Putting Thankful Thoughts into Writing

‘Tis the month of gratitude!

We do lots of monthly challenges at our studio nowadays – we think it’s a great way to promote healthy choices, whether or not you are able to do the entire challenge.  The truth is that every small improvement you make in your day-to-day health habits can add up to major gains over time.

For those of you who read this blog, consider the following personal challenge for the month of November…

Each night, before you go to sleep, write down five things you feel grateful for from your day.

That’s it.

Your list doesn’t have to be detailed or long or overly deep.  On some days, you may only need about 30 seconds to create your list.  Just write down anything from your day that makes you feel truly, genuinely grateful.  It may help to keep a pen and piece of paper next to your bed, so you’re less likely to forget.  And if you forget, don’t sweat it – just make your day’s list as soon as you remember.  

See what happens over the course of a month when you take just a few moments each day to reflect on the blessings in your life.  Maybe it won’t make a meaningful difference in your outlook, or maybe it will transform your perspective in a big way.  Maybe the effect will lie somewhere in the middle.  But it certainly cannot hurt, and research suggests that practicing gratitude can contribute to an improved sense of well-being.

So before you drift off to sleep after a long day, take a few moments to reflect on the beautiful things that long day has taught you.  Who knows, it may train you to become someone who looks for the silver lining in tough situations – a very important life skill indeed!

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