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Original poster

To not keep a flipping ‘gratitude journal’

353 replies

Eastie77Returns · 21/02/2022 21:02

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 everyoneConfused

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??!

OP posts:
Changechangychange · 21/02/2022 23:46

@SpikyHatePotato

As as side note, I read the Ask a Manager blog, which is American, and I'm pretty sure the author of that would think this was an absolutely horrendous idea as well Grin
Yep, she hates it:

www.askamanager.org/2020/07/my-manager-makes-us-do-mental-health-surveys-every-day.html

Monopolyiscrap · 21/02/2022 23:46

I am grateful I am no longer locked in the basement and tortured every day. Then start crying.
I am grateful I got to talk to my mum before she hung herself.
I am grateful I am no longer being beaten up every day as I was as a child.

Gynaesaur · 21/02/2022 23:48

I'm grateful the hostages in the basement have finally settled down?

Justleaveitblankthen · 21/02/2022 23:49

I would write really facetious stuff to piss her off:

..That I finally had a poo this morning...

That I grabbed a trolley pound coin that someone left behind..

That this 48 hour roll-on anti-perspirant has now worked solidly for 72 hours...

Monopolyiscrap · 21/02/2022 23:49

I am grateful no one has realised yet that I have stolen lots of money from my employer.

Gynaesaur · 21/02/2022 23:49

I'm grateful the voices in my head have settled on a definite game plan/victim?

Monopolyiscrap · 21/02/2022 23:52

I am grateful that I bought some good drugs cheap last night.

Frannibananni · 21/02/2022 23:53

I read the tittle of the post and thought for sure it would be about a teacher requesting 6year olds to do this as homework and even then I thought what a crap idea.
Honestly I would just say no thank you and do the cold stare.

Gynaesaur · 21/02/2022 23:53

I'm grateful they never traced Tupac back to me.

ouch321 · 21/02/2022 23:58

Please do come back and tell us how this goes on the day!!!!

newnameforthis76 · 22/02/2022 00:02

If she were my boss, I’d be grateful if she fucked off.

Viviennemary · 22/02/2022 00:02

I'm grateful this nonsensical idea won't catch on in the UK. We are far too down to earth. Idiot woman.

Monopolyiscrap · 22/02/2022 00:05

You could say to her privately that this isn't the kind of thing that fits with British culture. That you will do it, but that it is generally unpopular in the team.

EmmaH2022 · 22/02/2022 00:07

@Eastie77Returns

Thank you all…these replies have made me Grin.

I work for a huge tech company. There has been a big focus on mental health and managers have apparently been told to prioritise anything that helps their teams well-being. This is her idea. Each weeks she reads her journal (it is always something cringe) and asks if anyone wants to share. Most people have their cameras off and no-one ever volunteers so she has now just started picking people. I will be on her shit list forever if I don’t have something this week so I’m printing this thread for inspirationGrin

Just reading this gives me the rage!!

How about "I am grateful for privacy and the peace necessary to do my job"?

EmmaH2022 · 22/02/2022 00:08

@Gynaesaur

I'm grateful they never traced Tupac back to me.
😂
Arnia · 22/02/2022 00:09

😂 Jesus fucking Christ. I hate the way the world is going. I would point blank refuse to participate in this dickery.

If it's supposed to help with your mental health why force people into it and (horror or horrors) make then read it aloud?! American woman needs to familiarise herself with British culture asap. Such utter wankery.

LewI89 · 22/02/2022 00:10

I was reading this thinking oh that's a sweet gesture but then I reached the part about her expecting you to read entries.

What if the things you're most grateful for are really private (like the three orgasms you had the night before as someone suggested Wink).

I can see what she thinks she's doing but in reality, it sounds as though she's just rubbing people up the wrong way Confused. Things like that aren't for everyone and she should respect that.

nocoolnamesleft · 22/02/2022 00:11

Oh god, how utterly, horribly, cringeworthy. I'd hate being forced into something like this, and would completely rip the piss.

Bugbeds · 22/02/2022 00:13

I think they have their place... as a purely private thing!

EmmaH2022 · 22/02/2022 00:14

Ideally, you could get people to volunteer and just deadpan read the lyrics to a song

Eg downtown by Macklemore
So you'd say "I'm so grateful for my new moped...

I went to the Moped store, said fuck it
Salesman's like what up, what's your budget?
And I'm like honestly, I don't know nothing about Mopeds
He said I got the one for you, follow me
Ooh, it's too real

And the next person would say

I'm grateful for the banana seat, a canopy, two wheels
800 cash, was a helluva deal"

See how long it takes her to catch on

This might sound better in my head 😂

Arnia · 22/02/2022 00:16

EmmaH2022

Snorting at the idea of this Grin love that song too!

RantyAunty · 22/02/2022 00:16

Hell no. It's a huge invasion of privacy.

Had a male manager try that shite on us many years ago.
That all we needed was for some sociopathic manager to use our thoughts against us.

She wants to do a team building thing, she should do 20 questions, pub quiz, or charades.

Porcupineintherough · 22/02/2022 00:17

I love that so many of you work somewhere that following the reasonable instructions of your manager is optional. Back in the real world many would find themselves in shit for not playing nicely and forget the "it's not in my contract" bollocks, trivia like this doesnt have to be.

OP unless this is your hill to die on just make some shit up.

Arnia · 22/02/2022 00:20

Glad I don't live in the "real world" if it involves grown adults debasing themselves for some wanker!

Redshoeblueshoe · 22/02/2022 00:20

But it's not a reasonable request ?