Resolve to keep a gratitude journal
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
It's that time of year! We've decided to try those resolutions and goals once again.
Oh, don't be discouraged. It's better to keep trying than giving up completely.
On your way to dreams coming true, I'd like to add a thoughtful companion to keep your spirits high and bring a bit of heaven into your life.
For Christmas, my granddaughter gave me a journal. It wasn't anything fancy, but she knows journaling is one of my favorite spiritual practices. You might not consider journaling a spiritual practice, but when you do it with gratitude in mind, it serves as an important component to seeing those prayers come true.
Gratitude is such an important spiritual practice that if you do a Google search of the number of books written on it, you'll find it's practically endless.
Gratitude is so important, Jesus instructed us to add it to our prayers. Keeping a journal of your gratitude is like a reminder there is plenty of good in your life.
Have you ever been frustrated with a friend, family member or other that didn't show any gratitude for what you'd done? Think how God must feel when we lack showing gratitude to Him. When someone is grateful, it makes you feel good inside and want to do more. I don't know about you, but I could use all of the Divine help I can get.
Keeping a gratitude journal doesn't have to be tedious or expensive. You can get a journal at the dollar store if cash is tight. You could start on a computer file, or even a plain piece of paper or pretty stationary you have lying around. It doesn't matter, just get your thoughts down.
Keep it simple. Start by writing down three to five things you are grateful for each day. It doesn't have to be anything grand, just the fact that your legs work, or you got to work on time. You get the idea, just be creative.
Writing down things you're grateful for doesn't necessarily mean you feel grateful. As a matter of fact, I find it's when I'm struggling with a hardship that I can't stop thinking about, that's precisely the time I need to start looking at something I have to be grateful for. There really are plenty if we just stop and think about it.
If you skip a day, don't worry start the next. If you do it once a week, it's better than nothing.
Just give it a try. It may be just what you need to help you succeed at those resolutions this year.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. Invite her to speak at your group or event. She is hosting a "Writing for Fun or Profit" mini-conference Saturday, Feb. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. Register for details and to reserve your spot. Contact Annettee at Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.