Gratitude Journal

We all have heard people say "I’m destined for greatness" or "I’m destined for failure." If you’re a Pessimistic Patty or a Pessimistic Pete, wouldn’t it be nice if you could change your destiny? You can! And it’s as simple as changing your outlook on life. If you want to start attracting positive things into your life, there is one small thing you should do every day - show your gratitude, appreciation and love for the people and things around you. As more of your thoughts and words become positive, you'll start attracting more positive people and circumstances. Decide today that you are going to reduce negativity in your life by getting rid of the 'don'ts,' 'nots' and 'no's' - the negative people, the negative thoughts. Basically, shed the toxicity in your life, including toxic relationships that weigh you down. The idea is to get in the habit of appreciating things. So how do you do that? Well the best way to do that is by keeping a Gratitude Journal.

It's not a new concept and one that you've probably heard about before. For years, numerous "spiritual teachers" have been recommending and encouraging the practice. But it wasn’t until Oprah (from the Cult of Oprah) endorsed the practice that it began to really take off. For those that don’t know, a Gratitude Journal is a way to consciously call attention to the things for which we are thankful each day. By focusing on gratitude, we become aware of those things and thus create a shift in our thinking to the positive. Starting a gratitude journal helps you rediscover life’s simple pleasures, the very things we all take for granted...and by showing appreciation for these simple things, it creates a whole new outlook on life. And in today’s dreadful economy and bleak job market, who couldn’t use a fresh outlook on life?

Starting and keeping a Gratitude Journal isn't rocket science. Look for things during the day for which you are grateful, making mental notes throughout the day. No matter how small or great, anything goes - a baby's smile, a flower in bloom, or the smell of a newly cut grass. Make the list personal. Be brief in your words and increase the length as time progresses. Begin looking everyday for the positive angle in all things. View obstacles as opportunities to appreciate. Focus on the wonderful things in life to attract similar encounters in the course of the day. Use positive energy as a magnet to draw even more positive energy. Note these attractions in the gratitude journal. And lastly, personalize the gratitude journal. Expand it with clippings, photos, quotes or verses from magazines or other sources.

You can make your Gratitude Journal as private or public as you want it to be. And as formal or informal as you like. All that is really required is that you set aside just 5 minutes at the end of each day to write 5 things you are grateful for on that given day. 1 minute per item. You can do that, right? Of course you can and so can I. My future Gratitude Journal entries will be private and kept in a leather journal, but for now, here are 5 things I am grateful for today...

1. Confirmation that there is a girl out there with the ability to make me deliriously happy.
2. My four-legged BFF, Diesel. He's simply the best part of my every day. As someone with insomnia, last night I found myself falling asleep to the sound of his snore. Oddly enough, his snoring didn't keep me up, but rather calmed me and sent me off into la-la land.
3. That my Grandmother is still with me and we will be celebrating her 90th birthday next month! As someone from a small family, I very much cherish our relationship and feel blessed for each day God has given me to spend with her. Time is short, but precious. A realization I am always mindful of.
4. That I don't carry the bald gene or the fat gene. By genetics, I'm naturally tall and thin. So while most people go to the gym to lose weight, I go to the gym to gain weight - bulk up, build muscle. (I accept the fact that many people hate me because of this.)
5. That I've rediscovered my childhood love of writing. Not even words can describe how sooo, sooo grateful I am for this. It has given me the creative outlet in which I so desperately craved. And in it, the ability express the things in my everyday life that are often too difficult for me to verbalize. To me, paper and pen are better than sliced bread.

So what are you grateful for?

***NOTE***
You can also see this post featured on the frontpage of BrazenCareerist.com