Gratitude journal

[Galadriel]

Hi there,
Since the beginning of this year I've been making it a point to be more thankful (give thanks always!), so I started a gratitude journal. Has anyone else done this, or are currently? I figure it's a way to be more mindful. The thing is I notice most days I tend to write the same sort of things (example: had a good dinner!). Any tips on broadening what i could put? I mean, I am thankful for a good dinner, but it seems silly to write it five days in a row. Let me just say too that my life isn't super exciting, a lot of similar/same activities on a given day, like work. Thanks!

 

[joinfree]

Hi there,
Since the beginning of this year I've been making it a point to be more thankful (give thanks always!), so I started a gratitude journal. Has anyone else done this, or are currently? I figure it's a way to be more mindful. The thing is I notice most days I tend to write the same sort of things (example: had a good dinner!). Any tips on broadening what i could put? I mean, I am thankful for a good dinner, but it seems silly to write it five days in a row. Let me just say too that my life isn't super exciting, a lot of similar/same activities on a given day, like work. Thanks!

I think to write down own every day prayers is a good idea. It is part of the every day blog.

 

[R. Hartono]

Any tips on broadening what i could put?

How bout doing charity works to the needy that God has entrusted to us ? You can offer yourself as a volunteer for social duties.

Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

[ValleyGal]

If you are looking to be more mindful, are you also meditating? Being more mindful is about intentionally noticing the small things in life, and the gratitude is taking delight in small things. Or big things. Today I can be grateful that I can fully inhale, expand my tummy all the way up to my chest, and fully exhale, knowing that with each breath, I breathe in the good, and breathe out the waste. Stop and smell the winter rain, or feel the undertone of warmth in the air that precedes springtime. Notice that today the sky is a little bluer, or the grass a little greener. Or that you can see the grass at all, if you live in a city.

One thing to broaden your gratitude horizon is to go outside. Notice one new thing about being out there. Or notice one person in your life, and be grateful for why or how they are in your life, or something you appreciate about them, about what they do, how they do it, or how they enrich your life. Or notice the things you normally take for granted, like walking, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting. Try eating intentionally, and being grateful that you can taste, feel the texture, chew, swallow, and glean nutrients from the food. Or feel the texture of your clothing on your skin, and how it is soft or warm, or scratchy, or smells clean. Or notice yourself in the shower, feel how the water runs down your body, washing away impurities, making you clean, being grateful that we live in such a time when hygiene is so easy to access.

Mindfulness is about being aware, so even wherever you are when you read this, look up, and notice something - anything. As you develop this awareness, you can start appreciating and delighting more in the small moments that mean the most...

Writing a gratitude journal is a very good idea, it will help you to have a sense of contentment, and is one of the factors you can control when it comes to your subjective well-being. Keep at it. You won't regret it.

 

[Galadriel]

Thank you for the replies!
ValleyGal, that is a good idea, to pay more attention even to the small things. You're right, most of life is full of the little things, with a few big things sprinkled in there too!

R. Hartono, it would be neat to be able to do something like that. I cannot really do so though (that would involve a schedule) as my job has working hours that are all over the place. It makes it real tough to do anything with any kind of regularity, as no two weeks look the same. One big downfall to my job. That is why I tend to go on forums like this, its something I can do.

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Hi there,
Since the beginning of this year I've been making it a point to be more thankful (give thanks always!), so I started a gratitude journal. Has anyone else done this, or are currently? I figure it's a way to be more mindful. The thing is I notice most days I tend to write the same sort of things (example: had a good dinner!). Any tips on broadening what i could put?


I mean, I am thankful for a good dinner, but it seems silly to write it five days in a row. Let me just say too that my life isn't super exciting, a lot of similar/same activities on a given day, like work. Thanks!

You could invite a "neighbor" over to share the good dinner with you? or plan to donate some food to a local shelter? Like, make it something you do after dinner...
set aside X amount of canned stuff/non perishable items to donate to
a shelter or give to someone you know that's in need.

 

[LoricaLady]

Hi there,
Since the beginning of this year I've been making it a point to be more thankful (give thanks always!), so I started a gratitude journal. Has anyone else done this, or are currently? I figure it's a way to be more mindful. The thing is I notice most days I tend to write the same sort of things (example: had a good dinner!). Any tips on broadening what i could put? I mean, I am thankful for a good dinner, but it seems silly to write it five days in a row. Let me just say too that my life isn't super exciting, a lot of similar/same activities on a given day, like work. Thanks!

That is great that you are working on thankfulness. The Bible tells us to praise far more than it tells us to pray. You can do a twofer at times and get the blessings of saying the Scriptures, which we are told to always be meditating on. That is, you can thank your Heavenly Father with Bible verses about the sacrifices of Messiah and what they have purchased for you. You can thank Him that His Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. Things like that.

There are many sites on the net that have particular areas of the Bible you can draw inspiration from and use, like protection, angelic help, wisdom and so on.

Also do you always thank Him after you eat? The Bible tells us to do that after we eat, not before as is tradition. It is highly important to always, always thank Him after any eating or drinking.