Creating a Gratitude Jar

Have you heard of a Gratitude Jar? It’s a jar or other kind of vessel you fill with gratitude by writing down what you are thankful for each day. It’s pretty easy creating a gratitude jar, all you need is a vessel and some creativity.

A Gratitude Jar is a great way to demonstrate that things are actually better than you think. You may have noticed in the last year or so that people, mostly on social media, were happy to slam the door on 2017. This is considered to be due to the presidential election and the aftermath. Most people thought 2017 was a horrible year, and yet many people did very well. A savvy Reddit user decided to make a Gratitude Jar and place a note in it each day (or as often as he remembered). At the end of the year he opened the jar and read all of the notes – things he had been grateful for throughout the year. Turnes out, it wasn’t a bad year at all.

It’s difficult to argue your year was bad when you have 365 notes of the things you were thankful for.

So why not create a gratitude jar so you can have this same experience when the ball drops on 2018?

Creating a Gratitude Jar

A gratitude jar should be large enough for up to 365 notes. Each day, write down at least one thing you are grateful for and pop it inside the jar. It helps if the vessel has a lid, but it isn’t required. In fact, nothing is required except that you have something to put your notes into. A box works just as well as a cookie jar or old coffee can.

Feel free to decorate your Gratitude Jar. You’ll want to leave it where you can see it (so you don’t forget about it) and decorating it is a great way to get excited about it.

Try to put a note in each day. What you’re grateful for doesn’t have to be big or grand. It can be as simple as being thankful for the gentleman who held the door open for you or for the barista who gave you the extra shot of espresso on a day you really needed it. It can be for the teacher who encourages your child to succeed, and it can be for your spouse who always has your back. The idea is to be more mindful about the positive that takes place in our lives each and every day. So include it all.

Have you used a gratitude jar before? What was your experience? Was it