Gratitude Journal

One of the recommendations of the "Authentic Happiness" website for cultivating happiness is to keep a gratitude journal. It is best to write everyday, (you can see by the cover that was my original intention) but my daily gratitude journal became the 10x a year gratitude journal. Better than nothing. 

The idea is that everyone can find something to be grateful for, even the most pessimistic and sardonic among us. For example, around Thanksgiving my sister said she was grateful that (among other things) she didn't have a six inch leech lodged in her windpipe. According to "Odd News" this was apparently the fate of some young boy in rural China. (He's okay). 

I'm glad I don't have any six inch leeches lodged anywhere either. But other than that, what have I been grateful about over the years? I started my journal on March 20th, 2004, and have written numerous entries up to the present. Here are a few selections from the recent past. To protect the innocent, I will just put the initials of parties unknown. 

1. I grateful for my two kitties (H.K. and W.K.)
   
2. I'm grateful I'm going to Zion National Park. 
3. I'm grateful ER is making me dessert this Sunday. 
4. I'm grateful for my friends. 
5. I'm grateful for chocolate. 
6. I'm grateful for the surprise send-off my friends threw me today. 
7. I am grateful I'm making some extra money working at BJ's.
8. I'm grateful I got some chores done. 
9. I'm grateful that I traveled and hiked in safety, and so didn't my teammates. 
10. I'm grateful the sun is out. 
11. I'm grateful I started writing on my blog again. 
12. I am grateful for GoodReads. 
13. I am grateful that I seem to be doing better with my thinking. 
14. I'm grateful for good Indian food and dinner tonight with MK.
15. I am grateful that I have a job that's secure and uses my skills.