“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” – Cicero
I recently read an article in which the writer discussed the benefits of keep a “Gratitude Journal.” The idea had come to him that he really had much to be grateful for and that it was something he wanted to contemplate more often than just every Thanksgiving. Studying the topic, he discovered that being grateful led to benefits such as: improved physical and mental health, improved sleep, and increased self-esteem.
The writer set out to list two things every day for which he was grateful. While doing so initially required focused intentionality, it eventually became a daily habit.
As I read this, my therapist brain couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if married couples were to try this exercise in relationship to each other? In other words, what if we were to write down every morning two things that we are grateful for about our spouse. Better yet, what if you were to tell them those two things as well? This was probably easy when we were first dating but odds are that we have gotten out of the practice.
So, this morning I want to challenge you to try this. Simply write down and/or tell your spouse two things about them for which you are grateful, and repeat the exercise for 30 days. My suspicion is that this could have implications that you haven’t even contemplated. Let me know how it goes.