Attitude of Gratitude

As part of my rotation in Lifestyle Management this week, I have to create a gratitude journal. This involves writing 3-5 things each day that I am grateful for. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude has been shown to boost happiness and satisfaction by 25%! Is increasing our own happiness as easy as writing down what we are grateful for? Emerging research says yes. But it's more than just making a list -- you must get in touch with how those things made you feel. I learned today that happiness and gratitude oppose negative feelings like anxiety, so you can't foster both. By keeping a gratitude journal, you can begin to protect yourself from the "mean reds" as Holly Golightly might say. For the next week, I'm going to keep a gratitude journal and share my thoughts online.

I just got back to the island from a 3 day weekend, which leads me to 2 things for which I am incredibly grateful:

I got to spend all my time off with Phillip & Roxy and for that I am thankful beyond words. The love of a dog is like no other. In Roxy's eyes, I can do no wrong. I hold the world in my hands. I'm having trouble nailing down just what it is that makes Roxy so amazing because she is just what I need at any given time.

And Phillip. Oh, Phillip. Someone who loves me and puts up with me voluntarily for 7 years deserves a medal! He just gets me. I can be cranky, bratty, and quite irrational to put it lightly but he's there no matter what. I am truly blessed to have found not only love, but a partner and friend for life.

10pm update:
One last thing  I'm grateful for that I've been thinking about today:  my wonderful parents.  One of my greatest life fears is that my parents will never know how much I love them and am appreciative of every thing they do.    Any complaint I ever have about them is completely trivial.  They are the 2 most selfless people I have ever met.  Each day I am grateful that I was born into a loving household and raised to be what I am today.

How can you begin to cultivate gratitude? Check out more here:
http://www.h3daily.com/self/the-health-benefits-of-gratitude/

http://www.happylifeu.com/Attitude-of-Gratitude.html