Gratitude Journal

This entry was written on Nov 18, 2008 by our Journal Guru Lael Johnson

Since our American Thanksgiving holiday is coming up next week, I thought I'd talk a bit about writing a gratitude journal. Gratitude is something that I take for granted. I know that I try to say "please" and "thank you" in public places and to friends and loved ones, but that really isn't what I'm talking about here. Yes, it's important to be polite to one another but developing a grateful attitude, goes way beyond practicing good manners.

Practicing gratitude means looking for reasons to be grateful throughout the day, whether you express your gratitude to someone you can see, such as a friend, loved one or stranger, or to some unseen Power. It will help you start taking less of life good stuff or blessings for granted.

I like to write gratitude lists in my journal in the form of prayers.  I know that other people just like writing a quick list at the beginning or the end of their days. You can even create a collage about gratitude if you like to create visuals. There are so many ways to say thank you, and so many people to say thank you too. I'm surprised at how many times I forget to see the good in my life, and focus more on what my  next complaint is going to be.

So during this holiday season and the coming new year, focus on noticing and expressing gratitude as much as you can. 

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