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The Gratitude Letter
Positive Psychology
Instructor: Dr Mark Hurst, Winter 2007/08
Student: Elizabeth Lahren, A00092341
Three Blessings
I’m terrible about remembering to do anything before bed. This would be one of my excuses for posting this so late. While I intended to write down my three blessings every night for a week, I only remembered to physically do so about half the time. That’s not to say that I didn’t think about my three things on a daily basis. In fact, the mere practice of thinking of three things that went well everyday seemed to have a very positive effect on my mood. I found it a great exercise because it was easy when I put my mind to it and it made me realize all of the things that I have going well in my life right now. At first it was difficult but as the week progressed I was easily be able to pinpoint three things that had gone well that day.
Activities 3 Three Blessings,4 Beautiful Day, and 5 Gradtitude Letter
Activity 3: “Three blessings”
One of the principals I try to live by is to have an “attitude of gratitude” and this activity compliments that really well. I try to start and everyday with a thank you prayer. I thank spirit and creation and all the elements in it for being. I find it helps me put things in proper perspective. I hope to live my life in a way that expresses that gratitude. This activity was another welcome reminder to do so. Where I had trouble at first was trying to pick three things that went “really well”. As usual I was trying to over think it. Once I relaxed moved on to “These things can be ordinary and small” part things started to flow. I also was a little concerned that it would turn out to be redundant because my life has a routine to it. Sleep, work, study, travel back and forth. In this I find a certain amount of security. I have learn to appreciate what I use to call boring. I think things are going really really well when I wake up alive at my age. As an addict I have out live my life expectancy. As a bonus having this activity on my mind reminded me to stop and appreciate when things are going well through out the day. It is not surprising to me that my list often involved interaction with other people. As for the optional dreaming I did not have much if any luck. My dreams seem to as far as I can tell be random. I know that my dreams are influenced by what I see, hear, and think before I go to sleep. I just don’t seem to be able to tell just what the hell is going to pop-up good or bad. But I think this may be like meditating it could be an acquired skill coming easier to some than others. I have a hard time focusing on any one thought for long.
3 Blessings
3 Blessings
Not every day of my life is particularly great or packed with wonderful experiences. Some days just call for a stiffer drink than the night before. However, once I took the time to think back on what positive events actually happened throughout the day, it was clear that I had a lot more to be thankful for than I gave credit to. I have an unfortunate habit of letting one day slip into the next and before I know it weeks have passed by. Doing something as simple as “counting blessings” every night was a refreshing reminder of how comfortable my day to day life is. I’m not regularly faced with struggles such as racism, sexism, discrimination or any other kind of intolerances. I don’t live in poverty and hot water is always on tap. If my biggest problem is paying a digital cable bill or having enough money to go snowboarding, I think I’m doing just fine. This exercise reminded me of my circumstances and how they could easily be a lot worse.
Gratitude Sharing
As I examined my list of the many people in my life I am grateful for, one special person kept creeping back into my mind. He has been my greatest friend for the past ten years. I have not included the letter as some of the content would violate his anonymity and confidentiality as we are both members of Alcoholics Anonymous. For me the experience of writing this letter gave me the opportunity to re-examine the wonderful journey we have shared over this past decade as we walked the road of recovery together. He was the best man at my wedding and I was the best man at his wedding and we are both still married, to the same wives.
