Over the years I've tried on and off to have a gratitude journal. This is the simple act of writing down the things you're most grateful for each day. Apparently there is research to show that this process is effective in helping with things like depression and increasing contentment. I tend to be a bit cynical about these things (surprise!). I will concede that it's a much better option than reaching for the cake every time you feel crappy. That has worked out really well for me. NOT.
The problem I have with gratitude journals? It gets a bit boring to write the same things every day. OF COURSE I am grateful for my health - now more than ever, having had cancer. OF COURSE I am grateful for my family. I'm also grateful to have some time to myself away from my family now and again (but you're not supposed to admit that?).
During my cancer treatment, I began the concept of a 'happiness jar'. Except I used a shoe box, because I like to be different. The idea is, you write down anything that made you happy that day, any memorable moment no matter how mundane or seemingly insignificant. Then you pop it in the jar. At a later date you can read them and realise there were happy moments among the shittyness.
I haven't added anything to my happiness box or written a gratitude journal in quite a while.
And while I'm still somewhat sceptical about the practise on a daily basis, it doesn't hurt to revisit it once in a while and remind yourself that you have plenty of positive things to be grateful for. So, here's my A-Z of things I'm currently grateful for.
The things I am currently grateful for:
A - Apples, Avocados, Ass burgers diagnonsense, Air conditioning, Australia: I'm grateful I was born and live here; even if it has been like the seventh circle of hell lately!
B - Boys, Books, Blogging, Brain (I think I have one)
C - Cakies, Carpenters music, Creativity, Cuddles
D - Daydreams
E - Exercise, Eating (everything always comes back to food with me...)
F - Friendships ( online and real life ), Family
G - Green (one of my favourite colours)
H - Home, Health
I = Imagination, Igloo (well, I WOULD be grateful if I had one...it's bloody hot here!)
J - Juices, Joy, Jogging (Just kidding, I never jog!)
K - Karen! (Carpenter, of course! )
L - Love ( I am loved and I love my family )
M - Micky Blue Eyes, Music
N - Notebooks
O - Online world
P - Pens, People I love
Q - Quiet time!
R - Reading, Resilience
S- Silence, Stories, Songs
T - TV, Therapy, TITS ( this is what I call my ipod, plus I AM glad I got to keep my tits on after having breast cancer)
U - Unicorns? ( Okay, I'm stuggling, now!)
V- Vanessa being my name,
W - Words, Writing, Water
X - X - rays (since a mammogram saved my life)
Y - (New) Year
Z - I'm grateful I've reached z so I'm finished!!
There you have it. An A-Z of gratitude.
I just realised yet another reason why I'm uncomfortable with the procedure. I always feel like I'm missing the point and there is some big, important thing that I should be grateful for and I'm such a self-absorbed arsehole to only think of food!
Oh well! Oops.
What are your thoughts about gratitude journals?
What are you most grateful for?
The problem I have with gratitude journals? It gets a bit boring to write the same things every day. OF COURSE I am grateful for my health - now more than ever, having had cancer. OF COURSE I am grateful for my family. I'm also grateful to have some time to myself away from my family now and again (but you're not supposed to admit that?).
During my cancer treatment, I began the concept of a 'happiness jar'. Except I used a shoe box, because I like to be different. The idea is, you write down anything that made you happy that day, any memorable moment no matter how mundane or seemingly insignificant. Then you pop it in the jar. At a later date you can read them and realise there were happy moments among the shittyness.
I haven't added anything to my happiness box or written a gratitude journal in quite a while.
And while I'm still somewhat sceptical about the practise on a daily basis, it doesn't hurt to revisit it once in a while and remind yourself that you have plenty of positive things to be grateful for. So, here's my A-Z of things I'm currently grateful for.
The things I am currently grateful for:
A - Apples, Avocados, Ass burgers diagnonsense, Air conditioning, Australia: I'm grateful I was born and live here; even if it has been like the seventh circle of hell lately!
B - Boys, Books, Blogging, Brain (I think I have one)
C - Cakies, Carpenters music, Creativity, Cuddles
D - Daydreams
E - Exercise, Eating (everything always comes back to food with me...)
F - Friendships ( online and real life ), Family
G - Green (one of my favourite colours)
H - Home, Health
I = Imagination, Igloo (well, I WOULD be grateful if I had one...it's bloody hot here!)
J - Juices, Joy, Jogging (Just kidding, I never jog!)
K - Karen! (Carpenter, of course! )
L - Love ( I am loved and I love my family )
M - Micky Blue Eyes, Music
N - Notebooks
O - Online world
P - Pens, People I love
Q - Quiet time!
R - Reading, Resilience
S- Silence, Stories, Songs
T - TV, Therapy, TITS ( this is what I call my ipod, plus I AM glad I got to keep my tits on after having breast cancer)
U - Unicorns? ( Okay, I'm stuggling, now!)
V- Vanessa being my name,
W - Words, Writing, Water
X - X - rays (since a mammogram saved my life)
Y - (New) Year
Z - I'm grateful I've reached z so I'm finished!!
There you have it. An A-Z of gratitude.
I just realised yet another reason why I'm uncomfortable with the procedure. I always feel like I'm missing the point and there is some big, important thing that I should be grateful for and I'm such a self-absorbed arsehole to only think of food!
Oh well! Oops.
What are your thoughts about gratitude journals?
What are you most grateful for?
