I initially began posting a gratitude list every day. But, then I realized my blog was becoming too focused on that. While I still plan to continue this practice, I don’t want that to be the only focus of my blog. So, I’ve consolidated all of the gratitude posts to this page.
Here are the links to my daily gratitude lists. As you’ll see, I didn’t do so well keeping up with it during my last semester of school when I was working on my Capstone Thesis. But, now that I’m done with school, I am trying to get back in the habit.
2009 Entries
| June 16 February 27 February 25 February 23 February 11 February 9 February 5 |
June 9 February 26 February 24 February 12 February 10 February 6 February 4 |
Below is the post I wrote that explains what a gratitude list is and why I decided to do them.
February 4, 2009
It’s starting.
I’m in week 4 of my final semester of grad school. While sitting in class last night, I realized that there is 12 weeks, just three months, left. And, in those three months I have to complete and present my thesis, as well as design an application with a group and write two large term papers, all while reading the required 5 or 6 articles a week for classes and working 40 hours a week at my job.
And, then there’s the economy. It’s such a mess. It’s getting harder and harder to keep our budget in the black. And, I don’t think the economy’s going to get better any time soon.
Yeah, I’m starting to stress.
So, I’m going to try something that I’ve seen recommended in several places. Personal challenges, in combination with the world’s problems, can be so overwhelming. In order for me to make it through the next three months with my sanity, I need to work at keeping myself balanced and happy. One tool to help keep life in perspective is a gratitude journal, and I’m going to try that on this blog.
Basically, every day you’re supposed to write down five things for which you are thankful. They can be big things, like I’m thankful that I have a warm, dry place to live in the midst of this cold, snowy winter, or small things, like I had a really yummy dinner tonight.
I was reading a NY Times article about this subject, and one of the paragraphs really stood out:
“The key is not just to write it down, but to write it down mindfully — to focus, to imagine, to re-experience,” said Tal Ben-Shahar, a lecturer in psychology at Harvard and the author of the recent book “Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment” (McGraw-Hill). That way, he added, we become aware of good things that have happened to us. “If we’re not aware of the good things in our lives, then as far as we’re concerned they don’t exist.”
I do think I am blessed, as I’m very happy with most of my life. But, I know that when I get really stressed, I tend to focus on the negative things and forget about all those good things. I’m hoping that by keeping a gratitude journal, I will stay aware of those good things and the stress will not be able to take its hold on me.
