Negativity is all around us every day. The news is very depressing to watch most of the time. Facebook has become focused on complaining about everything. Even family and friends can be negative sometimes. It’s hard to find anything to be grateful for anymore. I sat down recently and started intentionally thinking about the things I am grateful for because they get blotted out by all the negative stuff going on. It was a truly amazing experience. So, I decided to put it down on paper.
The first thing I did was grab a journal. I have several small notebooks and little journals lying around (okay, you got me, I have an obsession with journals). I chose just the right one from my collection. It is very pretty on the outside, which immediately puts me in a good mood. It also has little sayings and scripture verses throughout to get the creative juices flowing.
If you need a little help choosing a journal, Rainbow Resource Center has plenty to choose from. Just have one sent to your home and get started.
After I chose a journal, I grabbed my favorite pen and got to work. I wrote the date and used bullet points for each item I felt grateful for that day. I have kept it up every day since. It’s amazing what a little change in our thinking can do. Instead of focusing on what I don’t have or how awful the news is, I began to focus on positive things in my life.
Some of the positive stuff is pretty small. But, it’s worth noting. For instance, one day I was grateful for a cross-shaped cake pan that I baked a banana cake in. It was so pretty and made my whole family happy. Sure, it’s a small thing. But, it made several people happy and I was grateful for that feeling.
Keeping a “Gratitude Journal” doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. You can use a plain notebook and a pencil. You can start off small. But, the point is to be positive and start thinking about the good things in your life. The things that make you smile. We can get so lost in all the negativity of this world. Jesus wants us to be thankful and grateful in all situations. Writing down the things we are thankful for will change how we think about this world as well.
Happy Journaling!
