You are invited to post five things you are thankful for daily. Anyone can post. Grab a friend and hold each other accountable. Encourage your kids to post their gratitude. Cultivating the practice of gratitude has eight well-documented benefits:
- Gratitude improves mental and emotional health
- Gratitude improves physical health
- Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression
- Gratitude helps you sleep better
- Gratitude opens the door to deeper, more diverse relationships
- Gratitude strengthens self-compassion
- Gratitude cultivates your ability to focus on the present
Journal Your Gratitude
Post five things you are thankful for in the forum below. Focus on little things (a photo that makes you smile), things you take for granted (e.g., air conditioning), a phone call from someone special, a fond memory, the skills to take on a challenging task, using skills to cope with a difficult situation, something in nature, a kindness or something else.
Three Easy Steps
Here are the instructions. Try it once. If you like it, come back again and again.
- Select the current month
- Click reply and enter five things you are grateful for.
- Click Submit
You do not need to register. It’s that simple! That’s it! Now give it a try. If you like it keep coming back.
October 2020
Grateful this Tuesday evening for ...
~ sitting outside in incredible weather with family & friends
~ son has job interview this week (fingers crossed)
~ father-in-law agreed to voting by mail & lights on his walker
~ bird songs in the early hours of the day
~ sleeping with windows open under a quilt made by my grandma
~ all is well
shine
sandra
Grateful for this Thursday:
Halloween decorations the neighbors have put up reminding me of the joys of childhood
The leaves rustling under my feet
My sister sending a text saying she is happy she lives in a place where there are October’s with a lovely fall pic I love fall
The sounds of children’s voices on my walk with my dog.. pure joy
An unknown neighbor saying hi on my walk and asking how my day was going. Love friendly neighbors.
Thankful for:
-time off from work for a weekend away
-quality time with sister in law
-the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves on a hike through the woods
-fall bonfires with friends
-city street murals
Grateful Friday:
My seat warmers in my car feel good on my sore back
My son calling me to update on his wife’s job. Nice he thought of me
Happy my daughter-in-law is being called back to her job. So good for her and will lessen my son’s stress.
Happy my son made the most yummy soup to come home to on a chilly night after a long day at work.
Happy my husband is home from Springfield.
Grateful Saturday
For a brisk fall morning a soft warm sweater.
Grateful my son wants to go have coffee.
Grateful to have a fireplace and to build the first fire of the season
Grateful for my dog to curl up with on a chilly day.
Grateful for my husband’s chili.
Grateful this Monday morning for ...
~ red maples turning color
~ crisp, sunny fall days
~ sitting on our porch with the windows open "camping out"
~ early birthday presents from my sweetie
~ getting some home improvement projects done
~ all is well
shine
sandra
Grateful for:
- my husband handling remote learning today
- hugs from my daughters
- my ability to to do teletherapy from home
- delicious, healthy dinner cooked by my husband
- glass of wine during the debate
Grateful for:
- house quiet while kids in school
- my daughter’s rash clearing up
- fresh vegetables to eat for dinner
- friends that I can text with
- sunny fall day
A nice home that I live in
My two boys that are my pride and joy
my legs that get me places
my dog that loves me at my worst
my emotions they get me to pay attention
- morning coffee
- kids loving school
- sunny warm weather
- ability to see lots of clients in private practice
- cuddles from my daughter
Why Journal Your Gratitude
A Harvard study of 15,000 people found our minds are on mindless autopilot almost 60 percent of the day. A Texas Tech study found that when our minds are on autopilot 60-70 percent of our thoughts are negative. And that’s in the general population. People who are depressed or anxious think negative thoughts more than the general population. This is why developing the habit of noticing positives is so important to healing.
Good news! We Can Train Our Minds
We can train our minds to notice the positives in our lives. We train our minds by simply noticing the positives. We can speed our progress by journaling them and periodically looking back to celebrate progress. Practicing in a community increases our motivation and speeds learning to notice both the wanted and unwanted in our lives even more.