Several years ago, I was going through an intensely challenging time; it seemed I had little to be grateful for. It was easy to focus on everything that wasn’t going right. In an attempt to shift my outlook and mood, I decided to try gratitude journaling. I wanted to retrain my brain to focus on the positive.
I ended up mostly filling my journals with gratitude for my cat Leyna. When it was difficult to see the good in other aspects of my life, I could usually remember sweet or funny things she’d done that day or simply appreciate her unexpected arrival in my life. I’d remember the feeling of her purring warm presence on my lap. Appreciate her coming out of nowhere to bring me joy.
My journaling brought my focus and attention to the extraordinary relationship Leyna and I had and helped me connect with heartfelt joy. Practicing gratitude in this way changed my life for the better.