INSPIRATION | IDEAS
How My 365-Days-of-Gratitude Challenge Touched Others (Even More Than Myself)
Seriously, you should try it
Back in September of 2022, I’d caught myself yet again doom-scrolling, my fingers having a mind of their own as they sought out CNN, Huffington Post, BBC or NPR before landing on Facebook to see all my friends complaining — more outrage, more outrage, more vicious clap backs and take-downs and trollings.
And I decided I’d had enough.
I had to combat all this negativity and force myself (at least once a day) to intentionally take a moment, pause, focus on something I was grateful for, and post it on my Facebook feed — to sprinkle some tiny gem of positivity into my friends’ daily lives so they could also be knocked out of their zombie-like trances and be reminded that, oh yeah, I don’t feel very good as I keep mindlessly scrolling this self-fulfilling prophecy of depression, anxiety and anger.
And of course, to help myself get through 2022–2023 on this planet as well.
This wasn’t my first experience with Gratitude.
Way back in 2006-ish I’d been introduced to the DVD phenomenon The Secret.
Who hadn’t?
One of the tools they suggested to aid in the Law of Attraction journey was to start each day with a gratitude list.
I kept it up for maybe a year or so until I found I was always repeating myself.
But now, here we were in the throes of a politically messy world (again), climate change issues everywhere, continued fallout from Covid in the working world, and it was again needed.
Needed desperately for my daily sanity.
Thus began my Daily Gratitude Post Project on Facebook.
So What Were the Rules?
It was simple, really.
Once a day I’d post one thing I was grateful for — often with a picture, and label it appropriately — Return to Gratitude, Day 4:, or Return to Gratitude, Day 298: — hopefully for a full year.
And most importantly, each item, original — no repeats!
Anything was game — treasured friends, loved ones or teachers who made a difference in my life. Dancing, hugs or favorite foods.
Or the fact that I woke up today without fearing bombs falling from the sky. Or something as “simple” as having access to hot showers, zip ties!, ice cream, BLTs.
How about indoor plumbing so I didn’t have to use an outhouse like our predecessors?
I knew it would be a challenge, but I was up for it.
Here’s a sampling of five different posts from that 365-day period —
Return to Gratitude, Day 26:
I’m Grateful for well-used and well-worn shoes. While hiking today I was reminded of all the destinations and adventures certain shoes have taken me on. I’m Grateful for their support through these unforgettable journeys and views.
Return to Gratitude, Day 43:
I’m Grateful for Direct Deposit. I don’t miss the fun of being required to hit the bank in person before the weekend so that bills can be paid.
Return to Gratitude, Day 110:
I’m Grateful for Sex and Passion. Yeah, I said it! Don’t clutch your pearls and get your tail-feathers ruffled. With over 7 billion people in the world currently, it’s kinda obvious a lot of people took part. (And those are just the times when it took!) It can be a nice part of this life.
Return to Gratitude, Day 204:
I’m Grateful for the simple, comforting feel of carpet under foot. It just occurred to me how comforting it can feel sometimes. Love that.
Return to Gratitude, Day 250:
I’m Grateful for finding a Trader Joe’s with an actual parking lot!. Those who know, you know what I’m talking about. This place has more than only 12 parking spaces.
Return to Gratitude, Day 255:
I’m Grateful for Persistence. I need to be more persistent in soooo many areas in life. But every once in awhile it’s nice to have persistence rewarded after many letdowns, roadblocks and rejections. It’s a good quality to have; I’m grateful when it turns up and I can keep reaching.
Return to Gratitude, Day 266:
I’m Grateful for the person who invented water shoes. Thanks to these nifty things we’ve been able to enjoy European rocky beaches and step into a rugged-bottomed ocean or river for a quick dip without tiptoeing and worrying. I literally am so grateful every time I’m able to use them.
Return to Gratitude, Day 328:
I’m Grateful to witness my parents still finding activities to do together. I tagged along today for their weekly Meals on Wheels route. As a team effort it goes so much faster.
and then finally:
Return to Gratitude, Day 365:
Wow, plain and simple, I’m Grateful for a Full Year of daily, authentic, mostly-unique things to be grateful for. Feel free to scroll back through my feed if you ever need reminders. That’s all folks! Gratitude is needed. The internet is full of people waiting to pounce and react to everything, like it’s their job to just sit there and pronounce outrage, (we’ve been conditioned). Keep it going. Little things will occur in your daily life — take a moment to say, “Hmmm, I’m actually grateful for the trash collectors, I’m actually grateful for quiet summer nights,” whatever. Hugs! In a world of so much darkness, Be the Light.
It was quite a journey.
I won’t pretend it was always easy.
Once I was in the 200s, there were plenty of days where I had to sit for 15 minutes and truly think of something new and different to be genuinely, authentically grateful for.
But the occasional daily comments and Likes kept me going, as did the people who mentioned I’d opened their minds to something new.
But most impressive were the people who never, ever would comment or Like publicly on Facebook, but weeks or months later would comment to me in person how much they were enjoying them, how it made their day — or even tell my parents about it when they encountered them out and about.
In this instant gratification world of Likes, Claps and metrics, it’s a great lesson to remember that there’s a whole population of folks reading your stuff, getting great value, but don’t feel the need to publicly comment, like or clap. They are also readers of value.
Sure, I’d occasionally get the confused or annoyed friend who’d comment, “What’s with Day 293?! Who cares what day it is?! Just tell us what you’re grateful for!”
But for me, it was motivating to watch the number go up each day.
“Wow, I’ve really done 312 days in a row of Gratitude Posts? Amazing.”
And full disclosure, there was one item that I was grateful for more than once, in different forms, because to me it is the ultimate — I’m Grateful that I am not in a hospital, not in a nursing home, and that I currently have independence, can make my own choices and have working limbs to get me places.
Kind of hard not to be grateful for that every day.
But guess what? When the task was complete? When I’d successfully done 365 days in a row and moved on to other things? At least two dozen people reached out to tell me how much they missed them.
I appreciated it, but also reminded them they of course had the power to do the same thing, privately or publicly, and I hope they do.
I’m forever grateful.
I still try to pause each day, though not publicly, and pinch myself. Amidst the trauma of what’s happening in Gaza, amidst the health crises friends and family are enduring, amidst the unexpected deaths and uncertainties, I find a moment to be grateful for the little things I have, as an antidote to complaining and death-spiraling through woe-is-me.
Incidentally, at least eight friends, separately, keep insisting that I turn my 365-day journey into a 365-page book with illustrations or photos. At first I wasn’t sure… but today, I’m Grateful that I’m finally the kind of writer who’s grown into self-esteem and self-worth, into saying yes more often, and to being open to all of the world’s wonderful possibilities.
© Joe Guay, 2023
Other pieces you might enjoy by this author:
