Gratitude is a Year-Round Practice
I know we are fast approaching Thanksgiving Day. I would think that most of us have at least one thing we are thankful for. In an effort to avoid being too cliche and posting about gratitude ON Thanksgiving Day itself, here are my thoughts today about practicing gratitude:
Practicing gratitude is not something we have to wait to talk about once a year around a dinner table on Thanksgiving Day. It is something I believe we all can really benefit from every day. In fact, when I work with clients, I encourage them to keep a daily gratitude journal. The journal is a really great way to visualize what we are thankful for. Practicing gratitude has taps into our positive reserve of emotions. I typically recommend that clients keep this journal by their nightstand. That makes it easy to jot down a few things when they wake up in the morning. I truly feel that starting the day with gratitude helps set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
In general, I believe that journaling is a really beneficial outlet outside of therapy. When journaling incorporates gratitude, it tends to balance out any negative thoughts and feelings that may arise naturally. Also, talking about what you are grateful for with someone you love (whether its around the dinner table, or talking with your kids in the car on the way home from school, or when you’re in bed at the end of the day talking to your partner or higher power) can help continue to generate positive, lasting emotions.
My Confession
However, I have a MAJOR confession: Before this week, it has been years since I have kept any kind of journal; especially a gratitude one.
Not practicing this strategy myself has felt icky to me. When I say icky, I mean disingenuous. Is it fair for me to advise my clients to do things I am not doing myself? I wanted to get rid of this icky feeling…so I decided to make a change. And no, I didn’t wait until January 1st to make it a New Year’s resolution. What is the purpose of waiting until after the new year when I am in charge of my own goals all year long? So, last week I bought a gratitude journal from Pretty Simple Press (click here to find it on Amazon.) I have been keeping it by my bedside and using it daily. Within the first few moments of my waking up, I have been documenting three things I am grateful for every day. In the spirit of being honest ya’ll, this has been my experience:
Adding this practice to my morning schedule has been simple! Also, it has only been a week, and I am already noticing how much more positive I feel after I do it. Upon reflection, I have also noticed that I have been carrying these positive feelings with me throughout the rest of my day. In addition, I have observed my focus shifting from situations and people I might be struggling with or things that I DON’T have in my life to all of the wonderful people, experiences and things I DO have. It feels good!
A few comments about the gratitude journal:
- I really like that each week starts with an inspirational quote from some of my favorite authors, like Brene Brown, Zig Ziglar, Maya Angelou and Voltaire.
- There are also several sections throughout the journal that offer space for deeper reflections of gratitude. This is great!
So, I have made a commitment to myself to practicing gratitude every day for a year. I am looking forward to completing all 365 sections of the journal. I am feeling encouraged that it will become a habit that I continue after the journal is filled.
How does gratitude fit into your life?