*If you’d like to see the video version of this, head on over to my Facebook page at Facebook.com/pixiedustandwhiskey.
Oftentimes I wonder if I’ve found my calling, if what I’m doing, this writing business of trying to inspire people is the right thing. Along my ongoing journey of self-discovery, God sends me bits of wisdom to remind me whether I’m on the right path. Sometimes He redirects my path, other times sends affirmation.
The other day I had a nugget of affirmation sent my way. A friend told me that this gratitude thing turned her life around. She said I told her to get a notebook, and write down everything she came across to be thankful for, and don’t stop writing until her heart was so full she couldn’t stop smiling, and then write some more. So that’s what she did, and she said it changed her life. She went from depression and hopelessness to a place of gratitude, purpose and love. And it started by writing down all the things she was thankful for.
I’m not saying I invented the practice of gratitude. That would be ridiculous. But I do promote it, because I believe in it. I’ve seen it work repeatedly in my own life and in the lives of others.
Today’s post is a challenge to join me on a gratitude scavenger hunt. All you need for this challenge is a pen and paper or a recording device of some sort. Whatever works best for you to record your thoughts. With Thanksgiving around the corner, we’ll begin seeing all the things we’re grateful for on Facebook, but this is different than that. This isn’t a matter of just reciting the things we’re thankful for, thought that is good too. In my eBook, “The Road to Happiness is Paved With Many Thanks”, I present a challenge in the end of the book. (Spoiler alert.)
Our brains are extremely malleable and they respond to whatever we do repeatedly over and over again. If you’re feeling in a negative place, where you constantly see and experience more negativity, and you need something positive to turn your life around, then you absolutely must take up this challenge. If you already feel pretty good about your life, you should do this anyway, because there’s no such thing as too much happy.
For seven days, I challenge you to write down something you are thankful for from that day. This isn’t just searching your memory banks for things you’re grateful for, this is a scavenger hunt, so you need to find something original from each day and write that down. It can be anything, anything that makes you feel grateful.
The reason I believe it’s important to find original gratitude moments from each day is because the purpose of this exercise is to train your brain to search for those nuggets of thanks tucked away in every ordinary day so that it becomes natural.
One of my life mantras is people are as happy or as sad as they choose to be. If you want to be happier, it starts by retraining your brain to notice the happiness that is already all around you in your life right now. And it can start today. Will you join me? Comment below with the words, “I’m in.” You don’t have to share your results, but feel free if it helps keep you accountable. Use the hashtags #GratitudeScavengerHunt and #PixieDustandWhiskey so we can share in the thankful love.
Again, you don’t have to share your nuggets of gratitude, but I’d love to hear from you. You can comment below or email me at pixiedustandwhiskey@gmail.com. Happy hunting.
The greatest compliment you can give me is to share my work. If you enjoyed this, please share. If you have an idea for a future post or a question for me, leave a comment or email me at pixiedustandwhiskey@gmail.com.
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Copyright © 2016 Katherine J. Wheeler. All rights reserved.
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