Gratitude Journal

For my 18th birthday I got Oprah's 20th anniversary DVD collection. Today when I found out her show is ending in September of 2011, I felt like watching them.

Some people make fun of me because I sound like a sad, female cliche when I squeal "I love Oprah!" any time she is mentioned. I feel a more personal connection to her than maybe the average viewer. To make a long (long) story short, she helped my mom find the courage to leave my not-so-nice father, therefore changing, and maybe even saving lives.

Today I decided to watch her DVDs and they're split up into sections. My favorite is Aha! Moments. I think it's sort of self explanatory, and one stuck out to me tonight. An author somewhere around her 10th season inspired her to keep a Gratitude Journal.

In a Gratitude Journal, you are to list at least five good things about your day or that you noticed today. They're not supposed to be made up of "I have a nice car, I have a nice house." They are to be very specific, "Today I noticed the flowers outside were a pretty purple; Today a stranger told me she liked my shoes." She said that when you start your day looking for your five things, you see the world differently.

I think I am going to try to do that. I've noticed in myself lately that I let things get to me more, or let the first small bad thing ruin the rest of my day. It's something that a person very important to me pointed out after I noticed it in myself, and it bothers me that it was noticeable enough that he brought it up. Generally, I'm a glass half full person, maybe it's stress from school, maybe it's my old age, but I don't like this recent development. I might not post all my entries here, but I'll try. So now, I will attempt to start.

NOVEMBER 20, 2009
1. I got a great parking spot at school.
2. My professor in my first class gave us some free answers on our quiz, and told us that class is cancelled next week.
3. Garrett said the lunch I cooked for us today was yummy.
4. Lester didn't run away from me (like he usually does) when I tried to pick him up and play with him.
5. I sold back some books that I didn't want to move, and got back $23.
6. I jumped in the short line at the grocery store.