Renaissance of the Gratitude Journal
In 1995 Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance: A Day Book of Comfort and Joy was on the bestseller list and Oprah was talking about how impactful a gratitude journal could be in the way we view the world. My dear friend and colleague, Nichole reminded me of the importance of a gratitude journal when trying to stay positive on the job while working to reach our current career goals.
So during this season of Thanksgiving, let’s all take Nichole’s great advice and consider keeping a gratitude journal as we move a step closer towards our career dreams. It’s easy to get bogged down in the negative but if we focus our energy on the positive we can use that momentum to take a step forward towards the change we want to live.
The process is simple, each day – write down 3-5 things for which you are grateful. For the sake of this exercise – let’s keep the gratitude focus on work or your professional life. In one week, you’ll have between 21-35 things that you are thankful for. You might be thankful for colleagues, a work environment, skills you possess, or a great idea not yet realized. The possibilities are endless.
If you are feeling down, pull out your journal and read through each item, spending a few seconds thinking about each. It can be a great way to feel more positive. This journal is also a way to reflect on what you value so you can plug these values into your new career if a reinvention is in your future.
Today I am profoundly grateful for the community of readers that follow my blog as well as the 358+ women (and counting) whom I interviewed for my book and blog. These individuals have inspired me with fresh ideas, energized me to take on new challenges, and helped me understand that I am truly in control of my own career destiny. I am grateful for the opportunity to reach new audiences with my national public speaking events and to the people who are listening to my CBS Radio show Career Coach Caroline. My personal Board of Directors and mentors are people for whom I am also very appreciative for they have challenged me, taught me, and held me accountable to achieve.
Cheers to you, Nichole – it’s so important to take a step back and be thankful for what’s going well. Happy Thanksgiving!
November 18, 2012 @ 11:02 am
I still have my gratitude journal from 1995. It’s great to look back from time to time. It helps me to accentuate the positive. Thanks for reminding me of this.
November 20, 2012 @ 9:54 am
I recently met a man who was a member of the Lions Club, to which I had donated all my mother-in-law’s old eyeglasses a few months ago. He told me they also collect old hearing aids.
He, personally, was collecting stamps for a VA physical therapy program, soda can tabs to be recycled for the aluminum, cell phones to be given to domestic abuse shelters for 911 calls, medicine bottles for doctors in Haiti who buy medicine in bulk but need a way to distribute it, sunglasses and eyeglass cases for Haiti.
It reminds you of what an impact a single person can have.