Book of Blessings

Every year I exchange a blank journal with one of my closest friends.  Not because we plan to share our mind meanderings with each other or with anyone else for that matter.  But because we have come to realize that our inner wisdom might otherwise be elusive without such a mechanism as a journal.  To borrow from Julia Cameron's analogy, it's like having a "spiritual ham-radio set to contact the Creator within."

We've used our journals to spew out any yuck from that day so things won't fester and then slow us down. We've also used our journals to dream and plan.  My friend has so many cool idea crammed in her wonderful brain that they buzz busily throughout her sleep, often waking her up at 2am, and they won't let her rest until she writes them down.  I admit to having used my journal to write to-do lists on occasion, though I suspect hers are a lot more involved than mine!

My favorite use of journaling is to record my blessings.  There was a period during last year when every time I opened my journal I would write 5 things I was grateful for that day – a superb way to view a difficult day in a new light.  One evening before going to bed, I wrote at the top of the page:  "I figure that when I find it hardest to come to this gratitude journal, then it's probably a good idea to do it."

In my experience, nothing will shift a bad attitude like the attitude of gratitude.  I encourage you to keep your own book of blessings nearby and add something to it everyday.  Anytime you feel like you're having a rough time of it, take a peek at what you've recorded.  You will feel enriched, indeed!