Things I Love Thursday: Write Your Own Gratitude List

A collection of items arranged as a collage on a small wooden table. Words written on cut out white paper reads: Things I Love Thursday. Assorted items in collage include: A mint and white teacup and saucer filled with crystal stones, a quartz pendulum, and a plastic macaroon. A walnut, two (2) red hearts, a snail wearing a black beret, two (2) strands of stone beads (purple fluorite and green aventurine), a bottle of purple nail polish, a pink rose, a silver colored seven pointed star candle holder, a small tan tea pot, a note pad in summery colors with the image of a popsicle on it, and a decorative pen.

    Well another week has passed and it is Thursday again.  Have you tried making a list of things that have made you happy or gone your way?  Have you done it recently?  Have you tried it today?  It isn't some magical pill that will turn everything in your life around, yet it is still an incredible tool that you can have in your arsenal against the mehs & blahs of life.

    Get a piece of paper or open a notepad on your computer . (what ever is more to your liking)  Think of things that have made you happy or that you are grateful for.  Think of things or people or creatures that you love.  Think of something that has made you smile.  If you have never done a gratitude list before try to make a list of at least three of these points.  It can be really tough in the beginning.  If all you can think of is taking time to watch your fish blow bubbles at you that is great.  Anything on the list is good.  I know the things I listed in the beginning were small.  But the more you take the time to notice those positive moments the more things you will notice and remember.

    I am not here to tell you to be grateful for what you have.  I have heard those words too often as a way of telling a person to stop complaining.  This exercise is to help you remember the good things.  Because when life has so many negative things happening in it it becomes increasingly difficult to remember the good.  All the positive things begin to vanish in a fog of negativity.  Taking the time to write down the good things has several benefits.

  1. You can then go to that list later and remind yourself of those happy things.  
  2. Taking the time to think of the event and write it down (even if it is only in a few words) makes it more likely that it will not as easily fade from your memory.  
  3. It builds a practice of seeing more positive in your day to day life.  So as you keep doing this you will notice things more that make you smile.  
  4. Remembering these positive circumstances can give you something positive to remember and talk about with your friends.  
    So give it a try.  What is there to lose?  

    Here is my list for the week.  

  • KleptoCats 
  • Neko Atsume 
  • Playing with my nephew. 
  • Experimenting with polymer clay 
  • This video of a rescued fox playing.  
  • Music
  • Kitty cuddles
  • Having mommy senses without actually being a mommy.  Yeah being an auntie! 
  • Having more energy than I did even six months ago.   
    So, gratitude list!  Give it a try.  If you'd like share a few things that come to mind in the comments.

 Tata, 
 Lilian 

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