By: Candice Slovinski
Staff-Writer
With Thanksgiving and winter festivities on the horizon, some take this time of year to reflect on the things and people they are grateful for. Here at The Preface, we want to take some time to reflect on how far all of us have come, be it an academic achievement, a new job or simply getting up each day!
Join us over the next five days to try out your own gratitude journal. Each day has a new prompt to spark your creativity and help you remember who you are and all that you can be.
Day 1: List 5 things you are grateful for today.
It doesn’t matter if these seem trivial to you or anyone else. Gratitude does not have to be saved for the “big” things in life–take a moment to appreciate the things you take for granted.
Bonus points: Write 6 or more things you are grateful for today.
Day 2: Kindness is Key!
What are two acts of kindness that you can do this week? When has an act of kindness inspired you or left a memorable impact on your life? How did you help someone else this month?
Bonus points: Don’t just write about it–perform an act of kindness today.
Day 3: Remember a success you had and write a two-minute speech thanking the people, including yourself, who helped you get there.
What is an area where you have really grown over the past year? What is a recent accomplishment that you are proud of? What is a challenging situation that you overcame?
Bonus points: After writing your speech, share it with the people who helped you succeed.
Day 4: List at least 10 things you like about yourself.
Part of gratitude is appreciating our own strength and value. How we feel about ourselves affects our daily lives, well-being and relationships. For some, this may be a challenging prompt; if so, start by thinking of something another person has complimented you about. You might also just practice self-acceptance; for example, “I don’t like how I look yet, but I am grateful for my health.”
Bonus points: Write a journal entry exploring each item you wrote down.
Day 5: Reflect on a negative experience that led to a positive outcome.
Describe an aspect of your life that changed for the better, or a time when you were ready to give up but found the light at the end of the tunnel.
Bonus points: Be grateful that you are there for yourself and celebrate making it through each prompt.
