I certainly owe this article to my mother. Years ago she read a book called The Secret that changed her life. In it, the author, Rhonda Byrne, discusses the idea of manifestation and the fact that with love, gratitude, and positivity, you can create the life you want.
Hippy stuff, I know, but from a girl who has kept a gratitude journal now for over a month (yay!) I can tell you that I fully support that notion.
There’s a lot to cover regarding gratitude and keeping a gratitude journal. First, let’s go over what it is. Photo from huffingtonpost.com
For me, it means writing down a list of ten things that I’m grateful for each morning in a journal. I do it before I go to my first class, but when I’m running short on time I just do it at night. Working on your gratitude in the morning is recommended because it sets you up for having a really great day. My sister kept a gratitude journal on scraps of paper that she scribbled on when she ate breakfast in the morning. If you’re really at a loss, just thinking about a few things that you’re grateful for each day is enough. I guess in that sense, the journal can be your brain, which is kind of cool!
What you write down is also largely up to you. I write the date at the top of the page and then write my gratitude in bullet-form. Below you’ll see an example of what I’m talking about. Depending on the day, sometimes I write things that are very small, like the pen that I’m writing with or the sweater I’m wearing. Other times, I can write sentences on sentences about my family and the ~deep stuff~ that I appreciate in my life.
The things that I like writing most about, though, are those that have not happened or that I do not have. This is where manifestation comes in. Let me explain.
If I have a test that day, I will write in my journal, “I am grateful for doing well on my test this afternoon.” If I’m stressed, I’ll write, “I am grateful for the ease I will have in completing all of the things on my to-do list.” If somebody in my family is sick, I will write, “I am so grateful for the quick and easy recovery ___ will have.” Photo from iTunes
It is then that the phrase, “thoughts become things,” comes into play. I truly believe that what I write down comes to fruition because I am making an effort to think positively and appreciate that thing.
If you aren’t convinced yet, let me tell you a really crazy story. A week before I was supposed to find out whether or not I got into BU, I got an email saying that my admissions decision was posted. I was alone in my kitchen and had a small heart attack because it was so unexpected. Shaking, I typed in my password (please note that I FORGOT my password to get into the portal and had to reset it) and discovered that I got in! Unfortunately, I was alone so it was kind of anticlimactic as I silently danced in my kitchen. Nonetheless, my mom and sisters got home later that night and we all celebrated my admission. Such a great day! What’s freaky, though, is what my mom and sister told me next. That morning, they both had written in their gratitude journal, “I am so grateful that Emily got into BU.” Yeah, that happened.