How to Create a Gratitude Tracker

Like many of you, I've learned to embrace the concept of "and" versus "or", this AND that instead of this OR that. I can feel both joy and sadness in the same moment. Anxious about tomorrow's election and choose to stay in my power.

We experience the depth and richness of life in these moments of duality and seasons that stretch us. This year, for example, has stretched all of us. There has been sickness and growth, broken parts and truth revealed. So in that spirit, we have arrived at November, a month traditionally correlated with gratitude. It may feel trite to focus on gratitude during a year when so many are hurting and experiencing extra stress and pain. Especially for those of you who have experienced the death of a loved one, gratitude may seem out of reach. It was a during a season of intense grief of my own that I first learned the reality of the AND concept. I was experiencing so many mixed emotions and realized there were no easy answers - they could all be true at once.

Vision Journal Gratitude Tracker

The good news is, researchers who study gratitude have found that it has been linked to better psychological health and in turn, leads to better physical health. Dr. Judith T. Moskowitz, a psychologist at Northwestern University, has been studying the impact of keeping a daily gratitude journal on stress relief and health. She found that in some people, practicing gratitude increased positive emotions and ability to cope with life's stressors.

Therefore, I'm choosing to spend time each day this month jotting down what I'm grateful for in my Vision Journal. For example, I'm grateful for the time we've spent together recently in virtual workshops where I learn from participants each time! I invite you to join me in jotting down gratitude - let's grow our capacity to experience the richness of life.