I think that after the last year-and-a-half we have all faced, gratitude is something that we can all appreciate.  It is something I know I didn’t fully appreciate before 2020.

On a personal note, in mid-2019 I lost both my dad and one of my best friends within a few weeks of each other.  By the end of 2019, I can say I did not carry much gratitude.  Then in mid-March 2020, the city of Dallas shut down and I began working from home “for the duration”.  I am currently facing returning to the office and I have to say, my gratitude is suffering again.

I am grateful for having a job that allowed me to work from home but I am struggling to find the gratitude in returning to the office.

Benefits of a Gratitude Journal

I have been working on a gratitude journal again, trying to strengthen my spirit for the next chapter.  HuffPost has a wonderful list of the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal:

• It can lowering your stress levels
• It can help you sleep calmer at night
• It can refocus your energy into what is important to you
• It can help clarify what you want to increase and decrease in your life
• Through time, you can develop better self-awareness
• If you need an extra boost, you can read back through it to review what you are grateful for

A few tips if you are new to keeping a gratitude journal:

• Make sure it is a safe zone, free from prying eyes
• Set a reminder for yourself to write for 10-15 minutes daily
• It doesn’t all have to be “big” stuff – it can be a fresh ripe peach at the beginning of the season or a friend who called from out of the blue
• Cut yourself some slack, this is for you and you alone so don’t make it about anyone else