Talk about it Tuesday.. gratitude.

20-Inspiring-Quotes-About-Happiness-_-Tulip-and-Sage.png

Recently when talking to a friend, she said to me, "no matter how hard you try, you can't change someone else's attitude." I've thought about that conversation a lot & she's so right, we can't change another person's attitude BUT we can change our own & be an example to others in the process. Do you write in a gratitude journal? It's something I've picked up & put down over the years, but overall I've found that when I'm intentional about counting my blessings, it makes my outlook more positive & makes it easier to truly see those blessings. I've done it a few different ways over the years depending on what works best in my current season of life.

  • Writing a list at the end of the day with as many things that I'm thankful for as possible

  • Keeping it out at my desk & adding to it throughout the day

  • Assigning myself a certain number of "thankfuls" to write down each day

  • Each year on my birthday, making a list of "thankfuls" from that year to match my current age

  • Just thinking back through my day as I lay in bed & not actually writing anything down

IMG_9831-1024x768.jpg

Right now what's working for me is a bit of a combination. I keep a journal on my desk & try to list ten things each day that I'm thankful for. Obviously with ten, there are repeats, but for me having a number to strive for makes me be more intentional throughout the day looking for things to be thankful for. Sometimes I write it down as the day goes along & sometimes I catch up on the whole day right before I leave my office or go to bed at night.

A couple of things I think are important to note: First of all, it's okay if a few days go by & you haven't gotten around to it. Don't be too hard on yourself if you're struggling with consistency especially as you are just starting out. There are times I still struggle with that & I've been doing it for years. Secondly, don't over think it. Below is a recent list of mine. As you can see, it is a big mix of random thoughts.

  1. The sound of rain

  2. Coffee in the morning

  3. Relief from a headache

  4. Comfy pajamas

  5. Watching Avery play volleyball

  6. My mom living close by

  7. Becky (the name of our roomba)

  8. Having the laundry done

  9. Nightly chats around the kitchen bar

  10. Supportive & encouraging teachers

A little tip from Alli: A cute notebook & a variety of colored pens makes me look forward to doing this each day. These are my all time favorite pens that I use for everything! From writing in my journal to taking notes, & even using them to write letters to people. This floral notebook + 3 pen set is really nice because it all comes together! Below I'm linking a few great options if you're just in the market for a journaling notebook.

Be Still Notebook / Grace Upon Grace Notebook / You Are Amazing Notebook / Simple White + Floral Notebook

I challenge you to give it a try & you just might find that the more you praise & celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate! Plus changing your own attitude might rub off on the people around you too!

Previous
Previous

Feel Good Friday

Next
Next

Feel Good Friday