There are so many days I am thankful and grateful for the people and things in my life and the world is full of sunshine and rainbows. And then there are the days where my insecurities, judgement, and selfishness fester and boil. Bitterness and disgust overtake my day and there is no room for me to feel even a smidgen of thankfulness.
But not this month.
This November I am determined to recognize and appreciate the blessings in my life and record them in a daily journal.
Journaling a list of thankfulness is not new. I have tried, like so many people, to record my blessings in November. Honestly, by Day 10, I am so bored with it because every day sounds the same, I eventually stop. I know that sounds horrid to say but it is true.
This November I am trying again because I found three simple ways to inspire me to feel thankful and grateful and I want to share them with you.
1) Thank the people behind the scenes.
There are so many people that “invisibly touch” the things we are thankful for in our lives. The crossing guards that keep my children safe as they walk to school. The baker who got up at 3 a.m. to make the fresh loaf of bread I bought at his bakery this weekend. The hard-working family who owns the delicious Mexican restaurant I went to for lunch. They all touched my life in a positive way and I want to recognize, appreciate and be grateful for each one of them.
2) Use your senses.
Thankful lists so often get filled with people or things; family, house, career, etc. How about shifting thankfulness to the things we sense? Like the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore or the feel of a loved ones hand in yours. To be able to concentrate on the sight, sound, scent, touch, and taste of things in life, we have to slow down. That in itself my friends, is something to be grateful for.
3) Change your words.
It is easy to get into robot mode where saying “I am thankful for” becomes a reflex, not an actual feeling. There are plenty of words and phrases that express gratitude besides the automatic “thank you”. For example: “I appreciate when my husband cleans up the dinner dishes”, “it means so much to me that my kids enjoy to read books”, “it made me happy when a stranger complimented my haircut”.
Saying, feeling, and meaning “thank you” is such an important part of our self-care and showing kindness and respect to others. I hope these simple tips can help you incorporate more thankfulness and gratitude into your everyday life.
