It’s really easy to let negativity outshine a lot of the good things that are happening in our lives, and while it’s true that sometimes there can be value in reflecting over these things, it’s hard to not let it encapsulate our everyday. I know that I tend to wallow over really negative things and dig myself into more sadness and let it outshine a lot of the really incredible things that I see happen every day. Now, during physical distancing, it makes it even harder to see the great things that have happened in my day to day life because nothing new really happens outside of the routine I’ve established.
I’m content that I’ve been able to stick to somewhat of a routine, and I’m grateful that I have the ability to have a routine. In this routine, I made it a point to always write down something I was thankful for that day. Journaling has always been an escape for me, but when I write down something I’m thankful for I try to condense it to exactly what made an effect on my day. I let myself reflect over the exact moment, or object, or whatever it was that day. I absorb how I felt, what sounds I heard, the things I saw. I completely reground myself in the moment and put it in one sentence. After I finish writing my sentence I close my journal, but I continue with the sort of meditation that I’m in. I make sure that I can come back to that specific moment, and let myself re-live everything that I felt.
There’s been a lot of different ways that this can and has been done. Some people have written down what they were thankful for on a sheet of paper and then put it in a jar. Other people have made paper cranes and put it on a string to string across their room as decoration. Some have just made an ongoing list in their phone notes that they go to write. The most important part is that there’s a way for you to look back on these moments, and the method of writing is easy and efficient and fits into your schedule.
During these times, it’s important that we try to see some good in everyday life amidst all of the chaos that we’re going through in this pandemic. Today, I’m grateful that I have the ability to write. I’m grateful for my family, and the time we’ve spent together. I’m thankful that today, I woke up and I saw the sun. I hope that something really good happened to you today too.