Keeping a Record of Gratitude and JOY

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I think most would agree that once November roles in each year, many people begin to focus on what they are grateful and thankful for. I have seen the evidence over past few years in various versions of 30-day thankfulness challenges on social media.

I have never participated in those thankfulness challenges, because I knew I'd probably miss a day or two since I'm not on social media every day. I knew missing days would totally mess with my need to be perfect, so I just quit before I even began. This year, however, I was presented with a 30-day challenge that really intrigued me, one in which I have been more than excited to partake. This challenge is called #Gratiku.

Every day for the month of November, possibly longer since I love this idea so much, I am writing a haiku-ish style poems about the people, places, and things that I am grateful and thankful for. I love the challenge of writing haikus or other types of poems filled with gratitude. I also love that the challenge causes me to focus on positive things, especially in such a time as this...#Corona-times.

I can't take credit for the amazing idea. Erin Vogler and Leigh Anne Eck came up with this idea during a brainstorming session for the November writing challenge in a writing group of which I am a member...Thank you ladies. Another writer in my group, Michelle Hastletine, announced that she was doing a "JOYplan" as a way of focusing on things that bring her JOY. I decided to combine both ideas and write #gratikus from a list of 30 things that bring me JOY (#norrisJOYplan).

Most days the #gratikus I have written haven't come from my #norrisJOYplan list. I am constantly presented with new JOYs each day, and in an effort to be present and in the moment, I try to capture that JOYful experience in that day's #gratiku. I am enjoying this challenge so much, I am planning to finish 2020 writing haikus and poems of gratitude and thankfulness to end the year in the right frame of mind. What a great way to usher in 2021, don't you think?

November 5, 2020

November 14, 2020

November 10, 2020

November 11, 2020

November 13, 2020

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