How many of you have a gratitude journal? Or maybe I should ask how many of you have a gratitude journal that you actually write in every day. I cannot count the number of times that I have been trained on the importance of having a gratitude journal. Right now I can easily think of three journals I designated as gratitude journals at different times of my life. I would write in the journal for 7-10 days and then stop. Now friends I do every day thank God for specific blessings while praying, but there is something in actually putting pen to paper and writing my gratitude list. A couple weeks into the quarantine I pulled out one of Lia’s composition notebooks from last school year that had barely been used, and told the kids the three of us were starting a gratitude journal together. Every morning before we truly started our day each of us wrote 10 things we were grateful for. I am proud to say now 11 weeks later we are all still writing 10 things down each morning. Like I said there is something about putting pen to paper and making the list, and there is definitely something about starting out your day with an attitude of gratitude. I challenge myself to write down 10 things that happened in the last 24 hours. Now my children are still working on that aspect of it. We all could easily write down 10 people and/or things we are grateful for. However, when you challenge yourself to write down things/events/moments you experienced in the last 24 hours you begin to think about what those ten things could be throughout the day. You begin to be more aware of little experiences throughout the day. You make a mental note that it is something you can write in your journal. You begin believing that good things can happen to you. You begin believing that you are deserving of them. You begin to have a positive attitude, an attitude of gratitude. You begin to slow down and truly enjoy the moment. You become aware of the moment. Maybe it was a smile that your 13 year old gave you. Or maybe it was the look on your 10 year old’s face. Maybe it was the belly laughs with your family. Or maybe it was seeing your husband of 15 years still checking you out. Friends, I challenge you to start a gratitude journal today. Pull out an old notebook (it doesn’t have to be fancy) and start writing some events/moments/things down that happened in the last 24 hours. Become aware of these moments, become truly grateful, and enjoy these moments for what they really are….God’s blessings!
