Gratitude’s Gentle Revolution: One Journal Entry at a Time
Position yourself to be kinder by expressing thanks
It’s fascinating how anchors shape our conversations.
Take the couple with a yappy Scotty dog I passed in the lane this morning. As we greeted each other with smiles, the silver-haired lady looked up at the sky and remarked, “It’s not bad today.” I nodded in agreement, adding, “At least it’s not raining”.
It was a very British conversation, but as I walked away, I chuckled at the way anchoring had set the terms for the brief exchange of words. Isn’t it remarkable how two passing strangers can adjust their perspectives to exchange positive words?
Reflecting, I realised that both our comments were based on the weather from the day before. A fine drizzle, blown from the north, made the day one for staying indoors. To describe the day as ‘not bad’ inferred how lousy the previous day was. My words did the same.
Our shared anchor was influenced by two factors. The first was a bias towards a recent event rather than the broader knowledge of what the weather is typically like in July. The second was born from us both being optimists.
Now, I don’t know the elderly lady, but I suspect a pessimist would have glanced at the cloudy sky that…
