A new month is upon us, the last month of 2025. In November, many used the time to celebrate a month of gratitude. For some, that meant daily posts on social media as their commitment to share things that they are grateful for. Others made public declarations of thanksgiving among friends, family, and colleagues. With the Thanksgiving holiday over and the winter season fast approaching, it does not mean that practicing gratitude has to end.
Years ago, I was encouraged by a mentor to begin a gratitude journal. Prior to this, I was noting one thing a day that I was thankful for. Deciding to take it to the next level, I started my first gratitude journal with a new focus. Each day, I write down five successes and three things I am thankful for. As much as possible, I try not to repeat the same thing unless it’s tied to a goal of mine. Successes could be as simple as meeting my active minutes goal for the day, or as big as earning my doctoral degree. My thankful moments have included naps, a new connection, or making it through a challenging day.
Writing these down does multiple things. First, it documents them so that I can reflect on things that I’ve written down in the future. This brings encouragement and joyful memories. It also centers me on days where I may be struggling. I write in my gratitude journal EVERY day. If there’s a day where I’m not feeling gratitude, I still write something down. It may take longer, but it puts things back into perspective. Even on the worst day, I still find things that went well and things I can be thankful for. Additionally, it tells part of my story. When I’ve looked back on certain days in my past journal entries, it reminds me of where I’ve been, and how I’ve gotten to where I am now.
Shawn Achor, author of “The Happiness Advantage” and “Big Potential,” shared in his TedTalk “The happy secret to better work” how gratitude activities are found to contribute to happiness and productivity. Looking back, I see how this has played out in my life. By taking time to reflect on successes and things I am thankful for, I can see what is going well and am motivated to keep moving forward with my personal and professional goals.
How has practicing gratitude helped you? What techniques have you used? I’d love to hear about it. I hope you have a great start to the last month of 2025!
The Secret Sauce 