The Power of Gratitude
A few weeks ago on July 19, I was inspired to start a gratitude journal after reading about the benefits of practicing gratitude. Initially, I committed to journaling for one week just to give it a try; but now it’s become a habit as I’ve been journaling everyday since then. I’d previously heard of gratitude journaling but had no idea how beneficial it could be!
As I look back over my journal entries from the past month, I realize that I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the seemingly insignificant things in life or those that I sometimes take for granted. I’ve learned to embrace and welcome the random, spontaneous gifts that life brings, even through strangers. I’ve developed a greater sense of appreciation for the beautiful relationships that God has blessed me with. And one of the most valuable things I’ve gained through this practice is perspective. I’ve learned that choosing gratitude has the power to shift the way I view and experience life for the better.
One way journaling has done this is by increasing my awareness of the blessings in my life. It’s also shown me that beauty can be found in the unpleasant parts of life as well. More specifically, it’s taught me that choosing to seek out the good in the challenging, broken, and disappointing parts of life empowers you to overcome and find purpose in those seasons. It’s even grounded me and helped me become more connected to the present. All of which has resulted in me feeling more content, joyful, and peaceful 🙂
If you’ve never tried gratitude journaling, I encourage you to give it a try for at least one week. All you have to do is take five minutes at the end of each day to list out all the things you’re grateful for that day. And if you really want to challenge yourself and learn to find the beauty in every part of life, I encourage you to also include at least one positive thing you’re grateful for in relation to whatever difficult situation you may currently be facing.
For example, if work has been stressful or challenging for you lately try to identify positive things that you’re grateful for about your job. It could be the relationship you have with your teammates or manager, the flexibility you have with your job, or the impact you get to make in your role. It could even be the simple fact that you have a job and are in a position to take care of all of your financial responsibilities without stress or concerns.
Personally, my workload has recently increased as a result of stepping into an expanded role, and some days have simply felt overwhelming. What gratitude journaling has done for me is prevented me from losing sight of all of the amazing things related to my job and helped me to overcome the challenges that come along with it.
If you’re up for the challenge, let me know in the comments section below! Also, if you’re not sure where to start, below you will find one of my journal entries as an example:
Today I’m grateful for…
A great morning workout
A productive, stress-free work day (i.e. getting caught up on emails and completing action items)
The opportunity to serve one of my clients with her hiring needs
Date night and quality time with babe
The beautiful sunset at Camp North End
It’s really that simple, but the impact is so powerful 😉
Lastly, if gratitude journaling is a practice you’ve previously adopted, I’d also love to hear how it’s impacted your life in the comments sections below!
With love and gratitude,
Imanne