My 30 days of gratitude.
In the first few days of writing in my gratitude journal, I was so excited. Admittedly though, I kept writing about the same 3 things, which are my husband, 3 kids and my house.
I didn’t want to sound like a broken record.
Those things will always be a given for me. So instead, I decided to write at least one thing I was grateful for each day other than my top 3.
As the days went on, writing in my gratitude journal felt more like a chore than a pleasurable activity. I wanted to quit but my stubborn curiosity really wanted to see this through the end of the 30 days.
Eventually, I started to notice some shifts in my thoughts and perceptions. I even looked forward to writing in my gratitude journal every night. So, after 30 days, here is what I learned:
I had more abundance.
Little things brought me joy.
Menial tasks were appreciated.
Light bulb moments increased.
I realized what was most important to me in life.
Felt humbled because I realized what I've been blessed with.
More abundance.
Once upon a time, I was on social media everyday and every hour to keep up with my online friends and family. Rather than admire their photos, I became aware of what I thought I lacked. I would feel envious of the vacations, scrumptious dishes and perfect photos. My gratitude journal helped me to break free from my addiction.
Writing the things down that I was grateful for each day forced me to look around at all that I had. My attention was diverted from what I lacked to what I already possessed.
When I summed it all up, I actually had a lot more to be grateful for than I realized. I felt more abundant and it was nice for a change.
Little things brought me joy.
After a few weeks, I noticed a change. I became increasingly joyful and excited to write in my gratitude journal. They were about little things that I probably would have ignored in the past. Ordinary objects and activities that I used to take for granted brought me the greatest joy. Here is an excerpt from my journal:
Gazing at a row of yellow leaf trees.
Listening to classical music.
Cuddling with my 3-year-old early in the morning.
Sipping my morning coffee.
Eating a piece of dark chocolate peppermint bark.
Menial tasks were appreciated.
Of all the valuable treasures that I gained while writing in my gratitude journal, this one sparkled above the rest. I was washing the dishes and suddenly realized what a miracle it was to stand in front of my sink, with running water, bubbling soap and dirty dishes.
I was thankful for the water, the soap, the dishes, the sponge and everything that my eyes could see. I thought, how many people did it take to make this soap, or this dish, or this sponge in my hand?
I could thank everyone from the grocery store I purchased it from, to the cashier, to the delivery truck, the delivery person, the manufacturers, the soil, the sun, and the rain. And that was just for the sponge.
My act of washing dishes (which I hate and my husband can vouch for that) all of a sudden looked miraculous.
Light bulb moments increased.
Gaining more insights illuminated areas of my life where I was thoughtlessly placing dimmer switches. I began to notice brief, but significant flickers of intuition before my busybody snuffed them out.
One facet of my life that felt more heightened was my self awareness. I was more sensitive to what my body was telling me through my emotions and feelings. In the past, I did not discern between their nuances or points of origin.
For instance, if I had a headache, I would be too busy to investigate what the source was and damper it with a non steroidal painkiller. Writing in my gratitude journal helped me become more attuned to the road signals that my body and mind were flashing at me.
I am able to step on the breaks to slow down and discern the alerts with greater acuity than before.
I realized what was most important to me in life.
My gratitude journal habit helped me to recognize the things that added richness to my life. It wasn't the grand vacations we would take once a year for 2 weeks. Or the money we would earn to pay for the grand vacations to keep up our comfortable lifestyle.
I realized that simple and ordinary things were most important to me. Things like giving my son a bear hug, eating a meal together with my family, receiving a banana bread that was baked by my next door neighbor's daughter or petting my English bulldog.
The things that have the most impact on my life are not planned or set aside for a special occasion. They happen everyday in real time. If I was busy spending time focused on making plans for the future or stuck in the past, I would miss the precious moments that are right in front of me.
Felt humbled because I realized what I've been blessed with.
I was able to appreciate all the wonderful things in my life that had ignored before through my gratitude journal. Even the most mundane tasks, like washing the dishes, was a little miracle because it meant that I had the means to purchase things for my use and enjoyment.
The subtle moments of enlightenment throughout my day, that I nicknamed my light bulb moments, added glimmers of richness to the busy landscape of my life. Focusing on these positive notes made me feel more abundant. It was humbling at the same time to know that simply feeling grateful could bring such joy and bliss.
I write down the things I am grateful for in my gratitude journal almost everyday. It helps my thinking process and gives more substance to my thoughts by writing them down. Everything I feel and observe are more tangible and full of life energy.
