The month of November is traditionally a time of Thanksgiving. During this time, we often focus on reflection and gratitude. Recognizing and reflecting on gratitude is powerful! Some would even venture to say that it can be life-changing. We have an innate tendency to recall the negative experiences in our lives. For some, it is even difficult to pinpoint moments of gratitude. Society, in general, only associates gratitude with grandiose positive experiences. However, it is the minimal, unnoticed moments that we may take for granted that one should reflect on and be grateful for. For example, it is in those 10 minutes after my morning alarm goes off when I engage in prayer or my midday break when I get to walk my dog that I find gratitude.
Take the time this month to explore gratitude in your life. Every night, before going to bed, allocate some time to answer some questions. Take your time in each and truly examine your day. Reflecting on these moments will remind us at the end of our day that we truly do have so much to be grateful for. The questions below can be used as a guide to starting incorporating daily. Find one or two that you want to answer that fit your day. Writing down your answer allows you to give more time to reflect on your day. Doing this exercise before going to bed helps recall positive experiences that occurred during the day and allows you to end the day on a positive note.
Here are some of the reflections to consider:
- One good thing that happened to me today…
- Something good that I saw someone do…
- Today I had fun when…
- Something I accomplished today…
- Something funny happened today…
- Something I was thankful for today…
- Today I smiled when…
- Something about today that I will always want to remember is…
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me – if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” – Brene Brown
