I was an incredibly introverted child who felt uncomfortable making conversation? Possibly. Was it because I took everything I received as a child for granted and not with gratitude? I don’t think so, but maybe. Was it because I found it simply difficult to utter those two small words, for reasons that escape me now? Perhaps.
Today I’m sitting on the opposite side of the fence. Today, with nieces and a nephew of my own, I have become the gift-giver and they the ones who express their gratitude.
And, now, as an Aunt I can honestly and truthfully tell you that the discomfort that I may have felt as a child, lifting the phone to say thank you, is nothing compared to the pleasure, joy and sheer appreciation I feel when I receive thanks for something I have given.
Today I can see and have experienced both sides of the exchange and can say that the discomfort I felt as a child expressing those two small words was nothing compared to the beautiful, joyous impact it would have had on the relative or friend hearing and receiving them.
Whether it’s been as a result of my father drumming in the importance of saying ‘thank you’ for a gift I received or whether it’s been my own daily gratitude practice, I find that I say those two little words regularly every day. For the smallest of gifts I receive which I could take for granted such as when my husband helps me clear away the dishes after our meal in the evening, to the largest of gifts for which gratitude now comes more easily such as a birthday gift, I never fail to say ‘thank you’.
For the more I express my thanks for something or someone, the more I appreciate all that I have in my life. And the more I appreciate all that I have in my life, the more grateful I feel; the more I understand how blessed I am; the more humble I become.
“Thank you” is a truly special little phrase that takes so little energy to express and yet gives so much joy to the person receiving it.
How many times have you said ‘thank you’ today?
daily gratitude practice
monday
Let’s take this week to express thank you to people in your life who have made a difference. Each day we’ll thank someone different in a different way.
Today, think of someone you’re connected to on social media or only via email. So, someone you don’t meet up with in person for whatever reason (perhaps they’ve move away) and you don’t know their home address.
Then think of something they did for you recently or in the past that you’re grateful for. Even if you said “thank you” to them already, write them a message about the situation, expressing your thanks again, and how they impacted your life.
tuesday
Think of someone who no longer lives close to you but for whom you have an address.
Go out and buy a nice card or postcard, or perhaps you already have one you could use, and write them a note to say thank you and how you appreciate them in your life.
Don’t forget to post the card to them.
wednesday
Think of a creative activity that you could use to make a simple thank you gift for someone.
If you bake, you could bake cookies or make truffles. If you draw, create a picture. If you are creative with your hands, maybe make a token or a bracelet using objects you find.
Find a way where you can create something yourself and then give it to someone who has done something for you or supported you recently and say “thank you” as you hand it to them.
thursday
Take a selfie of you with a smile on your face or get a friend or partner to take a photo of you.
Send the photo of you via email or messenger to someone who makes you smile with a message saying “thank you for making me smile”.
friday
Think of something that someone did for you and put it down in writing. How it made you feel, how glad you are to have them in your life etc.
Only, rather than simply writing it down, write it as a poem.
It doesn’t have to be a long poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme. But spend some time expressing your thanks in a poem and then give that to the person you wrote it about.
saturday
Get yourself some coloured thick paper, some string or ribbon, colourful pens, and scissors.
Cut the paper into shapes that resemble labels. Make a hole at one end and knot some string or ribbon.
On the label write a thank you message. It can be personal or something general like “thank you for being you” or “thank you for shining your light”.
You can choose to sign the label or leave it anonymous.
Then spread the labels wherever you choose. You can tie them in places for your family or colleagues to find. Or you can tie them in random places outside for strangers to find.
sunday
Time to get digitally creative.
You could use a programme such as powerpoint, canva, or even just word. It doesn’t have to fancy or professional. Just create it with love.
Create a general card that simply says “something like “thank you being you” or “I’m thankful to have you in my life”.
Don’t include a name, except your own.
Make it a general card, suitable for anyone.
Once you’ve created and saved it, send it to as many people as you wish via email or social media. See how many people you can make feel special today.
and let's not forget...
This week's high vibe tune invites us to be a shiny happy person and spread it forward
have gratitude wherever you go...
... with this week's gratitude quote wallpaper.
Note: details of how to download this week's wallpaper is provided below.
“’Thank You’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say thank you a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” ~ Alice Walker
16:9
16:10
4:3
mobile
how to download your wallpaper
desktop
Before copying one of the pictures below, you'll want to quickly check your screen settings because the worst thing you can do is use a wallpaper with an aspect ratio that differs from the aspect ratio of your screen.
The aspect ratio of a rectangle is simply the proportion between width and height. The most common are 16:9, 16:10 and 4:3. And it will be for these 3 sizes that I shall provide you with your free wallpaper.
To find your screen resolution follow this basic guide. Steps for your computer may vary slightly but I hope this will give you some guidance:
- Right-click the desktop and select Display settings.
- Scroll down until you see "Resolution" (you may have to choose an "Advanced" option)
- To find your aspect ratio, divide the width over the height. For example, if my resolution is 1920 x 1080 then I would divide 1920 over 1080 to get 1.778, which indicates a 16:9 resolution. Similarly, 1.6 indicated 16:10 and 1.333 indicates 4:3
- When you've calculated your screen's aspect ratio, go to the picture below that matches that size
- Right click on the picture and select "Set as Desktop Background"
- Choose whether to "Fill", "Fit", or "Stretch" your picture - if you've chosen the right size "Fit" will be your best option
- Select "Set Desktop Background" and you're done
android mobile
- First, save the wallpaper image to your phone by pressing your finger on the wallpaper image and hold down on it until you see a menu.
- From here, click the “Save image” tab, and it will begin downloading.
- The next step is to set this saved image as your wallpaper by pressing and holding a blank area on your screen (meaning where no apps are placed), and home screen options will appear.
- Select 'add wallpaper' and choose whether the wallpaper is intended for 'Home screen', 'Lock screen', or 'Home and lock screen'.
- Another set of options will appear where you can choose where the photo you would like to use will be coming from, namely the Gallery.
- If necessary, crop the image to a suitable size. Once satisfied, simply click 'Done'.
ios smartphone
- First, save the wallpaper image to your phone by pressing your finger on the wallpaper image and hold down for about 2 seconds until a menu appears.
- From here, click “Save Image“, and it will begin downloading.
- The next step is to set this saved image as your wallpaper by, first, going to the 'Photos' app and selecting the wallpaper photo you've saved there.
- Click on the share icon on the lower left corner of the screen, then select 'Use as Wallpaper'.
- Then choose to set the photo as either the lock screen, home screen or both.