Writing gratitude lists is one of those suggestions that you hear from therapists all the time.  Truthfully, I think sometimes it’s a recommendation that’s made because it’s the therapist thing to do.  But I suggest it all the time.  So how do you know that I’m not recommending it out of habit?  I recommend it because I make my gratitude list daily, and I can attest to its benefits.

First, most of us need structure; a skeleton for our days, upon which we can build.  Gratitude lists are a part of that structure for me.  Every morning involves making my list followed by a meditation.  Approaching my morning in a deliberate way puts me in the driver’s seat for the rest of the day.  The content of my gratitude list is less important than the act of following through with the commitment.  The way I see myself impacts my behavior, which impacts the way I see myself.  Being able to move through the rest of my day with the knowledge that I kept my commitment to myself helps keep negative self-talk at bay.  It allows me to feel advocated for.  It helps me feel like I’m a man of integrity who follows through on his word even when no one is watching.  I carry this around with me.  Contrast this with having the knowledge that I just chose not to do the thing I know is good for me, and that instead I squandered that time – I don’t want that feeling.  Given the choice between the two, I pick the healthy pride.

Second, how many people open their eyes in the morning just to immediately grab their phone and look at social media or the news?  Think about the direction in which that points you.  You’re already greeting others before you’ve greeted yourself.  You’re receiving everyone else’s “information,” or more accurately being bombarded by messages that lead to comparisons, emotional upheaval, and negativity before you’re on solid ground.  Now, imagine the impact on your mind and body if you spend a few minutes in gratitude for what YOU have rather than looking at what others have, a few minutes thinking about what’s RIGHT in your life before thinking about what’s wrong in the world.   Start your day with positives.

Third, taking a few minutes to sit and take stock of the positive things in my life helps me feel more present, more tethered to the moment rather than swept up in the past or future.  Spending a few minutes in gratitude requires me to pause and look around.  I’m a little prone to some existential angst, which takes me out of the moment and robs me of the little joys.  Writing down some things that I am genuinely grateful for helps the here and now feel more important, even though it’s a blip in the grand scheme of time.

I encourage everyone to spend a couple of minutes every morning giving thought to the things in their life they’re grateful for, and then writing down five.  Today my list is:

  1. It’s a rainy day.
  2. Harold and Maude
  3. This old desk
  4. I slept well.
  5. Funny texts from my sister

Also, I commit to writing another blog post within two weeks.  Now that I’ve put it out there, I have to.

What are your thoughts?