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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Not very long ago, I discovered the power of intentional gratitude.<\/b><\/p>\n
Many of us experience the uplifting change that occurs within us as we nightly reflect and journal what we remember to be grateful for that day.<\/p>\n
But what is intentional gratitude?<\/p>\n
Intentional Gratitude<\/i><\/p>\n
Rather than waiting until the end of the day to think about what to appreciate, intentional gratitude is beginning the day looking for things to be grateful for.<\/b><\/p>\n
The first time I tried this new perspective, I was curious as to what changes I might experience.<\/p>\n
Only, when I made this decision, I happened to be in the middle of cleaning my kitchen sink.<\/p>\n
At first glance I didn\u2019t see much to be grateful for in that task and looked around wondering what else I could choose to be grateful for.<\/p>\n
Gratitude for the Kitchen Sink?<\/i><\/p>\n
As I thought about what I was doing though, I began to see many blessing having to do with cleaning the kitchen sink.<\/p>\n
I realized how grateful I was for:<\/p>\n
-easily accessible water with which to clean.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t have to carry water by hand from a distant source. It came right into my home.<\/p>\n
-for warm water.<\/p>\n
Cold water is difficult to clean with and uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
-dishes to wash<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve experienced the inconvenience of camping without sufficient dish ware.<\/p>\n
-for a HS summer cleaning job that taught me effective tips for ways to clean<\/p>\n
Anything that makes mundane tasks go more quickly is a bonus.<\/p>\n
-a family to be able to nurture by providing meals for<\/p>\n
Truly, a family to care for is a wonderful blessing.<\/p>\n
The more I looked for things to be grateful for, the more I found.<\/b><\/p>\n
Even in something as mundane as cleaning a kitchen sink one can discover much to be grateful for.<\/p>\n
Why Wait for the End of the Day?<\/i><\/p>\n
In waiting until the end of the day, I don\u2019t think it would have occurred to me to list cleaning the kitchen sink as something to appreciate.<\/p>\n
But starting the day with the conscious decision to look for things to appreciate, even in the simple and mundane, creates a deeper discovery of the positive.<\/b><\/p>\n
As I try to make intentional gratitude a part of my daily life, I feel carried forward throughout my days, discovering countless things to appreciate.<\/p>\n
I no longer have to wait until evening to reap the benefits of experiencing gratitude. It becomes a part of my daily life.<\/p>\n
I invite you to start your day with intentional gratitude. Look for as many things as possible to be grateful for and discover how beautifully your day progresses.<\/p>\n
I believe you\u2019ll have much more to fill your gratitude journal with come evening.<\/p>\n
Much love,<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Not very long ago, I discovered the power of intentional gratitude. Many of us experience the uplifting change that occurs within us as we nightly reflect and journal what we remember to be grateful for that day. But what is…<\/p>\n