Happy 2015!

Two weeks into the new year is as good as any to begin working on my resolutions, right?

 

Last year I chose joy as my word for 2014.

I had no idea how many opportunities I would have
which would make choosing joy so very easy.

Joy-filled is the perfect way to describe the year.

 

My word for 2015 came quickly flowing from the year prior.

I entered 2015 overwhelmed with gratitude for all I have been given in my life that has brought me to today. This grateful heart was one that I wanted to remain,

it is so easy to loose it in the busy day to day lives we lead,
and I proclaimed 2015 my year of gratitude.

 

 

How to practically live and foster a grateful heart, however, is not as easy to formulate.

Short of writing a thank you note to every person I have ever encounter in my life and plastering my world with "gratitude" mementoes, I was quickly at a loss of how to live out my chosen theme. So I did what any self respecting nerd would do. I looked up the definition of gratitude in the dictionary.
 

"Gratitude: the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful."
 

Hmmm.

That proved helpful.
 

Then my eyes fell on some words in a note about the origin:
 

"Good will: a friendly disposition; benevolence; kindness."

 

To live out gratitude is to live a life of good will.

To live each moment as a gift.

To be cheerful and kind.

To honor and respect the blessings we receive and share them with others.

 

My block was gone
and I knew right away some ways of gratitude for me to implement in 2015.

 

Bedtime and Morning Routines

Time is a gift and time management honors this gift.

I know myself well enough to acknowledge that if I do not plan it out, it will not happen.

Thus mornings (and any household members) are often greeted by a rushed, tired, and hungry bear.

Getting enough sleep and waking up earlier will help me live each day more cheerfully and to see the morning as a gift rather than the wicked witch.

 

Healthy Living

I am grateful for my body.

Making an active and healthy lifestyle a priority helps me honor this gift.

Exercise and a balanced diet also help fight the grumps.

I am focusing on scheduling time for at least four active things each week.

More veggies and better portion sizes will help on the meal front.

 

Documenting Gratitude

Part of being grateful is noticing the gifts one possesses.

I want to make an effort to make not of all my blessings.

Documenting it in word and pictures was the best place for me to start.

Blessed Is She's #projectblessed daily photo challenge has been a fun way to do this so far.

Just thinking over the prompts lifts my heart.

This little ol' blog will play a role as well.

The ability to be creative is a gift.

Using this gift is the best way to honor it.

 

Acts of Kindness

Here's where all the thank you notes come in!
 

Haha, but seriously...

acknowledging and honoring the sources for the gifts in our lives is so important.

It is too often overlooked. I know I am guilty of this.

This year I know I will be blessed with the opportunity to write many thank you notes,

but I plan to write many more notes of gratitude and friendship throughout the year.

 

And last but not least,

 

Prayers of Thanksgiving

We are in the circle of trust, right?

I am really good at praying when things are rough
 or when I need or want something from God.

But when everything is going my way and I am at my happiest,

I often forget to pause and thank Him for everything.

He created the world and everything in it, including me and all I love,

and yet I continue to fall and fail to cling to Him in all moments.

So I am adding on to my memorized nightly prayers

some praise and thanksgiving
and scheduling some extra time to just be with Him.

 

Cheers to a wonderful 2015 for you and yours!

What are you resolving for this next year?

I'd love to hear or read your posts about them.
Share your wisdom in the comments!

Linkin' up with Jenna for 5 Favorites
and Jess and Katie for Tuesday Talk ...on a Wednesday.

 

 Hugs,
Christina