#Gratitude Challenge Roundup

This is a 14-day gratitude challenge. You can read more about it here: Personal Excellence.

The overview page has the task list and the links to all of the posts on the host site for the challenge. There is also a link to a list of participants.


Reflection

As a follow-up post to the 14-Day Gratitude Challenge, we are asked to answer the following questions:


How has the gratitude challenge been for you? (Have you found the tasks helpful in cultivating gratitude?)
Some of the tasks were easier than others. Some of the tasks caused frustration because it made me have to think about things that I am trying hard not to think about these days (and am failing at not thinking about them!) Overall, though, I appreciated the challenge and tasks presented. It helped me to put more thought into just how grateful I am truly being and that there is much to be grateful for, even when it doesn't seem so on the surface.


What has been your favorite task(s)? Why?
Day 3's task of writing a gratitude to someone was probably my favorite task. Writing it helped me to feel more connected to my grandma, if it is even possible to feel more connected to her than I already do. It put to words how much she meant, and still means, to me.


What have you learned in the challenge? What have you learned about gratitude? Elaborate.
One thing that I learned is that it is a whole lot harder to find something to be grateful for in an adversary than it is to pray a good prayer for them.

Many years ago, my grandpa told me about praying good prayers for the enemy, that hot coals of conviction would be heaped on them. I asked him how come I couldn't just pray for the hot coals on them because I didn't really feel like praying for anything good to happen to them. He said it didn't work that way, we shouldn't wish bad things on people. In reality, I knew that, but that didn't stop how I was feeling. I took his advice and started praying for this adversary. At first, the prayers were asking for help to be able to pray good prayers instead of bad ones for this person. Eventually, I was able to pray good prayers for them and things changed, although only temporarily in the end.


How do you plan to integrate gratitude into your life moving forward?
I will continue to try to write at least three things per day that I am grateful for or at least contemplate them each day even if I don't put them here on the blog.


Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward? If so, what is it?
I can't think of anything else that I'd like to see on Personal Excellence at the moment. It is a great site just as it is!


Daily Journaling: Three Things I am Thankful for Today

1. I am thankful for those that are trying to gently lead us into a more peaceful existence.
2. I am thankful for challenges that cause me to think and ultimately lead to personal growth.
3. I am thankful for a long weekend.