The Shift to Being Grateful

As much as I missed working on the newsletter last week, I am thankful for the time spent learning how to “chill out” from a 10-year-old. 

Last week was March Break, and I was happy for the time off to spend with my daughter.  Unlike last year, the week was very low-key.  We didn’t have major plans other than ensuring we enjoyed decent weather days outside throughout the week. We even had a home SPA experience. I relaxed for the first time in ages without guilt creeping in. 

My way of relaxing includes journaling. If I haven't mentioned before, journaling is more than a daily chore. It is a part of my existence comparable to breathing or eating a bag of Wavy Lays chips. As part of my morning journaling ritual, I write down three or more things I am grateful for. 

I was first introduced to this practice by an entrepreneur in 2021 trying to motivate his clan to buy his $5 million “YOU CAN BE AWESOME” package. Needless to say, I never purchased his package yet parts of what I learned from this individual stuck with me. Since the COVID lockdown experience, I thought regularly about people, places and experiences I was grateful for. Our family spoke about gratitude, but I was not yet writing anything down. There was one thing I felt in my gut - practicing gratitude should be free. 

In 2022, after my WOW moment, I committed to writing down three bullet points daily. It proved to be difficult in the beginning. Without reviewing, I assumed my list was the same each day: “I’m grateful for my home, my cats, and my family.”  Some days, I would switch it up and add “my duvet comforter.” It seemed boring and monotonous for the first few weeks, yet I kept at it.

A few months later, I discovered my gratitude list was not as repetitive as I first assumed. I included a list of things I sometimes took for granted: my friends/co-workers, my eyes to see, my hands to write, my feet to walk, the air we breathe, clean water to drink, and not only a home but a place I can afford to call “home.” 

The list also included gratitude for:

• The smell of ground coffee

• Dreaming, or “remembering my wacky dreams” 

• Finding the drive or courage to write again after a long hiatus

• “Being able to sleep with all the apartment noises - why doesn’t anybody sleep?!?!?”

• “The nice sunny day that should have been raining”

• “Fewer cramps this month - whoo!”

• “The awesome dinner that everybody ate even though I can’t cook and I hate cooking”

Reflection became an important part of practicing gratitude. Why was I grateful? I began to expand on the “why.”  For example, why am I grateful for my cats, Mimi and Mocha? They enjoy cuddles. They remind me to take time to play (and nap!). They show unconditional love. They clean themselves (sort of). They keep me company when writing in the mornings, and now they wake me up early to ensure I get to writing (and pets). Thanks to my fur babies, I discovered #Caturday and other cat puns while taking advantage of the quiet mornings. 

I continued practicing and expanding on the list. Benefits arose from the ripples originating from points of gratefulness. At times, a TO DO list would arise from something I was grateful for. Other forms of gratitude would inspire a non-fiction story, a social media post, a solution to a work project, or themes/parts for an essay or other writing idea. 

The daily practice also helped me to identify gratefulness in all parts of my life. During major life events, I found balance by writing it out. Even when it felt like the world was going to Looney Town, looking back on old lists reminded me why I still write and live my life the way I do. 

It took less than six months for my daily practice to take root. Today, I can write down more than three things to be grateful for daily.

Gratitude and journaling were a perfect pair. I discovered and worked through old fears I carried into the beginning of my writing journey.  Working with fears and gratefulness together improved my confidence, explore new techniques, and network with other creatives. When I reflect on gratitude, there is a slight pivot on how I move forward with my writing. 

This month, I had another pivot in my writing journey. I participated in the “15 Days of Gratitude'' Challenge on Twitter/X, starting March 4th. I don’t always share everything I am grateful for publicly because, frankly, it’s none of your business. I practiced gratitude every day for over two years, yet I had a hard time thinking of the “right” thing to share at the beginning of the challenge. But why? 

Writing in the past few months has been more difficult than usual. I didn’t want to admit I was burnt out. I reached a turning point in my psyche before this challenge presented itself. Something had to change, and “giving up” was never an option. And this challenge was the perfect opportunity to practice all I’ve learned about gratitude.

I prioritized my self-care and shared the many things I was grateful for during the challenge (e.g. karaoke with neighbours, experimental baking, catching up on old 80’s cartoons, and spending more time with my daughter). It was fun and eye-opening to share publicly without any fear. 

It is easy to fall into the habit of looking outward and only seeing a sense of LACK in our lives.  When we do this regularly, we tend to forget what we have and what is going well in this current state. You do not need to spend millions of dollars to start being grateful.  You don’t have to spend a dime.  Say it loud (or write proud): “I am grateful for (fill in the blank!).”

720 days of gratitude improved my writing and motivates me to continue this journey and share with others. I am grateful for finding the benefits of practicing gratitude daily in all aspects of my life.

It is a blessing to be here right now. I am grateful to you, fellow creatives, for being part of this adventure. 

See you in two weeks!

Nadine