The Gratitude Challenge

Hello! I am so grateful that you are here, reading this blog post right now! Today I want to talk about GRATITUDE, my favorite subject. I strongly believe that a regular gratitude practice is one of the easiest and most effective ways to change your mindset and improve your happiness. Journaling is a fantastic way to start integrating gratitude into your daily life.

I often hear comments such as, “I can do a gratitude journal for a few days, but after listing my family, friends, career, and pets, I kind of run out of ideas on what to be grateful for.” And I always respond that you can- and should- be grateful for the “little” things as well. Nothing is too insignificant for gratitude! Here are some examples of things for which you may feel grateful, if you’re in need of a jump start:

·       I am grateful for breathable air and a livable climate.

·       I am grateful for electricity, which makes life so much easier.

·       I am grateful that my hands can hold a pen and write in a journal.

·       I am grateful that my city offers curbside waste disposal services.  

·       I am grateful for the teachers and mentors I have had in my life.

·       I am grateful that I live in a country where children go to school and learn rather than perform manual labor.

·       I am grateful that there is food in my refrigerator.

·       I am grateful for my warm cup of morning coffee.

·       I am grateful for my own intellect and my capacity to learn new things.

·       I am grateful to be alive to enjoy another beautiful day.

I’m sure you can think of many more. Over time, it becomes a lot of fun! The hard part is creating the habit. So let’s make it easy.

My challenge to you is this:

Spend FIVE MINUTES a day on this exercise, for 30 days.

Each morning, write out three things you are grateful for. Spend one minute thinking about each item, and really feeling the gratitude. Then, each evening, spend two minutes thinking about something that happened that day for which you are grateful.

I promise you, in 30 days, you will notice yourself feeling happier, less stressed, and more optimistic about life.

Use your own journal, or buy mine here: https://carlyraine.com/store

Drop me a note in the comments and tell me your Gratitude Challenge story!

With Gratitude,

Carly Raine