My nightly ritual for over ten years, has been to write down what I’ve felt grateful for that day, before falling asleep. There are many studies about the benefits of gratitude on health and I know from experience that when I take even a moment to appreciate something in my life, I feel better. Every time I choose to focus on something I feel grateful for, my worries lift a bit and I breathe more deeply. (And breathing deeper always makes us feel better.) It’s good for my heart, it freshens my perspective, and brings me joy- so I keep practicing gratitude every day. You know another gift that practicing gratitude gives me? It continually reminds me of what’s really important.
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In 2011 I started what I called Gratitude Sunday here on the blog, sharing bits from my daily gratitude journal in this space each week. I thought Sunday was a good day to reflect on the week before (it was typically a quieter day for our family and better for slowing down.) I found that sometimes when I was rushing and working to get what I wanted, I could overlook what I was blessed with in my life right then. Gratitude helped bring me back to the present moment. And I knew that if I didn’t appreciate what I had, it wasn’t likely that I would appreciate what I would get in the future either.
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In 2011 I started what I called Gratitude Sunday here on the blog, sharing bits from my daily gratitude journal in this space each week. I thought Sunday was a good day to reflect on the week before (it was typically a quieter day for our family and better for slowing down.) I found that sometimes when I was rushing and working to get what I wanted, I could overlook what I was blessed with in my life right then. Gratitude helped bring me back to the present moment. And I knew that if I didn’t appreciate what I had, it wasn’t likely that I would appreciate what I would get in the future either.
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In 2017 I decided to shift to monthly gratitude posts, rather than weekly, which was a better fit for me. Also, now I take nights off here and there from my own personal gratitude journal. I still feel that ending your day on a note of gratitude is the very best way to end the day, and I’m glad I’ve had that daily practice for so long because it’s been very nourishing for my spirit, but I appreciate the flexibility to take a night off when I feel like it. {In 2018: “monthly” posts became here and there posts, which I feel good about. I love to write about something when I feel inspired to, rather than because I feel like I should.}
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Some days it’s easier to count your blessings than others, but if you look closer there is always something to be grateful for. Whenever we look for things to be grateful for, no matter how challenging a time might be, the happier we are. (I write more about practicing gratitude in this post.) The large majority of my gratitude posts here feature pictures from nature, the beauty that comes with each season is something I am continually grateful for.
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When the inspiration for Gratitude Sunday came to me, I didn’t want to just share my gratitude lists with others, I envisioned a group of us practicing gratitude together. It’s so much more fun that way. That’s why I decided to change Gratitude Sunday to The Gratitude Tribe. (I wrote more about the change in this post.) I created a hashtag to use for Instagram (#thegratitudetribe) to make it easy for people to join and not just on Sundays anymore, but everyday, whenever we feel like sharing something we’re feeling grateful for.
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Why join? When we practice gratitude, it’s so good for our well being. It’s a simple, yet profound tool for self-care. Gratitude can become a quiet center of calm in our lives, something to return to as a spiritual practice whenever we feel overwhelmed, heavy with worry, or just plain out of sorts. The Gratitude Tribe is something everyone can participate in. When I read what others are grateful for I find it so heartwarming, we can really uplift each other. Would you like to join me? Let’s set our hearts to humming with gratitude, and remind each other all that we have to appreciate in our lives. Can we change the world with gratitude? Let’s find out and see.
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Why join? When we practice gratitude, it’s so good for our well being. It’s a simple, yet profound tool for self-care. Gratitude can become a quiet center of calm in our lives, something to return to as a spiritual practice whenever we feel overwhelmed, heavy with worry, or just plain out of sorts. The Gratitude Tribe is something everyone can participate in. When I read what others are grateful for I find it so heartwarming, we can really uplift each other. Would you like to join me? Let’s set our hearts to humming with gratitude, and remind each other all that we have to appreciate in our lives. Can we change the world with gratitude? Let’s find out and see.
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To join The Gratitude Tribe:
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–Anytime: Join on Instagram with the tag #thegratitudetribe. It’s such an easy way to participate, anytime you feel like sharing what you’re feeling grateful for. A bunch of things, a single thing… whatever you feel like sharing. We can inspire one another!
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–Here on the blog: Share what you’re feeling grateful for (whether you list a single gratitude or many) in the comments on my Gratitude posts on this blog. Or leave a link in the comments to your gratitude post. (You can also leave comments in that post until the next Gratitude post rolls along.)
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P.S. I’ll leave you with this quote I adore: “It is not happy people who are grateful. It is grateful people who are happy.”
P.S. I’ll leave you with this quote I adore: “It is not happy people who are grateful. It is grateful people who are happy.”