How To Be 25% Happier!

The reminder has come everyday since November 1st.  A gentle nudging from scrolling down my facebook page.  My friends posting their "challenge to be thankful" tidbits.  I love to read others posts...but me post something...no thanks.  What if I forget?  What if someone notices I have failed at this thirty day challenge of giving thanks.   Being accountable in this way seems a little daunting...overwhelming...and my fear of failure--it skyrockets. 

The discipline of gratitude has been growing in my life over the last few years after reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. 

She writes on her blog:

It’s habits that can imprison you and it’s habits that can free you.

But  when thanks to God becomes a habit –  so joy in God becomes your life.

And  with this habit of keeping a gratitude list?  You:

1. Have a relative absence of stress and depression. (Woods et al., 2008)

2. Make progress towards important personal goals (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

3. Report higher levels of determination and energy (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

4. Feel closer in their relationships and desire to build stronger relationships (Algoe and Haidt, 2009)

5. Increase your happiness by 25% — (Who wouldn’t want a quarter more happiness!) (McCullough et al., 2002)

So there the challenge sits ready for the taking. Maybe you could join me.  Just post one thing each day of November that you are thankful for...just one thing is all that is needed.  Share it with us by posting it to one of our facebook pages.