Gratitude Journals...

Once, when I was watching Oprah, she did show where they talked about writing gratitude journals. It goes back many years when Sarah Ban Breathnach wrote the book Simple Abundance back in 1996 for women. I got the book and it all makes perfect sense if you, as a woman in all your many roles, have time for yourself. Many of us would love that, but even when we try to do it, our plans are sabotaged by life. There is always a crisis calling out our name and we have to drop everything and take care of it. But, one thing I was able to try was the suggestion of writing a “gratitude journal.” Every day you set five minutes aside, before bedtime, to think about your day and write down five things you are most grateful for that happened that day.

These five things can be tiny things we take for granted, like having the perfect cup of coffee that morning, the sun is out, you got your nails done, an unexpected call from an old friend; or they can be bigger things like a raise in salary or a promotion, you bought yourself a new handbag, you lost 5 pounds on a diet. It can be anything at all. Just write them down every day and this is supposed to help us become more positive in our thinking. Many people vouch about it’s positive effects. It’s been too long ago for me to remember if it helped me at all. But, the idea popped into my head this morning when I was thinking about what to write.

I am trying to improve myself physically, with diet and exercise, but I also want to improve my attitude, my relationships, and my life. This little daily exercise promises not only to make me a more positive person, but also to attract positive things to my life! Who can resist that when it takes so little effort and time to record the things that make me happy in any given day?

Just a few minutes of focusing on the positive is supposed to reduce stress. I am all for that! It is supposed to help with depression. That sounds good to me. And rereading journal entries when you are having a bad day is supposed to help you cope and remind you of all the good things you have going for you. It teaches you to appreciate all the little things we tend to take for granted and to recognize them when we experience them throughout the day.

They say if you keep a journal for two to three weeks you will begin to notice the difference in your outlook. Well, I think that is what I am going to do next. What can it hurt? Before signing off the computer every night, I will think about my day and write down five or more things that I am grateful for and see what happens. Maybe, I will report back here in a month and let you know if I noticed anything, one way or the other, happening with me or my life. I have nothing to lose but five minutes a day. Maybe you want to try it too and we can compare notes?

I am all for being positive, less stressed and happier. After all, when I started this blog it was supposed to be about one year of peeves and complaining and now look at me. Somehow, even by writing this negative blog, I seem to have become more positive. Isn’t that ironic? Imagine what a positive gratitude journal can do for me?

PS
I have decided to post all my Gratitude Journal entries here for now in the comments section!