No, You Have to Actually Do It

I’ve always thought the phrase, “it’s the thought that counts” is nice - but still, a little untrue. 

If I pass someone hurt on the side of the road and think, “someone should help them!” - they’re still in need of help. You know?

If I tell my husband I’ll take the chicken out of the freezer to defrost, and genuinely think about it without doing it, we still don’t have anything to eat for dinner. 

Sometimes, the thought isn’t enough; it’s the execution of a task that changes the world. 

And that’s the deal with gratitude. Thinking you want to be a grateful or thankful person doesn’t make you one. It typically takes practicing thankfulness or gratitude to experience renewal in our lives. So here’s your no filter question for the day: 

What does your gratitude practice look like? 

If you don’t have a rhythm (or even a few rhythms) that help you make space for thankfulness - can I suggest some that have really helped me step into a season of seeing God’s faithfulness?

• Each morning I make a list of at least 5 things I’m thankful for, but sometimes end up writing more.

• As a team leader, I open all team meetings (at Go + Tell Gals and Bright City) with space to thank God and mention what is going GOOD for us personally and collectively as a team.

• We ask our kids to tell us what was good about their day (and what was hard about their day!).

• I take a moment before falling asleep to just talk out loud to God and tell Him thanks for the specific things He did that day.

I wouldn’t suggest these rhythms if they didn’t change my life.

But maybe you have your own rhythms of gratitude? I would genuinely love to hear them. 

If you have a particular gratitude practice that works really well for you, would you go share it on this post? And if you need more ideas, head to that same post to see what is working for other women. 

God is mighty in you! Gratitude is life-changing. 

Let’s keep going!