taking time to be gracious

Gratitude is one of the most important qualities that we can develop in ourselves, and probably one of the easiest. If we take time, it's not hard to think of a few things each day that make us really, really happy. The funny thing is, when we take time to notice and feel genuinely grateful for the blessings and wonderful things in our lives, however small, WE are the ones that benefit.

I started a gratitude journal a few years ago, but it tapered off as other, novel projects picked up. Every night I would write three things that I was grateful for that day. Sometimes it was as small as "I'm grateful I made it through the day", or "I'm grateful the day is over", but other times I found myself feeling more perceptive, picking up on the blessings that were around me. Over time, I started to become a more positive person. I began looking for the good in situations - for that which I could be grateful. The gratitude journal came around the same time as my big self-transformation ... when I decided to take control of myself and my happiness. It's wonderful now, to look back over a year of things that I was genuinely thankful for. What a great way to remember our lives - not by tragedy and stress, but by all of the things that have touched us!

And so, I am going to try to reinstate it. I want to recapture that sense of calm, that ability to find the positive.

Today I am grateful for:
- spring coats ... everyone has put the parka away, and it makes me feel as though spring really might be on its way
- an understanding professor who actually took the time to listen to me (a.k.a: second chances)
- the freedom to be me! ...driving with my favorite song blasting, singing along as loud as I can, not worrying about anything but me