Gratitude is the attitude

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  -John F. Kennedy

Well we all survived another Monday and are now kicking off our Tuesday mornings.  I enjoy starting my Tuesday morning off with a Today Show interview with  Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster!!). 

Today's entry is another coping skill you can use--either one you can do internally or even one you can do externally.  I often find that in the midst of having a bad day, I quickly begin feeling sorry for myself.  I saw "The Help" with some amazing ladies last night and one of the scenes includes Constantine addressing young Skeeter when she feels badly for herself.  Constantine challenges her, asking "'Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?"  Now I'm not typically falling victim to what other people say, but can often fall victim to my own pity party (and it is not much of a party when I'm the only one in attendance!).  As I was facing this yesterday, I began making a list of the various things for which I am thankful.

While I made this list in my head yesterday, this is also something that can be written down.  Gratitude journals are lists of various things for which we are thankful--it can be simple things like our health, or it can be the bird that we heard chirping early this morning.  I find that this thankfulness list has pulled me out of many-a-rut that I've been in.  Yesterday, I was grateful for getting clearance from the chiropractor to run, my movie-going ladies who love me unconditionally, movies that help me look at my own life in a new perspective, weights that help me build my strength, my own willingness to not give up....the list is endless!! 

I'd love for you all to make a list today of a dozen things that you are thankful for and share it--or share a few of them--on here.  Do you keep a gratitude journal?  How do you show gratitude in your interactions with others?  I'm