All Year Thankfulness

I have more to be grateful for than I feel I deserve. But I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and sees my worth, and gives me these blessings, it may not because I necesserily "deserve" them, but because he KNOWS my worth and loves me so unconditionally that he gives me so much, and that I am more grateful than I could ever say, and only can be seen in my heart. 

Instead of just really focusing on my gratefulness this past month I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to focus on my blessings and what I am grateful for. There is so much negativity in the world, and I hate it. The harsh words that are so unnecessary, the complaining, and not seeing the positive side in things. I have fallen into these categories a few times, and I don't like how I felt... So at the beginning of the year, my mom gave me a little tiny notebook. We sorta have an addiction to notebooks...

I knew it was just too little and precious to throw in my purse, so I started on January 6th a little grateful journal. It sits in our mail basket where I see it every day, and every day I try to write down 5 things that I am grateful for that day. Even on the worst of worst days, the lonely, the sad, the happy, the excited, the self pity, the most loved felt days, I wrote something down. 

Some days I had a lot to write! and really saw my blessings

And some days were just one... it may have just been one thing, but even writing that down made me realize I ALWAYS have something to be grateful for. ALWAYS!! 

I missed days, but all in all I feel like I have kept it going pretty well. I plan to continue it too. It was such a little way to uplift myself. It was just my little private way to know that I have so much and am so loved. 

Just recently at Tithing Settlement, our Bishop asked Dan and I if we have anything that comes to mind of blessings that have had a big impact on our life. I LOVED hearing Dan share his. His testimony of this gospel showed through, I think without him even knowing, it made me a little teary eyed...

But when the Bishop asked me, I didn't have ONE specific large blessing come to mind... I then told him about this little grateful journal challenge and told him that even though these blessings are so small, and some make me laugh that, that day was what I was grateful for, but during that day I was grateful for those things, or feelings, and I'm so happy I got to write them down. That even though they are small they all add up to make a big impact on my mood, and on my happiness. I tend to be more of a positive person because of these few words that I jot down each day. 

November is a great month to remember what we are thankful for. I am so glad we have it, but it has been so great seeing those blessings around me all year. 

There is a Mormon Message that I really like about seeing what we are grateful for each day, and how much we take for granted. You can watch it HERE!

I am so grateful for my life, my love, my beautiful babes, my family, my friends, my world possessions and my spiritual ones... all that is because of my Heavenly Father! 

Happy Gratefulness!!