Five Ways to Focus on Gratitude
Every year when November arrives, I start thinking more about the things I’m thankful for. The process of making Thanksgiving plans and seeing people post on social media about what they are grateful for always gets me thinking about all the blessings I have in my own life. It is so easy to get focused on the negative in our daily world: the things that bring us sorrow or stress. But November is the perfect time to focus on gratitude. If you are hoping to do just that, here are five easy ways.
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Write About What You Are Thankful For
One easy way to focus on gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal.
This one is very simple if you just want to think daily about things you are thankful for. It is organized by week, the entries are easy and quick, and the cover is so pretty. I really like this one too.
If you want something more involved, you might want to look into a journal that is about more than just gratitude. I’ve recently started using a self-care journal by Silk and Sonder and I love it. In the section of the journal for daily use, I list things I’m thankful for each day. It has really helped me to remember my blessings and let go of what is stressing me out every day. If you are interested in checking it out, see my review here.
You could also post to social media every day. Or write one gratitude on a sticky note and add it to a board or your bathroom mirror every day.
Read About Gratitude
If you aren’t a fan of writing things down, you could also consider reading about gratitude. There have been lots of great books in recent years about having an attitude of gratitude. Here are a few that have been well-reviewed:
- Attitudes of Gratitude by M. J. Ryan
- Everyday Gratitude from A Network of Grateful Living
- The Little Book of Gratitude by Dr. Robert A. Emmons
You could also consider re-reading a book that you are grateful you read, or a book that makes you feel grateful. I love poetry, so that genre is always a go-to for me when I’m wanting to re-center myself. The perfect book of poetry for this time of year is Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay. I think I’m going to read it again this month. If you like poetry too, check it out.
Tell Your People What They Mean to You
The things I am most grateful for in my life are the people that are close to me. This is the perfect time of year to tell the people you love how much they matter to you and why you are grateful for them. One really special way to do this is to write a handwritten letter. People rarely get those anymore, so when you get one, you feel special and loved. For some great ideas about sending handwritten letters to those you love, check out Kristin’s post.
Prioritize What You Are Grateful For
I think sometimes it’s the things that matter most to us that we take the most for granted. November is the perfect time to re-prioritize so that we are really focused on what matters. Make a list for yourself of the people and things you are most thankful for, and then consciously make sure you give your time this month to those things. Here are some posts you can check out to help you give more time, love, and attention to your favorite people:
Give Back
One of my favorite ways to focus on thankfulness is to give back to my community or to causes I believe in. One of my roles as an educator involves working with BETA Club. My students have to complete service hours as part of their membership, and the days I spend landscaping the local library or helping distribute food to those in need leave me feeling so much gratitude for all my blessings. And being around others who are also volunteering is always an uplifting experience. Ask around in your area to see what churches and other organizations are doing to give back and challenge yourself to take part. You won’t regret it.
Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude
I hope some of these simple ideas can help you to really focus on gratitude this month. I’m very thankful for so many things, and it’s nice to stop and really focus on the things in my life that bring me joy. What are you feeling thankful for this year? Drop me a comment below!
Have a Good Day!
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I love this, Jamie! During the height of the pandemic when it seemed we were only getting bad news, I tried to focus on gratitude with my family. It made a huge difference for us. I bought my 2 elementary aged kids some very simple kids’ gratitude journals from Amazon, and they wrote in them every night. I could see a difference in their spirits as they thought about what they were thankful for and who made them smile that day.
I love this idea of doing journals with kids! Thank you for sharing!
I am thankful for this blog! I know it takes a lot of work and y’all do a great job
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