Would you like to practice being intentionally grateful?
Start keeping a gratitude journal.
The benefits of “counting your blessings” is well documented, and the best way to practice being intentionally grateful is by keeping a gratitude journal.
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My Story
Each Thanksgiving, when we gather as a family, each person is given an opportunity to “sign the sheet”.
“The sheet” is a plain flat bed sheet on which we each sign our name and record one memory or something for which we are grateful.
We are on our second full size sheet. It is an awesome tradition.
Even though I have so much for which to be thankful, this year when I sat down to sign the sheet, I came up blank.
Nothing noteworthy immediately came to mind.
In any given year, I have plenty of moments for which to be thankful.
However, in the rush of day-to-day life, those moments aren’t always easily recalled.
Sitting there trying to come up with something to write, I decided that it was time to start keeping a gratitude journal.
While I am typically not a journaling kind of person, I wanted a way to remember all the little moments in life for which I am thankful.
A gratitude journal is the perfect way to capture those moments.
Next Thanksgiving when I sit down to sign the sheet, I will not come up empty handed.
If you would like to practice being intentionally grateful, start keeping a gratitude journal.
What is a gratitude journal?
A gratitude journal is simply a place to jot down things for which you are grateful.
It can be in the form of paper and pencil, or you can keep your journal digitally.
It’s not necessary to make a big investment in a fancy journal.
A plain old spiral notebook works perfectly fine.
However, if writing in something pretty makes you happy, by all means, splurge and get a pretty notebook.
What should you write in a gratitude journal?
Don’t fret over what you “should” write.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to what to include as something for which you are thankful.
The point is to intentionally practice being grateful.
Some days it may be that you simply survived the day.
Other days, it may be that you narrowly escaped being t-boned at the intersection.
When I hear stories of my mom toting bath water for her Saturday bath, it reminds me to be extremely grateful for running water.
If it’s something for which you are thankful, write it down.
Keeping a gratitude journal is a very simple undertaking.
When it comes to keeping a gratitude journal, keep it simple.
I’m a big believer of the harder we make things, the quicker we fail.
Be consistent.
Make writing in your gratitude journal part of your daily routine.
It’s amazing how quickly time passes.
Having a set time to write ensures it happens.
My preference is to write before going to sleep.
Remembering to be thankful is a great way to calm your mind as you head into sleep.
By the time I take the time to read and write just a bit, I’m pretty much falling asleep before I turn off the light.
Last night my book actually fell out of my hands before I turned off the light and went to sleep.
Keep it short and sweet.
A quick entry shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
However, if writing more is better for you, then go for it.
Keeping a gratitude journal is all about what works for you.
Would you like to practice being intentionally grateful?
Start keeping a gratitude journal and enjoy all the benefits of learning to count your blessings.
If you are wondering what I finally wrote on the sheet at Thanksgiving, I decided an entry acknowledging the birth of our eighth grandchild qualified as a good entry.
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