What does 2 years of gratitude look like?
January 19, 2011 by Marguerite Orane
Filed under Featured Posts, Free and Laughing, Practice
Here is a photo of my gratitude journals for the past two years.
I am a believer in the power of gratitude. I have also become a practitioner of gratitude by making it my conscious daily practice. There are two things that I do as a matter of habit, which have become as ingrained at brushing my teeth twice per day:
1. Write 10 things for which I am grateful every morning in my gratitude journal
2. Say “Thank you” to anyone who does me a service, no matter how small
Did I start life with these habits? Were they always a part of my daily living? Not at all. They became habit by my conscious commitment to doing them every day. Do I actually do them every day – well, most days. What I have learned though is that if I miss a day, I just do it the next day – without guilt or any blaming and castigating myself. Just like brushing your teeth – if you don’t brush tonight, won’t you just brush tomorrow morning?
I have just started my gratitude journal, I have followed but not completed every gratitude challenge known to man and failed miserably. I live in NYC and I have been trying to find your book.
Dear Alia,
Please don’t look at gratitude as a challenge. Just give thanks. Honestly. You would be amazed at the things I give thanks for. Sometimes I just laugh at myself, they are so funny. But I give thanks anyway. Just keep writing in your journal. It will come ….
You can order my book on Amazon – there is a link on the right of my blog that will take you right there.
Thank you so much for being a part of this Free and Laughing community
Love and blessings
Marguerite
I am going to share this site with my girlfriends.
I got them gratitude journals as a Christmas/birthday present last year because it really works. I started my journal two years ago but have been seriously slacking off for many reasons including not being able to deal with the feeling of getting what I asked for – FEAR of being too successful seems crazy right? It gets overwhelming sometimes. I am grateful for finding this link and all that is shared here.
Ali
Thanks Ali. Fear of being successful is very, very common. It’s scary to step out of our comfort zone. And that’s OK. I have found that journalling is a great way to deal with it – just write it out in the privacy of your own thoughts! And yes, journals are the greatest gifts ever – you can’t have too many!
Keep journalling!
Marguerite
I agree with you 100%. Gratitude makes such a big positive difference in our outlook. I thought I could real journal, but you seem to have alot to be grateful for 😀 Keep it up!
Thank you for posting especially the pic of the journals. I am working at giving gratitude for ten thing at night before I go to bed, but the writing I have started and stopped. I am making a commitment to journalling again. I am grateful for this post.
Kathy
That’s great Kathy. It’s not easy sometimes, but just push through and do it anyway. Every day ….
Blessings
Marguerite