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Research shows that making a gratitude list everyday for just 7 days increases happiness for more than a month. Developing gratitude is one simple key to happiness that anyone can access at anytime. Yet many of us find that it is difficult to count our blessings when we are sad, or depressed, or frustrated about life. We take our gifts for granted and can not recall what they are when we need them most. You can overcome this problem with a Thanksgiving Inventory.
A Thanksgiving Inventory is a gratitude list that you build over time with the help of a checklist. Like an asset inventory for insurance, a thanksgiving inventory is a list of all the things you value. When you need a lift and find it hard to count your blessings, just take out your Thanksgiving Inventory to remind yourself just how fortunate you are.
Example Thanksgiving Inventory
1. I have a lot of wonderful people in my life who love me and support me.
2. My Husband John who loves me, lives with me, supports me, helps me build my dreams, and raise our daughter, and who is always growing and improving.
3. My Daughter Erin who is healthy, happy, beautiful, talented, and a joy to be around.
4. My Friend Jo who has known me for 20 years and is always there to listen when I need her and remind me what a good life I have.
5. My Neighbor Linda who came by when I was sick to cheer me up this year.
6. The Bus Driver on the morning route who always greets me with a smile and who I trust to get me safely and smoothly through morning traffic, even in bad weather.
7. My coworker Jim who taught me how to use html and encouraged me start a web site.
8. I am Healthy
9. I have both arms and legs in full working order.
10. I can see.
11. I can hear.
12. I am mostly pain free.
13. I can live independently. I do not need anyone to help me with day to day activities like cooking or shopping.
14. I have a job that provides a good income
15. I have good job skills that allow me to change jobs if I want to in a reasonable time.
16. I am going to school to learn better job skills so I can make a better living.
17. I climbed a Mountain last year and it was a wonderful, exhilarating, and empowering experience for me.
18. I live in a nice apartment that is safe, warm, and dry.
19. I drove all year without any accidents
20. I own lots of very nice things.
21. My collection of beautiful figurines cheers me everyday and is an investment. It gives me an heirloom to pass on to my grandchildren.
Your inventory becomes more powerful as it gets longer and as it gets more detailed. A long gratitude list is good. A list that includes a brief description of why you are thankful is even better.
How to Keep Your Inventory
There are lots of ways to build and keep your Thanksgiving Inventory. You could just make a list that you keep on your computer or on paper in a notebook.
You could keep your inventory in the form of a scrap book with pictures of the people, places, experiences or things you value. Or, you could use an electronic photo album. You might even want some of the pictures on your electronic organizer or music player just to have them handy when you need a boost.
If you are very creative, you could keep a video inventory and include some of your favorite music.
Or, if you are musically inclined you might want to make up a song like My Favorite Things from the musical The Sound of Music.
The most important part of a Thanksgiving Inventory is that you start it and keep it handy so you can build on it over time and make it as complete as possible. Also, the more you use it, the more useful and powerful it will be as a happiness building tool.
Gratitude is a simple key to a happier life. The more you practice being grateful for the people, experiences, things, places, and gifts in your life the happier your life will be and the easier it will be to continue being grateful. Use a gratitude list to build your happy life.
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Source by Susan McMillin
