Resources for Developing Gratitude

I’ve come to the end of Week 2 of My Writing Pilgrimage. All this week, I’ve focused on gratitude. Fridays are “Great Stuff for Writers” days at Writing as a Sacred Path, when I share some of the things I came across in my weekly pilgrimage, so today I’m offering these works—the best materials I came across for writers who wish to develop a gratitude practice.

The Little Guide to Contentedness. Leo Babauta is a journalist, blogger, and author of three best-selling books: focus, The Power of Less, and Zen to Done. His blog Zen Habits is one of the most popular on the web. I don’t think Babauta has written a post that doesn’t speak loud and clear to writers, but his post on gratitude is one of the best. Babauta changed his own life by learning to be grateful. Learn how he did it, and how you can, too.

Twelve Reasons to Enjoy Writing with Gratitude. If you need more specific reasons to write with gratitude, read this excellent post by poet and writing teacher Joanna Paterson. Did you know that gratitude increases your serotonin levels? Or that it shifts the focus of your writing? That it can actually change your use of language? Learn more on Paterson’s Confident Writing Blog.

How to Start a Gratitude Practice. This post by Helen Russell on the Tiny Buddha Blog focuses less on the why and more on the how of gratitude. It gives a step-by-step guide to incorporating gratitude into your life. The steps are simple and intuitive—things you can start this very day, this very moment.

Naikan by Gregg Krech. This wonderful little book introduces to the West a Japanese method of self-reflection that every writer could benefit from. Developed by Buddhist monk Yoshimoto Ishin, Naikan is based on three simple questions: What have I received from others? What have I given to others? and What difficulties have I caused others? Imagine asking yourself these question every time you feel discouraged about your writing. Imagine asking them each day before you sit down to write. Think of how transformative that would be.

I hope you’re enjoying My Writing Pilgrimage and find these resources useful. See you Monday for Week 3, when my focus will be on non-human animals.