For about a month now, I have been practising gratitude. Previously the idea of having a gratitude journal seemed rather, well, soppy. However, after learning that the benefits have been proven and trying it out for myself, I am a convert.
The gratitude ritual gradually trains your mind to focus on the positive things that happen each day, rather than the negative. If, like me, you’re not naturally a glass half full kind of person, it’s easy to let these occurrences – be they large or small – slip by unacknowledged. Over time you should become more optimistic as well as more content.
Waking up and running through what you’re thankful for or noting down each evening what you’re grateful for happening during the day, can easily become part of your daily routine.
I now actually look forward to writing in my journal at the end of the day. I note down three things I was grateful for that day, in addition to two things I did well (which can be tiny) and my priorities for the next day. This combines gratitude with a sense of accomplishment and progress, which also bolster our sense of well-being.
“Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely the
attitude of gratitude is the most important,
and by far the most life-changing” – Zig Ziglar
What has been featuring prominently in my gratitude list lately is the number of fellow bloggers who have helped me get A Bottled Rose off the ground.
Birgit of Olfactoria’s Tr avels suggested I try writing about perfume in the first place and gave me the opportunity to experience the sense of connectedness you get from blogging.
Vanesssa of Bonkers About Perfume and Val who contributes to Australian Perfume Junkies both encouraged me to start a blog of my own and supported me when I doubted myself.
Portia – writer and owner of Australian Perfume Junkies – cleverly reworked the original blog name and came up with the far superior A Bottled Rose during our Skype chat.
The supremely talented Asali of The Sounds of Scents created the stunning header image which is more perfect than I could have ever hoped for. With the vaguest of briefs, she quickly came up with several options which were so striking in different ways, I had a hard time choosing between them.
Undina of Undina’s Looking Glass has been utterly invaluable in the technical administration of the site. I’ve been so clueless she even had to re-instate my Home page when I managed to lose it.
I’ve always been much more comfortable in the role of giving help rather than receiving it, so I am grateful to my friends for teaching me that it’s okay to let others lend you a hand when you need it.
Finally, thank you to the wider fragrance community and beyond for the warm, encouraging reception. It means more than you know.
A Bottled Rose 