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Gratitude is a main component for utilizing the Law of Attraction. But I have to admit, it isn’t always easy to remember to write down everything you’re grateful for every day. Which is strange… It should be the most natural thing in the world.
As a culture we tend to get caught up in the negative. The news is full of it; we connect with people over it; and there are adages everywhere about how we need to survive it (or even take it) in order to succeed. Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t take obstacles and surmount them… But this is seriously one of the worst ways to live. Constantly living in the negative keeps us just that: Negative.
Gratitude, however, keeps us focused on the good and gearing up for the future with graciousness and positivity. By making a point to express our gratitude every day (namely in writing), we’re telling the Universe we’re ready to receive more good and that we’re worthy because we appreciate it. At least, that’s what all of my favorite experts in this field say.
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what we’re striving for that we forget we’re already blessed. This practice changes that. But admittedly, I’ve had a tough time sticking to this practice. So for a few months now I’ve wanted to do an experiment see exactly what (if any) changes happen in my life if I’m consistent with my gratitude.
I have been out of work now for six months. The circumstances in which I left my job were terrible. And without boring you with too many details, I will say my dad still has to work in the place I was forced out of. So needless to say, the situation isn’t good.
That’s why I decided that this is a perfect time to do this gratitude experiment. This is a time I would absolutely love to crawl under a rock and stay there until summer. Instead, I decided to try focusing on the good. I figured at least that might get me through the next however long of unemployment and then I could crawl under that rock if it didn’t work.
So for thirty days now I have diligently written down everything I’m grateful for in each day. There are days I’ve missed, but even on those I go back and write down things I was grateful for–even days later, based on my calendar and what went on that day, knowing it would help me look back with appreciation and forward with hope.
I’d love to tell you (and really was hoping I would be when planning this post) that after the thirty days, the impending depression had vanished and a new contract was signed for my shiny new job. Unfortunately, that isn’t what happened. I’m still unemployed (or “enjoying some time off”), and there are still days where my mood completely crashes.
But what I can say is, many people have commented on how well I have handled a truly terrible situation. I have consistently made a point of looking forward, and knowing what’s coming is going to be wonderful for me. People have not started ignoring or avoiding me (that I know of), and my relationships with those I am still close to still seem close.
Of course, I’ve had bad days, meltdowns, and the occasional visits to different members of my “team” (i.e., recruiter, resume specialist, therapist, coach, etc.). But the point is, when you’re looking for the good, often the bad doesn’t seem so dire. When you note how many amazing qualities your life possesses, it’s easier to take the downsides with grace and acceptance.
As I said, this practice can be difficult to maintain. It seems like a lot to take the time out of your day–especially when you’re feeling down and thinking of the good seems like the hardest thing in the world. And when you’re trying to think of future things you’re grateful for? That’s shit’s HARD.
So I came up with a plan.
I love color. I love stickers. I’ve always loved the idea of scrapbooking. And I really love glitter. So I decided that a good way to make gratitude writing fun was to turn my gratitude journal into a scrapbook of sorts. I make it fun by adding stickers, colored tapes, multi-colored gel pens, and post-it notes.
One of the results of this practice I was NOT expecting is that my gratitude journal itself actually makes me feel more grateful. The combination of fun colors and glittery unicorns puts me in the perfect mood to list the things I’m glad to have in my life.
I didn’t initially expect this. And when I found that scrapbooking actually made me like this practice more, I thought I was in for an expensive hobby. Not that it isn’t still a little pricey… But one change has made it better: With the start of the “LifePlanner” (see my post about that here), scrapbooking stickers and tapes are now sold specifically for planners. How amazing is that? I am still buying stickers, but now I get more bang for my buck. (The planner stickers usually come with more stickers for a cheaper price.)
Just for you all, I’ve included some links below for my favorite planner stickers. If you’re interested in the Erin Condren LifePlanner, click here for a post on how I use mine. The post includes a discount code. As you’ll see, I LOVE mine.
I’m going to keep this experiment going. I’m going to continue and report back on three months, six months, and one year of gratitude. All I can say is, I expect (and hope) that the next one you read will have a report of a major (and amazing) life change for me.
Stay grateful, friends!
And hey, as Hungry Daters, when all else fails, Happy Cooking!
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