A word from Andie...

Way back in April 2007, my sister was telling me about her boss who was over from America at the time. This American lady formed a small group with some friends who wrote each other an email every day sharing something that they were grateful for. As the lady spoke with my sister she told her about her 'grat' group and how it had changed her perspective on life. After hearing about it ourselves, my sister and I quickly agreed that we should form a group and begin "gratting". 
Since that time I can honestly say that by reflecting on what I am thankful for in the day has now become a habitual way of thinking for me. When I wake up I begin the day wondering which thing I will choose to write about. On days when it's really hard to find something to feel grateful for I very quickly pull myself up and adjust my thoughts, knowing that there is always so much that I can choose from. 
The other benefit of this grat group has been that when I logged on to my email each day to grat, I also got to read grats from the other people in the group, which is very uplifting. I would really encourage anyone considering this type of personal reflection to give it a go. You can spend as little or as much time doing it and be as personal or as general as you want to be.  Our group has grown and changed over the past couple of years but it has continued to be a source of inspiration and encouragement to me.

Before we officially started, my sister sent an email out to the group, which explained 'gratting' a bit more clearly. Here is some of what she wrote.  (She also wrote a beautiful poem that really touched my heart).

Guidelines for your grats.

-1 gratitude per day to the group

-Your gratitude is entirely yours, a reflection of how you are feeling. There is no right or wrong. There is no such thing as repeating yourself, or copying someone else's. If you want to be thankful for the same thing all week - go for it. If you want to be grateful for the same thing as someone else - go for it. The rule is, there are no rules when it comes to writing them. If you want to write 1 word, or a long paragraph...do whatever your heart tells you to.

-If someone's gratitude is of a sensitive nature, it should stay within the "Gratitude Group"

-You can send your gratitude any time in the day

-If you happen to miss a day for whatever reason, you don't need to explain why. If you would like to write 2 the next day, you can...if you don't want to - that's also fine. 

I am grateful for such wonderful friends.
Friends who make me want to improve myself.
Friends who help me to strive to be the best I can be.
Friends to laugh with, till my cheeks ache.
Friends I am safe to cry with.
Friends who, despite all my faults
want to share life with me.
Friends whose beauty shines from within
and reaches out to everyone around them.
Friends who aren't happy to settle for second best
but instead strive to achieve greatness.
Those friends I speak of, are you.
I am grateful for this opportunity to share the ups and downs of life together, 
choosing to see the best in and be thankful for, every thing life brings our way.

Why Make a Deliberate Effort to be Grateful?

The Art of Gratefulness
By Michael Angier

"If you learn to appreciate more of what you already have, you'll find yourself having more to appreciate." -Michael Angier 

The word appreciate has several meanings. One is to be thankful or show gratitude. Another is to raise or increase in value, such as how a good investment appreciates with time. I think that by appreciating and practising gratefulness, the things we have and want in our lives also increase. 

In our hectic, fast-paced lives, it's easy to forget about the many things for which we have to be grateful. We tend to be goal seeking, achievement-oriented people. 

And there's nothing wrong with that. 

However, it's vitally important that we not lose sight of the things that are near and dear, things we all too easily take for granted. 

What we focus on expands. If we focus on the problems in our lives, they tend to increase. If we focus on the good things we already have, they too, have a tendency to grow. 

I see it as another form of prayer. When we worry and fret over things, we make them bigger than they really are, as well as attract more of the saThe Art of Gratefulness
By Michael Angier

"If you learn to appreciate more of what you already have, you'll find yourself having more to appreciate." -Michael Angier 

The word appreciate has several meanings. One is to be thankful or show gratitude. Another is to raise or increase in value, such as how a good investment appreciates with time. I think that by appreciating and practising gratefulness, the things we have and want in our lives also increase. 

In our hectic, fast-paced lives, it's easy to forget about the many things for which we have to be grateful. We tend to be goal seeking, achievement-oriented people. 

And there's nothing wrong with that. 

However, it's vitally important that we not lose sight of the things that are near and dear, things we all too easily take for granted. 

What we focus on expands. If we focus on the problems in our lives, they tend to increase. If we focus on the good things we already have, they too, have a tendency to grow. 

I see it as another form of prayer. When we worry and fret over things, we make them bigger than they really are, as well as attract more of the same. That's negative prayer … prayer in reverse. 

Focusing on what we HAVE and what we WANT "appreciates" these things-they grow. 

Just before going to sleep each night, my wife and I share at least three things for which we're thankful. We call it doing our "Gratefuls". It takes only a few moments, but it directs our thoughts on the good … on the things we wish to increase in our life. 

I suggest making the conscious consideration of your blessings a daily rather than yearly occurrence. If you do, you'll find them taking on an even greater presence.me. That's negative prayer … prayer in reverse. 

Focusing on what we HAVE and what we WANT "appreciates" these things-they grow. 

Just before going to sleep each night, my wife and I share at least three things for which we're thankful. We call it doing our "Gratefuls". It takes only a few moments, but it directs our thoughts on the good … on the things we wish to increase in our life. 

I suggest making the conscious consideration of your blessings a daily rather than yearly occurrence. If you do, you'll find them taking on an even greater presence.