Several years ago my sister gave several of us a journal with a copy of the Joy Dare prompts from Ann Voskamp, because she had been blessed by the practice. At the time, this gift felt like a gauntlet instead. Though it sounded like something beneficial for the season I was in, I had not been journaling. My Enneagram 1 perfectionistic tendencies would have to wrestle with the days I forgot, which ended up being part of the blessing. I had been a hard year/several years, and I’m glad she had shared the practice. The gratitude of the Joy Dare helped me focus on the positives all around, and the residual blessings of the discipline were many: more contentment, more observation, and a new set of lenses for the day to day. The more we are grateful, the stronger our gratitude filter becomes, making it easier to see the good even when it is hiding or a challenge to find.
What are you thankful for this season? How do you make gratitude a regular part of life?