Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

Did you happen to check the calendar this morning? I know. It's November! How did that happen? On my calendar that also means that it is time to refocus on being grateful and preparing for Thanksgiving.

I've actually been wanting/needing to do this for a long time--it shouldn't just be a November thing--but I'm hoping this month will be the motivation I need to develop a better habit of gratitude, and I'd love it if you would join me on the journey.

If you've read my blog in year's past, you know we try and do an annual gratitude tree to help teach my children the importance of gratitude and get them counting their many blessings. We aren't always as successful as I would like, but the goal is to add a leaf to the tree from each family member for each day in November. That way they really have to think about specific things they are grateful for and name them.

{My Gratitude Tree was a big hit when I initially posted it a few years back.  I think the first version is still the favorite, but not as easy to replicate with my now-wallpapered wall. 1st Version 2nd Version}

The older I get, the more I am coming to believe that gratitude isn't only a nice, it is essential for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I know I often use Facebook and Twitter as an outlet to vent frustrations, and I will probably continue to do that, but this month I am challenging myself to tweet and FB something I am grateful for everyday this month! Both to be a better example to my children and also to help me be a better person in every way.

Here is the challenge: Once a day think about an publish one thing you are grateful for! You can tweet, FB, respond to my FB, blog it, whatever! I will be using the hashtag #gratitude on Twitter and retreating some of my Favorites there. You can respond on my post on Facebook with your gratitude posting as well. Hopefully we can help each other remember some of our blessings.

So are you in? Do you think you can be a little bit grateful everyday? Do you think I can? As I'm writing this, I have a list of about 30 things I kind of want to whine about from today (including rotten milk exploding in my son's backpack), but underneath it all, I know I am so blessed, and that is where I need my focus to be. I hope you will join me on this venture!