About 5 years ago I was going through a rough patch and was really down in the dumps. I couldn’t find pleasure in anything. A close friend asked me what I was grateful for in my life. I thought about it for a while, but before I could answer him, he interrupted. He said, “lets make this easier, what are you grateful for TODAY?” And that was how my gratitude project started. Every night before I went to bed I wrote down 10 things that I was grateful for that day. Unfortunately, it only lasted for about a month. Then today I came across this video and it has inspired me to pick up where I left off.
Back in 2008, Hailey Bartholomew was feeling out of sorts but couldn’t understand why. Â She really had no good reason for feeling down. Â So she went to see a life coach and counselor who told her the secret to happiness. Â Hailey said that according to her life coach “it was all about reflection and gratitude. She asked me to try it out each night and write something down about my day that I was grateful for. So I did.
It really surprised me how quickly I began to notice things that I otherwise would have missed. I remember sitting on my bed one night and realising that the little moments I was thinking through were really special and if I had not taken the time to notice them they would be lost forever.”
Starting tonight, I am going to write down at least one thing that I am grateful for today and everyday. Please share in the comments what you are grateful for?
Hailey and her team are currently working on a documentary called 365 Grateful about “The extraordinary power of gratitude”. Which covers Hailey’s personal experience and explores the effects that gratitude has on all aspects of life. You can find more information about Hailey and the 365 Grateful documentary at 365grateful.com
