How 25 Days of Gratitude Can Change Your Life

​What if I told you I had the secret to having a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, and a better night’s sleep? The secret to being more alert, alive and awake. The secret to optimism and happiness? According to the decade long research done by Robert Emmons at The University of California, there a way to improve our physical, emotional and social health - and the secret is practicing gratitude. 
 
Emmons studied over a thousand people with ages ranging from eight to 80 years old. He found that people who are consistently thankful report benefits in their emotions, their health and their relationships with others. 
 
One of the easiest ways to cultivate gratitude is to use a gratitude journal. Like anything else in life, we have to be intentional about being thankful. Being thankful is easy when things are going well but practicing gratitude on a bad day is much harder. 
 
Do you think you can find 25 things to be thankful for every day for the next 25 days? That is our challenge to you! Once a day, every day, write down 25 things you are thankful for. The next day do the same thing. The lists can have similar things on them - but no cheating! Don’t copy your list from the day before. 
 
An important factor is consistency! If you miss a day, then the 25 days start over again. I’m currently doing this and I’m on day five (for the second time). 
 
Here are some sample things I’ve listed: air conditioning, a good parking space at Kroger, my family, my phone screen not cracking when I dropped it, a job that I love, friend who care about me, the milk wasn’t expired when I wanted a bowl of cereal. 
 
Can you join our challenge? What are some things that you are thankful for?