Gratitude

Gratitude is the last item in this series on self care and well being, but perhaps it should have been the first.

Years ago, I started keeping a gratitude journal. While I don’t consistently keep one now, I do periodically take time to think about things for which I am grateful. Keeping track of what I’ve been blessed with. Quite often the list consists of simple things, like having a roof over my head and appliances that work. (As I write this, my refrigerator motor just switched off. Having replaced this appliance a few months ago, it sometimes makes it onto my list.)

In the dailyness of our lives, this requires being mindful. The newness of relationships wears off, we habituate to objects and situations. Sadly, sometimes it takes a loss to appreciate what we had let become mundane.

If you have not adopted the practice, or had fallen out of the practice, keeping a gratitude journal is helpful for perspective. Keep it simple. List 5 things every day for which you are grateful. It’s okay to add the same things from time to time (like your family or friends), but stretch yourself to be grateful for some of the little things you normally take for granted.