We don't do it every night, in fact, we go through spurts where we don't do it at all, but we do it often enough to qualify as one of our habits: my wife and I keep a gratitude journal. At the end of day, as we lie in bed, before we go to sleep, we each say out loud three things we appreciate about our day. As we say them, we record them in a dated journal. From time to time, we review and read past entries out loud in order to celebrate our life journey.
That was easy to do this past week, since we just celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary. We saw a romantic movie, "The Time Traveler's Wife," after which I broke with the Optimum Wellness Prototype to enjoy my favorite dairy product: a banana malt. What fun! Even in ordinary times, however -- when I'm staying on my diet -- as well as in hard times -- when I'm facing life's challenges -- the practice of speaking and writing down our appreciations makes a difference.
That's because the practice focuses the mind and enhances the experience. We are not just going mindlessly through life. We are, rather, appreciating life as a gift. That is, indeed, why it's called the present. The more appreciation we cultivate the more reality shifts in that direction. It seems to be how life works. Some even call it a "spiritual law." What we appreciate, appreciates. So find things to celebrate that you would like to develop further in your life. The more you notice and appreciate them, the more they will grow.
Coaching Inquiries: What three things can you celebrate right now in your life and work? What's stopping you from writing them down? How might you develop appreciation routines on a day-to-day basis? Who could you do those with?
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