Gratitude Journal
By RitterSport
@RitterSport (2451)
Lippstadt, Germany
July 13, 2012 6:44am CST
I enjoy this Friday 13th which I have off work as the trains dont run in these neck of the woods today so I couldnt get there.......
Going through all the notifications right now and typing like mad plus enjoying as much coffee as I want. LOL, what a beautiful day.
Just got to a discussion about getting rid of the negative and it immediately got me thinking.
Roughly a month ago I started a Gratitude Journal. Thats a good way of getting rid of the negative. Writing down the nice things other people did for me shows I am cared for and am not alone, and writing down my accomplishments even the smaller ones show I am making progress even if its only Baby steps most of the time.
Journal was buried under a pile of paper stuff for two weeks so here its get up and get it going again.
Do you have a gratitude journal? Has it changed your outlook on life and helped you? Tips you have about keeping it going and not forgetting to write into it regularly?
4 people like this
10 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
13 Jul 12
This is like the saying, "counting your blessings" except you write yours down..I have heard of this, and it makes a wonderful piece to reread when life looks bleak.. Ironically I never had problems with Friday the 13th, until today..I also didn't realize the date until I saw your post. The reason I am having a bad day? I think someone not only broke into my yahoo account, but changed the security question, so I can't get in at all. I sent yahoo a message, (where they will get back to me in 24-48 hours, can you imagine what damage can be done in that time? 
) So I am desperately hoping someone will sign into chat, but so far no one is and I think that totally stinks..Here it is 10 in the morning and no one is on chat to help??
Anyway, I am glad you are having a good day and if you get a yahoo message from me, delete it and then PM me here so I know what this idiot is doing...
) So I am desperately hoping someone will sign into chat, but so far no one is and I think that totally stinks..Here it is 10 in the morning and no one is on chat to help??
Anyway, I am glad you are having a good day and if you get a yahoo message from me, delete it and then PM me here so I know what this idiot is doing...1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
13 Jul 12
Turns out this is widespread and not just yahoo. In the discussion I started a link was shared where thousands have had their accounts hacked into today. I hope yahoo can fix this problem soon.
Yes, Shabbat starts in about 6 hours, except my son's lessons are in my yahoo, that totally stinks.. So I will spend a lot of time trying to find a lesson for tonight and hope I can find it in time..
So I will spend a lot of time trying to find a lesson for tonight and hope I can find it in time..1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
yes dear carmelanirel thats true, I try to count my blessings when writing them down.
So upset now about hearing your yahoo account was hacked into. Hope the damage to it will not be severe. I will be alert now of what I get in the mail.....
Back to blessings..... its Shabbat for you in a few hours so that will sure be a blessing to you.
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
hi dear carmelanirel you are such a determined person that I am sure you will find something suitable for him to work on..... Shabbat shalom to you and your family.Huuuugs
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
13 Jul 12
I was wondering why I was black and blue lol wondering why you where there when I thought you where working lol now I know
No I have never wrote one of them I just think them in my head and guess what today it 2 MONTHS that I had my last smoke
And I have been here for the last 3 Days even started Discussions lol
Hugs
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
hiya Gabs I didnt yet get to all my notifications though I was online all day long with the exception of mealtimes. Its an electronic mess here and guess what I need to do tomorrow, yes iron shirts. LOL.
Congrats on two months without a smoke thats wonderful.
Hi to Gissi and Buttons from me....... and lots of hugs to you
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
16 Jul 12
I do not have a gratitude journal, but it sounds like a good idea.I have heard of others doing this. In a way the online sites where I write are like this for me. I may need to put it into a blog or something as I can keep track of it more easily. I think you may have just inspired me.
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
16 Jul 12
hi dear GardenGerty thanks for posting here, I think it will be really helpful for tne not so great days to be able to re read what happened before so I will be less discouraged about the current situation.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
13 Jul 12
What a good idea. I have never had one but i think it would be interesting to start one. I'm glad people are doing nice things for u so u have something to write in your journal. Enjoy your time off & that coffee u seem to love so much.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
hi dearest Jo, husband got home from work and grocery shopping half an hour ago, and we had a snack and planned a bit of what we are going to do this afternoon/evening.
This journal really helps even if I only write in there as irregular as I have. Was a tad disappointed cause I missed out on some really nice stuff in these two weeks I guess.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
15 Jul 12
I think that's a great idea! I haven't got a gratitude journal but I tried a regular journal fro a while. Thoughts and feelings kind of thing. I could not, for the life of me, stay consistent with my entries. I wish I could. I may try it again now that you've started this discussion.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Jul 12
When I was younger, I was a person that was avid about the journal that I kept. I didn't just talk about the good things that were going on in my life, I instead talked about everything that was going on in my life.
There have been times recently that I've considered starting to journal again, but I just really can't find time in my life to keep a journal anymore. However, I would really like to be able to find the journal that I kept as a teenager and read through it again.
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
16 Jul 12
I also was journaling on and off as a teen but might burn the journals as I dont want anyone to read that stuff once I am gone whenever that will be.
But everyone can leaf through that gratitude journal I have started. Some things may sound silly, like, Thank to my Guardian Angels help I caught the train home in the smaller station though I only had four minutes to do that..........
The small things are overlooked so quickly. We often only wait for the big miracles and wont see the small ones.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
13 Jul 12
I have never heard of such a thing. But it sounds an interesting concept. I don't know whether I need to record all the things for which I should give thanks. Or all of the people either. I kind of know who has been good to me and try not to dwell too much on those that might have been less charitable towards me. However, the idea of keeping a diary is not alien to me. When I had my breakdown a few years ago I routinely kept one so that I could see what triggered off anxiety states etc. the bottom line however, is that we must do whatever suits us best. Enjoy your journal.
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
hi P1ke that journaling here is just some lines a day and wont take much time.
You know that I have a much more positive outlook on life now as some nasty things in my life have cleared up. But when you have lived in such a doom and gloom mood for decades its too easy to fall back into that attitude and I want to prevent it.
Writing down the nice things done for me means when I re read I fight the urge to think no one cares about me.
And when I jot down the things I did well I cant say I am no good and I am a total failure........
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Jul 12
you know, I have tried that so many times, I cant remember how many. then, i get busy with life and forget to write in it and years later find it!
I sure hope mylot never shuts down cause it has been my journal for a few years now. 
and this way someone close to me in real life wont be glancing through it and getting their feelings all in an up roar. 
so you could say this is kind of the only journal i seem to be able to keep for real. lol
I sure hope mylot never shuts down cause it has been my journal for a few years now. and this way someone close to me in real life wont be glancing through it and getting their feelings all in an up roar. so you could say this is kind of the only journal i seem to be able to keep for real. lol@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
dear bunnybon same here like I said I started it and then it disappeared in that stack of paper works to my anger.....I am glad I only missed out on two weeks so far.
Its a great idea to vent your feelings here on the lot and I hope that continues to really be beneficial for you.
Huuuuugs
@arizen (152)
• Philippines
13 Jul 12
That is a good way to imbibe positivity. I am planning to keep one too. Unfortunately, I have not been able to officially start one. All I can do at the end of the day is tweet something to which I am grateful for. And this does not happen every night. Thanks for inspiring me to make a gratitude journal of my own.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
13 Jul 12
youre most welcome hope you start one soon. sure you will be much better than me with keeping it up. Blessings.
@Pegasus72 (1898)
•
8 Aug 12
The gratitude journal sounds wonderful and taking baby steps is the way to go. I think I will start a gratitude blog. I have been going through my emails because my computer needs to be redone again. I got a adaptaing virus and it was taking over fast. At least this time I got to save my pictures.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
8 Aug 12
hi Pegasus, how nice that you could save the pics and I really hope your computer works fine soon again and you wont get another virus on it. Have a wonderful day my dear friend, its always a blessing to hear from you.
@Pegasus72 (1898)
•
8 Aug 12
In the next few days he will redo it until then I will go through as many emails as I can
