I’ve definitely felt the (self-imposed) pressure to come up with unique things every single day for my gratitude list.
And let me tell you what – that has absolutely robbed me of the joy and purpose of this gratitude practice.
It’s not to come up with the most clever, outlandish, and overwhelmingly grandiose list of things. It’s a heart posture. It’s to truly focus on what I’m grateful for – and there are plenty of days where the list has repeat things on it.
While never an exact replica, and I certainly don’t “copy” + ”paste” my list, I truly AM grateful for my friendships and my awesome family and where I live.
?I’m grateful for the food on my table and fresh drinking water.
?I’m grateful for the ability to read and write and sing, and that I have a cozy bed to sleep in.
?I’m grateful for my incredible church, my freedoms, and to know where I’m spending eternity.
?I’m grateful for the rich scent of vanilla and the luxurious, velvety texture of oat milk in my latte.
?I’m grateful for a strong body and cute shoes.
?I’m grateful for technology and moss-laden forest paths.
Gratitude is a practice, and some days it’s way easier than others. Transparently, there are days when I’ve chosen to not make a gratitude list because I am caught up in my emotions instead of my commitment. And, I’ve not let that knock me off-track. One “off” day doesn’t equate to quitting the rest of them 😉
I shared a post recently about how to re-frame gratitude if it’s something you are struggling with. I call it my “I’d rather have it than not” list (https://growthandgracelife.com/blog/leadership/id-rather-have-it-than-not/). Perhaps it will help if that’s an area you’re wanting to grow in. It’s a practice, after all. Practice is to get better, it’s not something you do once you’ve “arrived.”
I’ve found it’s helpful to not try to force gratitude. Let it be a grace-filled activity. Do it even if you’re feeling clumsy or stumble-y or uncertain. Do it even if the desire isn’t there. Do it even if you don’t have a long list. Do it even if _________ (you fill in the blank).
You will find that life becomes better! Clearer. Simpler. Sweeter.
As an aside, here are a couple of bonus tips that help me with my gratitude list:
✔️I have a reminder in my calendar daily for this – it has helped engrain the habit
✔️It’s a running list with the most recent date at the top, and as added motivation, I go ahead and enter the next day’s date ahead of time so it’s even more appealing to go in and make my list – because this girl likes to (1) complete what she starts, and (2) not have unfinished lists
Try it out! On my honor, it’s worth it!
