Image by Miesha Moriniere from Pixabay
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — Willie Nelson
Expressing thanks for our blessings in life is a life-changing habit. It focuses our attention on what is good, rather than bad. When I first kept a gratitude journal, I started with the 5-minute journal. The 5-minute journal has you write 3 things you are grateful for when you wake up and again in the evening before you retire. At first I had to work at it, because I was so engrained with seeking what wasn’t working in my life.
Over the years it became easier to think about all the things I am grateful for and that has made all the difference. Now my gratitude spans multiple areas of my life. Imagine the difference this practice will have on you. Instead of waking up in the morning and saying to yourself, “Oh, God. I have this to do today and that to do today and I don’t like this and I don’t like that.” That was how my day began for years. Now, I start my day out with good music and journaling. I start with my dream journal, then I move to my gratitude journal, and then my morning pages. After my journaling is complete, I move right into writing for Daily Ramblings in a fantastic mood and ready to take on the world.
The key for me is to write and write and write until I get in that mood where I am grateful and not just going through the motions, which is easy to do. Here are some suggestions to help you out:
- I am grateful for God
- I am grateful for my Bible
- I am grateful for my life
- I am grateful for my Mom and Dad
- I am grateful for our pet (insert the name for a pet)
- I am grateful for my job and work mates
- I am grateful for my home
- I am grateful for my bed
- I am grateful for my Brothers and Sisters
- I am grateful for my friends
- I am grateful for my talents (list out each one or one helpful in your life)
- I am grateful for my ability to (read, write, learn, whatever)
- I am grateful for my health
- I am grateful for my experiences
- I am grateful for my wife
- I am grateful for my son
- I am grateful for my daughter
These are just a few prompts. Your gratitude journal will be unique to you. I literally keep writing what I am thankful for until I get a familiar feeling of satisfaction and peace, both of which come when you have found that state of gratefulness that always come when the mind focuses on what’s right, rather than what’s wrong. Gratitude feels like peace, calm, and warmth. It feels like a warm blanket.
If you are tired of being pissed off, stressed out, and all the rest, try starting your own gratitude journal. It will make a huge difference in your life.
Until next time…
Dave
