#4 Today I am grateful for...


our feline domestica better known as ngeru or cats, who have made very good use of the 'warm' ICT space in our home.

This is Shakes. She spends alot of time in her RED ROOM - talk about attitude!

We also have an older long-haired tabby cat called Sam. He's the lovey one who considers our home to be is his throne and more than often acts like our protector or guard dog.

#3. Today I am grateful ...


thanks to Jenny Mosley for her knowledge of the five WELLS and the three professional development books that I scored for myself at the Teachers Matter Conference recently.

Finding balance...is about taking care of our wells. There are quite a number of ways that we instinctively build on energy, perspective and of course, balance.
1. Cognitive well – reading books, watching plays, debating, planning
2. Emotional well – fun time, friendship, family, love, expressing feelings
3. Creative well – senses, imagination, arts, write, sing
4. Physical well – exercise, relax, eat well and sleep well
5. Spiritual well – religion, meditation, time in nature

I'm an avid planner who enjoys reading both personally and professionally. I usually 'have a couple of books on the go'... so my cognitive well is taken care of 90 percent of the time:)

#2. Today I am grateful for...


early morning walks in the sun that also set me up so I begin each day with a bit of 'reflective me time'.

I'm in Rotorua, it's day one of the Teachers Matter Conference and while there is mist over Geyersland, the early morning sun as a welcoming beacon, is a sure sign that today's outlook will be glorious.

Yeah..okay so I confess that I'm a bit of a sun freak who thrives and relies on warmth, comfort and yummy weather:o

#1. Today I am grateful for....


'precious little stars' better known as grandchildren or mokopuna who make life so much more special. We have been blessed with two wonderful 'gran-kiddies'.

This is our second born Nylah Ngahuia who at six months, has already checked out a couple of Pooh Bear videos via You Tube, 'chewed' on the mouse and after hitting a few keys, put my laptop to sleep. Bubs is certainly a first generation digital learner:)

How to begin your Gratitude Photo Blog

Keen to join me? Here are are a few tips on how you can start:

Take your camera everywhere
Get in the habit. Take your camera to the grocery store, restaurant, parties, work and/or school. If you are going to the movies, snap a pic of the flick with your phone. Yes there are photo opportunities everywhere!

Make posting real easy
For ease of use try a photo sharing site like Flickr. Being able to upload photos fast and easy ensures you will be much more likely to complete the daily challenge.

Vary your themes
Try to capture the day’s events in a single photo. You might like to take a photo of someone new that you meet, something you ate for the first time, a new hobby or even a theme or an experience totally out of the ordinary. Remember to also include photos of yourself at least once a month (so you can remember how you’ve changed).

Tell your story
Use your blog entry or your photo description to explain with gratitude what’s going on in each day’s photograph. Apart from the fact that this information will help jog your memory in a year or so, it also gives friends following along a better appreciation of why you took the photo.

Persevere no matter what!
You may get tired of taking a photo every single day. Some days, you will even consider giving up.

Post early, post often
Plan on going through and posting your photos at least once a week so you don’t get backlogged and feel overwhelmed. Ideally, post every day or two. Know that the end result is well worth the extra effort!

Good Luck with your 365 Gratitude Photo Blog:)

The Ati2ude of Grati2ude Photo Blog Challenge

Taking a photo a day is a personal undertaking that has huge payoffs. Here are just a few reasons why I’ve replaced the 365 challenge with this 'Ati2ude of grati2ude photo blog':

1. I envisage looking back at any day of my year and being able recall what I did, who I met and what I learned.
2. My year-long photo album will be an online collaborative document that may include my travels and accomplishments, change in dress styles, haircuts, food habits, relationships etc.
3. I'm a very visual person so.... taking a photo each day (that I do) should make ME a better photographer. I really want to get into the habit of using my camera every day.
4. I may even get better at composing shots and think more seriously too about the elements that go into taking a great photograph.
5. Being forced with an ati2ude of grati2ude to come up with a new photo each day (that I do) will prove to be an ongoing, yet rewarding challenge.