25 Jul

The 123s of Gratitude

Technically it’s 1,2,3,4…5

I have a practice each day I call 1,2,3,4….5.  I set an alarm each day on my phone for 12:34 and when that goes off find 5 things, big or small, to be grateful for.  The practice creates great

perspective each day when I’m simply grateful for the simply great things that life brings me.

Sometimes the days bring “big” things and I revel in those moments equally as the simple.  Some days I escape my own foolishness and I celebrate that, frequently. The inaugural Colorado River Fest was held this past weekend and I was fortunate enough to be on stage for festival celebrating Grand Junctions river corridor restoration and revitalization with river activities and live music.  We’ll call that a “big” thing as being on stage with one my favorite bands is a bucket list box I checked! 

So here we go…..my 1,2,3,4….5 for the weekend with some hashtags because, hashtags.

SATURDAY

  1. Free VIP access for me and friends at Colorado River Fest #hookup
  2. Niceness…a really fun band out of Telluride. #thesoulfulvoiceofKoral
  3. Passafire….a band I’ve followed for years and now emceed onto stage #bucketlist
  4. ColoMosa: Talbots Cider called the ColoMosa with a squirt of OJ in it…MMMMM. I’ll have 10 please #overconsumptionoops
  5. Headliner Common Kings. They’re poppy studio work undersells their impressive live performance #livemusic

SUNDAY

  1. A cool dark room for sleeping in #thedungeon
  2. Cafe Sol Reuben!  This place is not to miss in GJ! #glutenfreeflavorful
  3. Pools.. Possible kiddie pee in pool. Don’t care. It’s 100 degrees.  #AHHHH
  4. Grand Mesa…a stunning 15 mile ride at 10,000’ all to myself, and 25 degrees cooler than GJ. #escapefromGJ
  5. A plate dinner waiting for me when I get home #freeismyfavoriteprice

MONDAY

  1. Cafe Sol breakfast!  This place is amazing! Chilaquiles! #quebueno
  2. Babysitting a wee baby Cee Cee for an hour. I miss my own nieces and nephews and connecting with a 2-year old for reasonably safe period of time (for both of us) made me smile #drunkletony
  3. Working remotely, a simple pleasure #noofficenopants
  4. The way my dogs greet me. I’m sure they think I’ll die everytime I leave #daddy
  5. ColoMosa: Talbots Cider #oopsy

I have SO much to be grateful for and this practice makes it easy to stop, think, thank and smile.

Anthony Poponi is a comic, improv artist, brain chemistry nerd and community-minded advocate and owner of Humore.us. He’s brings his love of connection and laughter to audiences as keynote, emcee, workshop host or moderator and his mission is to increase laughter and connectivity to combat the human health crises of isolation and disconnection.

Want more on the benefits of gratitude…listen to Dr. James Doty’s podcast episode on gratitude.  Share your gratitude practice….or steal mine!

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