Make Your Own Gratitude Jar October 12, 2015 15:29

Today being Thanksgiving here in Canada, I thought it would be nice to share some thoughts with you on Gratitude.

When times are tough, it isn’t always easy to see the silver lining. This is where gratitude can become an extremely useful tool for life. Gratitude puts situations into perspective. When we can see the good as well as the bad, it becomes more difficult to complain and stay stuck with our negative thoughts. Gratitude helps us realize what we have. This can lessen our need for wanting more all the time. Gratitude strengthens relationships, improves health, reduces stress, and can make us overall much happier.

So how can we incorporate gratitude into our daily life? One really simple way is to create a Gratitude Jar.

1.Choose any jar, vase or container

2.Collect some paper scraps and a pen and you are ready to start giving thanks!

3.Write down what you are thankful for on a piece of paper and place it in the jar.

Not only will your Gratitude Jar benefit you in the moment, it will also be a great visual reminder of all of your blessings on days when things just don’t seem to be going your way.

For my own Gratitude Jar I used an old Christmas vase I already had. I got some lettered stickers from the Dollar Store and placed them on the front to read “I AM GRATEFUL FOR”. I also picked up some colorful scrapbook paper at the Dollar Store and cut the paper up into squares. I covered an old soup can with the same paper and used it to hold the pre-cut pieces.

Whenever I start to feel discouraged about something, I can look at the vase and quickly be reminded of all the things I have to be thankful for. Then, by adding a new blessing to the vase I can remind myself that whatever has got me down that day is only temporary and I am still surrounded by goodness in so many way.

So what are you grateful for today? Feel free to leave your thoughts on gratitude here in the comments. You just never know who you might inspire :)

 Love and light,