Fitness Corner: Make this your year of daily appreciation

Most of us don’t walk around all day, every day in a constant state of gratitude. We should, right? There is so much to be thankful for every single day.

Obviously, there’s plenty to complain about as well. Life is far from perfect and it’s easy to be irritated or frustrated, angry or sad and every other negative emotion. And that’s just normal.

And yet . . . we couldn’t have one without the other. The joys in life are more joyous because we’ve also experienced so many challenges. If life consisted of just one or the other, we wouldn’t know the difference.

Relieved my mother is better . . .
The weather continues to be gorgeous . . .
Grateful to be home safely and house is fine . . .

I write in my journal daily and have done so for many years. In fact, several months ago I wrote about why journaling is deeply important to me. I try to document as much of my day as possible, mundane to meaningful.

My problem is that my daily entries tend to focus on my daily frustrations and tough moments more than the more positive aspects of my day. Even if what I write down are legitimate concerns (and of course that’s what journals are for), I have found that I don’t like being reminded of those things when I look back. Our brains are way better at fixating on the negative than the positive, which is clear when I reread my journal.

So, back in 2021, I decided to devote the top line in each daily space to something—anything—that I find myself appreciating or thankful for every single day.

Yay, sister is here! . . .
Sat outside with coffee on our big chairs . . .
Felt great to have the house in order . . .

As it turns out, I got as far as September that very first year before I stopped noting a daily gratitude moment. Over the last two years, I barely made it to February before deciding I couldn’t be bothered. But this past year, finally, I have written down something for which I am grateful and of which I am appreciative on every single day of the year!

This is not always an easy process, surprisingly. I often don’t feel like tapping into my “Oh, I’m so grateful” mindset. Sometimes I’ll even skip it, and days later make a point to go back and reflect on that day and then write it. There was one day when I struggled all day to write Fitness Corner, and what I ended up writing for my gratitude moment was: Well, I got Fitness Corner submitted. It makes me laugh now! But it was such a tough day that it was all I could reluctantly appreciate.

Despite all of life’s unexpected twists and turns, every single day something worth feeling gratitude and appreciation happens. All I am asking myself to do is take a moment to recognize it, tap into it, and write it down (sometimes even when I don’t feel at all thankful). When I look back, flipping those pages, I can’t help but see that top line first thing. My brain is triggered in a positive way before I go on to re-read the rest of that day.

Felt great to be finally getting organized . . .
I made a bunch of veggies today when it was the last thing I felt like doing . . .
Good friends are everything . . .

I now look forward to continuing with this practice. Perhaps you may consider implementing it, or something like it and see how you feel after one week, one month, one year of turning your attention to daily gratitude:

– If you write a journal, dedicate the top line to one thing that day for which you are grateful or appreciate. Underline it!

– If you use a paper calendar or organizer, find one area daily to leave space for this purpose.

– If you use an online calendar, create an entry daily just for this purpose.

– A notebook is a great option or keep a note in your phone—write down one line per day. Or keep your list in a spreadsheet or a document.

– Create small slips of paper, write down one thing a day (and the date) and drop it into a beautiful container or vase. Visit your previous gratitude moments when necessary or desirable.

– Underline what you write/type, use stickers, all caps, different fonts/colors or anything else that magnifies your feelings of thankfulness, gratitude and appreciation.

The possibilities are endless! Best of all, you can start anytime. This isn’t a resolution or a goal on a timeline. This is an ongoing appreciation of a moment or circumstance in a day, every day, because there is always something for which to be grateful.

I enjoy finding and watching a quality documentary . . .
I am very happy to be back in PNW, Edmonds . . .
Very productive in kitchen . . .

I’m so thankful I can share my accomplishment with you here at Fitness Corner. If you find inspiration because of it, I am truly appreciative.

Happy New Year, my friends!

— By Pritam Potts

Coach Pritam Potts is a writer and strength coach. After many years of training athletes and clients of all ages as co-owner of Edmonds-based Advanced Athlete LLC, she now lives in Dallas, Texas. She writes about health & wellbeing, grief & loss, love & life at infinitecapability.substack.com and www.advancedathlete.com.