100 days ago I made a commitment. A commitment to look at moments, experiences, and each day from a deeper perspective. I committed to seeking moments of gratitude and recording them with a purpose of appreciating more of who I am, what I have, and how full my life is. It is already 100 days into a 365 day journey and I have learned much more about myself and my attitude than I ever imagined. What I did not anticipate was how much more appreciative I would feel.

Before this journey began, I was a grateful person who like everyone else faced challenges and tried to let them not get the best of me. Anger and frustration were more common 101 days ago. I am far more conscious about the minute to minute experiences that I have. My words, attitude, and purpose are valuable. Not only do I think so but I have received more feedback confirming this. My life is so much more full than I thought it was so…..simply because I chose to change my perspective, which then changed my attitude. I am healthy, employed, have a wonderful set of friends and a loving family who supports me lovingly. I am a student and am blessed to be learning every single day. I work actively on my bucket list and try to live my values and be an authentic person.

I look forward to what the next 100 days brings me and encourage you to continue on this journey with me. It’s changed me and I hope its changing you. Today, not only am I grateful for this blog but am also grateful for you-my reader. Thank you!

How does living with more gratitude change you?

So thankful to have such amazing coworkers!

Woah! My load this quarter is probably the most challenging yet. My program is incredibly rigorous, but don’t get me wrong. I love what I am learning, studying, and debating. BUT, there is nothing like the feeling I get when I’m done with a particular assignment. Today, I am grateful that after spending three full evenings in a row I am finished. The amount of time I spend on my studies is magnificent; however the growth I am experiencing is most fruitful.

What are you grateful for finishing today?

PS-Oh, am also grateful for my mom’s tricks that save me time. Love you!

Like so many others balancing it all can be extremely challenging. Work, school, work outs, family, friends, etc are all essential to me so fitting in all of the extras can be tough. And, that is why I’m grateful for technology to let me catch up, remind me of a song from my youth, or watch news clips that I couldn’t get to last night or last week or…..

Anyway, today I’m grateful specifically for You Tube, a marvelous public source of humorous, touching, emotional, frightening, and tear jerking videos. I watched a particularly intriguing video about the scientific and religious models of origin. You can watch the debate in its entirety here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI

What technology source are you grateful for today?

“Each of us can look back upon someone who made a great difference in our lives, someone whose wisdom or simple acts of caring made an impression upon us. In all likelihood, it was someone who sought no recognition for their deed, other than the joyof knowing that, by their hand, another’s life had been made better.” Stephen M. Wolf

Whose life will you make better today?

Life is SO good isn’t it? Life is moving forward full steam ahead, busy as ever, but as wonderful as ever. I am grateful for the position I am in my life currently, where I am, why I am, how I am, and what I am. Life is full of mysteries and today I am perfectly content with those mysteries as they are meant to be, meant to happen at this time, and meant to be as they come. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.

Are you content with your position in life?

Happiness is plentiful in my life and today was a concentration in happiness. I am grateful for the position I am in my life. While I am not perfect nor is my life perfect. I am happy and that is the most important thing. I choose to focus on happiness…..although today I didn’t need to make the choice I simply felt it.

What are you happy for?

Ah……Saturday, how much do I love you. Even more so when I have very little to do….like today. Today, I am grateful for the gift of time. Time that was spent sleeping, relaxing, watching movies, and doing school work all while in my pajamas. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to spend more time in my pajamas and today was one of those days that my resolution was realized. It’s a goal and with more time over the next few months I will continue to enjoy indoor relaxation.

Are your New Year’s resolutions still a part of your practice?