November is obviously a month when we at least try to focus a little more on gratitude. We know it's a nice thing to do. But did you know it's actually good for your brain?
Taking the time to write down the things we're grateful for can help train our brains to notice more of the good around us.
Our brains naturally tend to pay attention to the negative, the difficult, and the things that feel like a problem. And honestly, that makes sense. Think about it—how much brain power does it take to enjoy a warm chocolate brownie? I don't know about you, but sit one in front of me and...instant enjoyment! Add some ice cream? Maybe some fudge sauce… oh and whipped cream with a cherry on top? My brain does not need a motivational speech. I don't have to work very hard to enjoy that gooey deliciousness.
But the hard things? The hurtful things? The challenges and disappointments? Those tend to take up a whole lot more space in our minds. Stressful relationships, worries about the future, disappointments, or even trying to lose weight and keep it off during the holidays—sigh—those things require a lot more mental and emotional energy.
Those are the fruitcakes of life. (No matter what you do, they WILL show up!)
Now, no offense to anyone who genuinely loves fruitcake. I'm sure you're a lovely person. But for the sake of this analogy, fruitcake is going to represent all the stuff we wish wasn't sitting on our plate.
And if I'm not careful, I can spend so much time staring at the fruitcake that I completely forget there's a warm brownie sitting right next to it.
That's what happens when we focus so much on what's hard that life starts to feel like it's all hard. Like the whole world is fruitcake and somebody has permanently discontinued chocolate goodness.
That's where gratitude comes in.
Gratitude doesn't mean pretending the fruitcake isn't there. It doesn't mean covering it with whipped cream and calling it a brownie. It doesn't mean ignoring pain, disappointment, or difficult circumstances and acting like everything is wonderful when it isn't.
Gratitude simply helps us remember to look at the whole table.
Yes, there may be fruitcake.
But there are brownies too.
There are people we love. There are moments that make us laugh until our stomachs hurt. There are quiet mornings, good conversations, answered prayers, unexpected kindness, warm beds, favorite songs, beautiful sunsets, and a thousand little gifts woven into ordinary days that we can miss if we aren't paying attention.
Gratitude changes what we notice.
It reminds us not to let the fruitcake become the only thing we see.
And the more intentionally we look for the brownies—the good, beautiful, ordinary blessings already sitting right in front of us—the easier they become to notice.
Gratitude is at the heart of the Sparkles in Life Journal because we believe it is the foundation for recognizing your unique sparkle. Order your copy today.