Gratitude jars filled with notes and events helps you keep things in perspective. Tasks worth doing and friends worth having make life worth living.

So what do you think happened when I dumped out all those notes onto the table and began to straighten them?

A sense of anticipation filled me.

Next came the process of reading and recording my notes.

Here are ten things I learned from my gratitude jar:

Miracles get remembered. I received a medical cure, my son’s biopsy came back normal, lightening knocked over a neighbor’s tree and missed my car by inches and, my house sold the first day on the market.

You celebrate skills you learned during the year. Things that are easily forgotten. I got rid of my accountant and used Turbo Tax. Fixed my own Web Page with the help of a mentor. Connected my electronic and computer equipment without help. (Maybe this should be filed under miracles).

Turning points in your thinking are documented. We all love an Ah Ha moment. Big things like my grandson is not my child. My child is an adult so I should treat him like one. Little things like it’s okay to ask your son how to amortize equipment. And, asking my grandson how to create a video on my tablet isn’t cheating. The child is six and these things are already hardwired in his brain.

You see who is important in your life. I realized who I can count on, who is patient, who helps me with problems, who is my biggest supporter, how my mentor always has the answer, who gifted me with what I needed when I least expected it, and who allows me to make myself at home in their home. I vaguely knew this but it brought home the importance of how precious certain people are. I won’t take them for granted this year.

You relive those moments when you received gifts. It’s like opening the package for a second time. (Diamonds, books, plants, and colored sticky notes with matching sharpies were a few of my favorite things.

Validates processes. I’ve used essential oils for years and I received evidence of their healing powers with children. Was without my magnetic mat for three months and realized how much it helps me with daily aches and pains.

Celebrate learning milestones. Once you know, you forget when or where you learned. My Tuning Forks calm stressed clients. Access Consciousness questions shift perspectives. Learning new technology makes life easier.

You remember when you were in the right place at the right time. I was an accidental participant in the Guinness World Book of Records because I needed a car full of stuff shred and Iron Mountain was shredding for free.

You realize that the things that didn’t happen, didn’t happen for all the right reasons. It can be challenging to be grateful when things are not going so well. As Bryon Katie says, I wanted that to happen.

Lastly, gratitude creates a sense of more gratitude which builds momentum. You begin to attract those thing you like to you. You take a different approach to life and everything becomes an opportunity to learn. And, when you spend time focusing on what you have, you instantly feel better.