Buh bye start-up. Hello journalism. Ouch.

A few years ago, I decided to change careers, from something I loved, to something else I loved. It was like building a car from scratch, but the second time around. Though it was a different kind of car, I wasn’t giving myself any breaks. I was harder on myself, and expected results faster.

During the transition, I became very conscious of my daily mental state.

It became obvious to me that I was most productive and creative when I felt…well, happy. It was a light bulb moment for me.

But how could I control the way a day flows? I was reading all the news I could during my waking hours – and some days, it’s just all disheartening. I was still a bit doubtful about my capabilities as a journalist, while watching the industry I had moved into slowly shrink as months went by.

I also had my eyes on the long run ahead. In my past life at the start-up, I was sprinting, throwing myself at everything with little regard for self-care. I wanted to treat this new challenge like a savvy runner at a marathon: pace yourself, stay hydrated and avoid the cherry-flavored granola bars. Yuck.

It was clear, I needed to start my mornings off right. In the hopes of boosting my attitude, I began jotting down what I was grateful for every day.

NOT THE FLASHY THINGS

How do I give thanks most mornings? It’s quite simple – a minute or two of journaling while waiting for the train.

I review the last 24 hours in my head, remember what makes me smile, relish the memory, and add it to a list- nothing more than 300 characters from start to finish.

My entries are peppered with mentions of gatherings with friends, hikes in nearby ravines, chats with my brothers and more.

Surprisingly, it has few mentions of flashy or glamorous things. Don’t get me wrong, I love pretty things, but I am a bit taken back that I can’t find many in my lists. It says something about where my fulfillment lies, in experiences and relationships.

The exception, of course, is my tempur pillow. That pillow gets an unbelievably high number of mentions in my digital journal, perhaps a lot to do with my unrequited love of sleep. It may be time to pick up Arianna Huffington’s call to arms.

MY SIX TIPS

There’s definitely been an uptick in my attitude. The daily exercise of expressing gratitude helps me step away from the immediate. It helps me weather the bad days. It serves as a gentle reminder of the things that make me happy.

For those of you looking to start a gratitude exercise, here are my tips:

1. Start simple, a few bullets, a few sentences, you can work towards making it longer in the future
2. Find five quiet minutes in your day
3. Don’t multitask while you do this, focus on your entries
4. Create a routine by journaling at the same time or place everyday, so simply being at that place or point in the day is a reminder to write e.g. when you wake up, sitting in a parking lot, having a quiet coffee
5. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up. I’ve found even journaling four days a week works wonders for me.
6. The important thing is to soak yourself in the memory as you write about it, as suggested by University of California researcher Robert Emmons.

ON THAT GORGEOUS JOURNAL

I prefer journaling on an app. Ever so often, I come across beautiful journals on bookstore shelves that I’m tempted to buy. I’ve tried both and I’m more consistent in the digital realm.

Since I transitioned from the lovely world of paper journals to an app, my entries have grown in frequency. I can jot them down anywhere. It’s not an extra book to carry around. The app I use, Day One, also allows me to include photos of favourite moments.

WHERE TO START

There are people who love journaling everyday and there are people who hate it. The lesson here is to find what works for you, and there is a lot of inspiration out there. A great place to start is the TEDx playlist on giving thanks.

If you decide to give this a try, drop us a line at info@tamilculture.com to tell us how practicing a daily habit of expressing thanks works out for you.