Most nights before bed, I write in a gratitude journal a few things from my day that made me smile, that I’m proud of or that brought a sense of peace. Journaling trains me to focus on life-giving, joyful moments and not lose track of these when I’m struggling or feeling overwhelmed. Something about physically keeping track of joys helps me remember them and look for more the next day.
Cultivating gratitude helps me take more notice of what I focus on. Even if it is just that a particularly hard day is over, goodness exists. Naming this goodness helps it to become more real and present. When I write down the goodness I see, I tend to see goodness more easily.
This message is an excerpt from the December 2020 Gather devotional, “Singing, writing, moving, connecting: Advent rituals for uncertain times” by Jordan Miller-Stubbendick.
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