Flip the Switch in 2023
While I am a very structured person; I’ve never been able to continuously write in a journal. Now you may think that is strange coming from a writer but it is true. As a young girl I kept a diary. I would write daily for, oh, maybe a week and then the dates would become farther and farther apart. I tried again as a young mother and then again when I retired. I am consistently consistent about my inconsistency in keep a journal/diary.
I have read about the benefits of keeping a journal and when I have gone back to read I gain insights into my state of mind at the time and where I am at the time of the reading. It really is amazing to see how God works in my life through the written word.
And yet – I remain consistently inconsistent. This is most vexing for a person such as myself who prides themselves on being organized, structured, dependable, and – well – consistent.
Last year I ran across a five year journal entitle Gratitude Expressions by Peggy Hoyt and Deborah Roser and decided I would give it a try as its layout seemed easy, short and sweet. https://www.amazon.com/Gratitude-Expressions-Deborah-Roser/dp/0982322011
Each page of the journal is dedicated to one day and contains room for five entries-one for each of the five years represented by the journal. Every day when you write your gratitude expressions, you can look back and relive the blessings you experienced on the same day in the years prior. Each page also contains an inspirational quote as a gentle reminder of the value of gratitude and appreciation. Once your written expressions become a habit, Gratitude Expressions will serve as a constant inspiration and provide you with a lifetime of treasured memories.
To my surprise I was able to complete each day throughout the year without fail! Even when I traveled I brought a small notebook in my suitcase to write down my thoughts at the end of each day and then upon returning I transferred them into Gratitude Expressions.
Now as I entered my second year and the written expressions have become a habit, it serves as a constant inspiration of treasured memories. There are only 4-5 lines for each day so the recording is concise yet effective in reminding me of some difficult days in 2022. Yet, in those few sentences was a kernel of joy, gratitude or peace. It changed my attitude from dwelling on what was wrong with the day to what still was so right about the day.
It was like flipping a light switch creating light where only darkness seemed to prevail.
It has made a world of difference in the way I see the day(s). When I run into a snag during my day (and there are still plenty of snags); my mind is seeking the positive in the day and I find it. Full disclosure – I still grumble a bit, but my point is that I am training my old age mind to find the positive amidst the negative and its working!
My prayer for 2023 is that I continue to see the blessings through the stressings of each day and I would encourage you to do the same. Whether it is a journal to write them down or a conversation around the dinner table asking one another to answer the question: What was a blessing in your life this day?
Won’t you try it? What do you have to lose? Flip the switch and turn a bad attitude into an attitude of gratitude.
Thank you for reading my post. If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it. Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!
I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts. To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com
Blessings for Health & Wellness.