Rest for the Long Roads

Keep a Gratitude List

During the month of November, I posted something I was thankful for every day.  In the past I had a journal that I wrote 10 things on most days, and right now, I'm going to try writing down a few things on the same notebook I use for my to-do lists, so I see the things I'm grateful for next to the things I need to get done.

The point is not about using a particular format, but finding a way to incorporate it into your daily routine.  It can be public, like my 30 Days of Thanksgiving, or it can be more private.  It can be a daily list of things that bring you joy (check out 14,000 Things to be Happy Aboutfor inspiration!), or sightings of God in your life - large or small.

Gratitude is not always something that has come easily to me when the storms of life hit - in fact, sometimes I've found it very difficult.  Little by little, I've worked on it, and I've come to find that it brings me joy.

One of my favorite bloggers, Crystal at Money Saving Mom, wrote about working to replace whining with gratitude, and it really challenged me to start a more purposeful habit in my own life.  You can read her wise words here.

I find that focusing on the things that are going well, or the things that I'm happy about (even if it's something as small as pickles!) makes it so much easier to have a good attitude about the things that are genuinely difficult.  And sometimes, when the road has been long, I have found it to be easier to have a positive outlook when I am more intentional about choosing gratitude.

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