My Gratitude Journal

I have decided to start my gratitude journal and record 3 things everyday that I am grateful for. If you missed my Gratitude Journal post check it out for more information on what this is all about. If you want to talk about it click on my email button at the top right hand corner and let me know what you are grateful for in your life.

What I am grateful for today…

Sunday, June 24:

• That my car’s problem was only a blown fuse and not an $1000 part!
• Sunshine and good friends to spend a relaxing Sunday.
• Saying hi to other runners as I’m running through the trails at 8:30am on a Sunday :)

Wednesday, June 10:

• My parents and always knowing how to make things better.
• Kind hearted people taking time out of their day to share their wisdom.
• I have all my fingers and all my toes!

Saturday, June 9:

• Being fortunate to be able to hop in my car and drive where ever I want to!
• Seattle; everything about it!
• The border agents let us through with no trouble & the lines weren’t long :)

Friday, June 8:

• Coffee with a great friend to start my day.
• Going to sit on a patio and watch the sun set over the ocean.
• My parents.

Thursday, June 7:

• The sun breaking through the clouds just in time for me to get off work.
  • Open-mindedness by others which is sometimes a difficult/scary thing to do.
    • Laughing with your best friend until your stomach hurts and you can’t breathe. :)

Wednesday, June 6:

• The heated tiled floor in my bathroom.
• My Dad reminding me that I can’t (and won’t) have EVERYTHING right now. Things will come, take it one step at a time.
• A new 49th Parallel opening near my house!

Gratitude Journal

I often experience the overwhelming feeling that I have to be doing more, more, more – all the time. From my social life, fitness, job, personal goals and doing things for friends, I find myself constantly needing and wanting more – often forgetting to appreciate the now.

I don’t know why we feel like we can never have enough – enough money, enough friends, enough stuff (I hate the consumerist society we live in), enough recognition – and I sometimes fell myself getting overwhelmed at the possibility that opportunities can bring. I constantly think about “well what if”…. and “yeah but I could have” and the “now I need this” that I feel so overwhelmed that I consciously have to step back and remind myself how extremely fortunate I am for everything I have in my life at this exact moment.

My friend recently sent me this video featuring Oprah and her concept of a Gratitude Journal and I instantly knew that this was something I would take away a lot from doing personally. As Oprah said, and I truly believe, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”


The challenge: set out each day with the intention of writing down 5 things she was grateful for that day. They could be simple things like watching the sunset over the ocean, your best friend, the fact that you made your bus connection today, that your coworker treated you to lunch, etc. Anything that you recognize as being great things in the now.

Oprah says that once you start writing down events that occur throughout the day which you are truly grateful for – you will allow yourself to feel more happiness and gratitude in your life. You will begin to notice a change in your state of being, find yourself feeling happier and opening up to experiencing the incredible experiences and things you have right now.

What are you grateful for? Grab a notebook and start writing them down!