I’ve kind of lost track of time…
When I look back at my notebook, I see that I started writing the 10 Things I am Grateful For each day on June 24th.
Today is July 9th and I have written a list of 10 things every day since then. So I guess that means I am on day 16?
This is my 3rd full week of the Gratitude Challenge.
I had this grand idea that I would post every day, but that hasn’t been possible. I do the actions each day in my notebook but finding the time later in the day to sit at my computer and type what I have written has been a challenge at times.
Maybe I’ll start doing it today…
But to catch you up to speed, each day I am to write the list and then each night I am supposed to hold a rock and think back through my day to pick THE BEST THING that happened that day. This is supposed to make you positively reflect on ALL the good things that have happened.
I’ve been doing that every night.
THE PROCESS
Starting on Day 3, each day comes with a small challenge.
Day 3: Magical Relationships. This practice helps you feel grateful for the people in your life. Having gratitude for these people improves your relationships with them. You choose 3 people and write/think about why you are grateful for each person. You are to have a picture so that you can look at each person and thank him/her periodically throughout the day. I chose Ray, Hannah, and Emily, as I can’t imagine life without them, and if I am going to improve any relationship, I want to improve the relationships I have with them.
Day 4: Magical Health. This practice had you read through paragraphs about each part of your body so you can be grateful for what is working. After that, you write: THE GIFT OF HEALTH IS KEEPING ME ALIVE on a card and carry it with you to remind you to repeat the phrase several times throughout the day.
Day 5: Magic Money. This day has you reflect on your childhood to find all the ways you were taken care of…all the ways money was spent on and for you. Like, having clothes, getting school supplies, having food to eat, water, electricity, etc. The idea is to be sincerely grateful for money you have received in the past to guarantee that more money will come to you in the present. You take a sticker and write: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MONEY I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
Day 6: Works Like Magic. This is the day to be grateful for the work you do/have to do.
Day 7: The Magical Way out of Negativity. The premise here is that if you focus on the problem, you never find the solution. Complaining about or finding fault with a situation or a person will only keep the negativity going. In this challenge, you have to write 10 things that you are grateful for about the negative situation. I have chosen to write about teaching, living in Ohio, and a few other circumstances. I have done this exercise more than once. At the end, you write “Thank you, thank you, thank you for the perfect solution”.
Day 8: The Magic Ingredient. This is about being grateful for the food you eat and drink.
Day 9: The Money Magnet. This is about being grateful for paying bills because having bills means you have received a service. You take 10 bills that you have paid and you write, “Thank you–paid” on them. You have to be grateful for the money that you are using to pay these bills. Most of the time, we begrudge the bills we have, but this day encourages you to be grateful for them.
Day 10: Magic Dust Everyone. Saying “Thank you” to as many people as you come into contact with.
Day 11: A Magic Morning. This one is one I struggle with because I often forget. But you say “Thank you” as soon as you open your eyes, and everything you do within the first few minutes, you say thank you for.
Day 12: Magical People Who Made a Difference. Being grateful for people impacting your life. I still need to do this one. I have mentally thought about it: Martha Moesker my high school English teacher, Ray, my mom and dad, my exboyfriends, but I have not actually written anything.
Day 13: Make All Your Wishes Come True. This is about being grateful for something before you get it.
Day 14: Have a Magical Day. Here you run through a mental list of all you have to do in the day before you get out of bed, feeling grateful for all of it turning out well and running smoothly. You end that by saying “Thank you for the good news I am receiving today.”
Day 15: Magically Heal Your Relationships. Being Grateful for troublesome people.
Day 16: Magic and Miracles in Health.
Obviously, there is more detail about each day in the book, but you get the drift.
HAVE THINGS CHANGED?
So, almost 3 weeks in, has anything changed/happened?
At the end of the 1st week, I unexpectedly received a bank deposit of $1000.
At the end of the 2nd week, I received another unexpected $1000 through gift card purchases made through my business.
During the 3rd week I received a free lunch and my customer orders doubled from the week before (and the week isn’t over).
I bought a pair of Tory Burch sandals thanks to the 1st unexpected $1000 freeing up some money I made from a photography session.
Ray and I went shopping for a Class A Motorhome.
Ray put his 1st offer in on an apartment building.
And probably a bunch of stuff I’m not recognizing yet.
And I feel…different. Not really sure how to explain it besides that!
And I have had so many epiphanies about myself!!! I think the fact that I am now turning to my gratitude practice and journaling to help me in all of my life situations is pretty astounding!
So yeah, things have changed, and I grow more excited each day to see how things happen each day.
(I bought some Lottery tickets today…)
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