Monday, January 26, 2015

Long-Term Recovery: The Gratitude List

I sat with my family, opening presents Christmas morning while sipping hot tea and thought about how much my life has changed. I was satisfied spending time with my family, watching movies and having a family day at home. I was grateful for all I had instead of focusing on what I didn't have. I was content and happy. It was not always that way.

I used to wake up after hitting the snooze  button several times. I would get dressed stressed. I would skip breakfast, or grab something greasy and unhealthy on the way to work. People driving the speed limit or slower would instantly kick in my road rage because I was running late and they obviously could care less about it. My mornings sucked, and it bled into the rest of my day.


I spent a lot of my time focusing on things I used to have and no longer did. I looked at everything everyone else had I did not. All I could think of were the things I could or should have had instead of what I did have. I focused on what I wanted instead of what I needed and it made me miserable. 

Nothing I had was ever enough.

Does that sound familiar to you?

If so, you need to do what I did.

START A GRATITUDE LIST!!

What is a gratitude list?

A gratitude list is simple and takes very little time out of your day. All you do is write then reflect on the positive things in your life you are grateful for:

1.      Wake up 15 minutes earlier than you need to wake up.
2.      Make a cup of coffee or hot tea.
3.      Hand write 5 things you are grateful for.
4.      Spend 5-10 minutes focusing on them and thanking your Higher Power for what you have.

I make each gratitude list different from the day before, so that I can see how many things I have to be grateful for. If you want, you can make a box or a notebook that  holds all of your previous gratitude lists. That way, when life is kicking your but,t as it often does, you can read hundreds of things that you have to be happy about! It helps chase the clouds away.

I know it sounds too easy to be effective, but it works. By changing the way you start your day, you change yourself, your mood and your outlook. As you see the changes to your attitude after a week or two the gratitude list stops being something you have to do and starts being something you get to do. What a great thing, starting your day off a little early with a dash of positivity.


When I start my day off with an attitude of gratitude, it impacts the rest of my day. It will improve your day as well. Try it for a couple of weeks and let me know what you think!

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