To not keep a flipping ‘gratitude journal’

[Eastie77Returns]

New manager at work, from the US if that’s relevant, declared a few weeks back that she thought it would a great idea for the team to start keeping a gratitude journal. Not my cup of tea at all but I was wasn’t bothered as it was optional. Then journals arrived at our home addresses in the post, she’d ordered them for everyone

On our weekly team meetings she started asking volunteers to read journal entries aloud. When no-one volunteered, she picked people. A few colleagues ‘read’ clearly made up on the spot entries. When it was my turn I just said I’m not keeping the journal. I’m grateful for many things but I don’t write them down. She didn’t look happy and I’ve heard I’m now on her shit list for not being a team player or something. WIBU??!

[StrawberrySquash]

Cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green
Strawberries sweeter than any I've seen

[caranations]

I'm thankful that I can always look on the bright side of life.

[buddylicious]

Me and my colleagues could have a great time with this activity. We would struggle to keep a straight face and SO be making fun of the activity without her realising.

Between you all you could think up some great answers and then challenge yourselves not to laugh when you read them out.

Go for it!

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Loving how ungrateful she is that you don't want to fill in her book!

Is there something you could use the book for that helps bring you some pleasure

If, by 'pleasure', you might also mean 'relief'....?!

"I'm grateful for patios - and for B&Q for selling all the materials for them at reasonable prices. I'm grateful for how happy they make me as I sit in my garden in the Sun, with a glass of wine. I'm also very grateful to have made my peace with the fact that, however irritating a person may be in my life, their negative influence on me need not last too long."

[M0nica44]

@NeverDropYourMooncup i was giggling at your post and then got to 'those in peril on the sea' and snorted diet coke onto the cat.
FYI He is NOT grateful!

[SwelegantParty]

At this exact moment I'm grateful for the lovely people who grew the grapes to make my lovely glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Earlier I was grateful for the farmer who bred the cow that produced the lovely steak I had for tea.

All day I've been grateful for the people who grew the coffee beans that produced my lovely coffee. And again for the farmer who bred the cow that produced the milk for my coffee.

It could go on and on.....

[Eggsley]

Aah, watch out for toxic positivity coming your way! They will sign a pledge to care about your mental health and if you are working from home they might send you biscuits in the post because that will definitely fix everything.

My previous workplace came up with this sort of thing during lockdown. Each week we had to "share a positive" of our week on our department zoom call. It was utter bollocks, we were working 150% of our hours for 80% of our pay, from home, no equipment provided by the company (not even a laptop), my entire team had been furloughed so I was doing the work of 4 other people. You get the picture. If I'd been in the right frame of mind I'd have taken the piss and had some fun with it but mentally I was not doing well at the time.

They also liked to use resilience as a stick to beat people with. It was suggested that if I kept a gratitude journal I may become more resilient and develop a more positive outlook (this was just after I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, which they were aware of). I had reached the 'no shits given' stage so suggested that if they weren't such a shit show to work for and if they paid me my actual full salary I might feel a bit more positive

Was so relieved to hand my notice in!

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Might some enthusiastic, throaty, mumbly monk's chants be a nice added touch here? Some of them last for about 45 minutes.

[WhatWouldChristineCagneyDo]

"I am grateful that my period wasn't too clotty this month and that the period shits only lasted 36 hours"

Then smile sweetly

[PomBearWithoutHerOFRS]

Quote MasterHarper Robinton at her
"Gratitude is an ill fitting tunic that can chafe and smell if worn too long"

[blacksax]

A host of golden daffodils

[Quirkyme]

Omg. This is so inappropriate. Is she okay haha?

This is something someone chooses to do by choice, and certainly not to share bits of their gratitude journal with colleagues.

Wow.

[Whydoesthecatalwaysdothat]

Oh my god, what an utter load of shite! You have my sympathies.

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

That sounds like sheer hell......

How about you sneak a copy of the Ladybird book of Mindfulness onto her desk in order to help her integrate? (I know, I'm evil..... )

[Mercyn]

How about:
I am grateful to live in a country where there are not the the equivalent of 120 firearms per 100 citizens.

I am grateful to live in a country that doesn’t have has the second-highest number of gun deaths in the world.

[PushMyFingersIntoMyEyes]

Absolutely not on. Fine for her to suggest people do it, not ok for her to force the idea and absolutely not on for her to force people to read things out. I'd be tempted to make her regret the idea and try to make her feel uncomfortable. I'd start with:
"I'm grateful for my vibrator"
and go from there.

[Quirkyme]

@MMAMPWGHAP

I am (and you should be) grateful that I completed that anger management course.

Good one.

[CourtRand]

No. I don't do work outside of work hours. That includes wellness crap.

[Quirkyme]

Literally just engage with a straight face and say that you're grateful for the most absurd things, maybe she'll leave it alone then.

[MissM2912]

You are all very cynical. Try it. So much negativity in the world. Sometimes it is good to regroup. I had to deal with a child protection thing today which was very sad- believe me- focusing on nice thing was a great distraction and helps refocus on things which otherwise might annoy you.

[NeverDropYourMooncup]

@caranations

I'm thankful that I can always look on the bright side of life.

Oh, yes, that should be for a Friday Gratitude seesion.

'Some things in life are sad. They can really make me mad. Other things can make me swear and curse. When I'm chewing on life's gristle, I'm grateful I don't grumble, but whistle. For this will help things turn out for the best...'

[NeverDropYourMooncup]

[quote M0nica44]@NeverDropYourMooncup i was giggling at your post and then got to 'those in peril on the sea' and snorted diet coke onto the cat.
FYI He is NOT grateful! [/quote]
He clearly needs to adopt a Growth Mindset. Has he considered that other cats get doused with full sugar Coke and STILL succeed in placing the perfect furball into their owner's shoes overnight?

[Mercyn]

Meh, life is hard sometimes. Just let life be difficult, it’s reality.

nothing wrong with being deeply cynical about contrived pop psychology foisted on the unwilling as an attempt to tick some corporate wanky idea of “improving the workplace”. It’s infantilising, intrusive, and insulting.

[Redshoeblueshoe]

Absolutely Mercyn

[Loopytiles]

Is your boss the one from in Emily in Paris who used to be Addison Montgomery?