Count Your Blessings with a Thanksgiving Inventory to Build Happiness Anytime
Research shows that making a gratitude list everyday for just 7 days increases happiness for more than a month. Developing gratitude is one simple key to happiness that anyone can access at anytime. Yet many of us find that it is difficult to count our blessings when we are sad, or depressed, or frustrated about life. We take our gifts for granted and can not recall what they are when we need them most. You can overcome this problem with a Thanksgiving Inventory. A Thanksgiving Inventory is a gratitude list that you build over time with the help of a checklist. Like an asset inventory for insurance, a thanksgiving inventory is a list of all the things you value. When you need a lift and find it hard to count your blessings, just take out your Thanksgiving Inventory to remind yourself just how fortunate you are. Example Thanksgiving Inventory 1. I have a lot of wonderful people in my life who love me and support me. 2. My Husband John who loves me, lives with me, supports me, helps me build my dreams, and raise our daughter, and who is always growing and improving. 3. My Daughter Erin who is healthy, happy, beautiful, talented, and a joy to be around. 4. My Friend Jo who has known me for 20 years and is always there to listen when I need her and remind me what a good life I have. 5. My Neighbor Linda who came by when I was sick to cheer me up this year. 6. The Bus Driver on the morning route who always greets me with a smile and who I trust to get me safely and smoothly through morning traffic, even in bad weather. 7. My coworker Jim who taught me how to use html and encouraged me start a web site. 8. I am Healthy 9. I have both arms and legs in full working order. 10. I can see. 11. I can hear. 12. I am mostly pain free. 13. I can live independently. I do not need anyone to help me with day to day activities like cooking or shopping. 14. I have a job that provides a good income 15. I have good job skills that allow me to change jobs if I want to in a reasonable time. 16. I am going to school to learn better job skills so I can make a better living. 17. I climbed a Mountain last year and it was a wonderful, exhilarating, and empowering experience for me. 18. I live in a nice apartment that is safe, warm, and dry. 19. I drove all year without any accidents 20. I own lots of very nice things. 21. My collection of beautiful figurines cheers me everyday and is an investment. It gives me an heirloom to pass on to my grandchildren. Your inventory becomes more powerful as it gets longer and as it gets more detailed. A long gratitude list is good. A list that includes a brief description of why you are thankful is even better. How to Keep Your Inventory There are lots of ways to build and keep your Thanksgiving Inventory. You could just make a list that you keep on your computer or on paper in a notebook. You could keep your inventory in the form of a scrap book with pictures of the people, places, experiences or things you value. Or, you could use an electronic photo album. You might even want some of the pictures on your electronic organizer or music player just to have them handy when you need a boost. If you are very creative, you could keep a video inventory and include some of your favorite music. Or, if you are musically inclined you might want to make up a song like My Favorite Things from the musical The Sound of Music. The most important part of a Thanksgiving Inventory is that you start it and keep it handy so you can build on it over time and make it as complete as possible. Also, the more you use it, the more useful and powerful it will be as a happiness building tool. Gratitude is a simple key to a happier life. The more you practice being grateful for the people, experiences, things, places, and gifts in your life the happier your life will be and the easier it will be to continue being grateful. Use a gratitude list to build your happy life.Â
Thanksgiving Inventory This Inventory is for: Date: Category No Name
What I Appreciate
Thanksgiving Inventory Instructions: 1. Make copies of the form on the first page to use as the basis of your inventory. You can make as many copies of this page as you want. 2. Fill out each page as explained below. This Inventory is for:
Your Name Goes Here
Date:
The date you fill out the page goes here.
Category
Use a category from the check list- use at least one page per category to help prompt you for more items you are grateful for.
No.
What I Appreciate
Name
Your number
Name the person, item, experience, place, or gift you are grateful for here. Or, put a picture here.
Briefly describe why you are grateful for this item. Say the benefit it brings to you, or the value it brings. For example, I am grateful to be able to see because seeing helps me experience beauty, stay safe, navigate around my world, read wonderful books, and do many useful and joyful things.
3. Use the attached check list to help you think of items you are grateful for. These are just suggestions. Feel free to modify any of the items so they apply to you. For example, if the checklist says I have fingers and you are missing one, you might say- I have nine fingers, or if you have all your fingers, you might say I have 10 fingers. 4. Use your imagination and look in your heart to find more things you are grateful for. Do not let the list limit you, but use it to jump start your thinking. 5. Save your inventory and revisit it frequently. 6. You might want to put it in a notebook or binder that lets you add pages easily. 7. Add to your inventory every once in a while. 8. The goal is to make this gratitude list, or blessings inventory as complete as you can possibly make it. 9. You might want to decorate your binder so it is attractive to you. Keep it out on a table or desk so you are tempted to open it and thumb through it frequently. 10. Feel free to add categories to your checklist as you think of them. 11. If you would like, email us at info@happylifeu.com with new inventory categories or questions. Your efforts will help make the inventory checklist better for everyone.
Thanksgiving Inventory Gratitude Inventory Checklist 1) People a) Family Members b) Close Friends c) People you love d) People who love you a) People you talk with almost every day b) People you talk with almost every week c) People you talk with almost every month d) People who you can call on for help e) People who provide you with a service f) People who take care of you g) People you take care of h) People who helped you in a significant way i) People in groups or organizations you work with i) Work ii) School iii) Church iv) Clubs v) Service Organizations vi) Neighborhood groups vii) Political Organizations viii)
Volunteer Organizations
2) Health and Physical Attributes a) I can walk b) I can see c) I can hear d) I can smell e) I can taste f) I can chew g) I have good teeth h) I have feeling on my skin i) I have fingers j) I have toes k) My joints work
Thanksgiving Inventory l) I have working arms m) I have working legs n) I have working hands o) I have a nice face p) I have hair on my head q) I am pain free r) I am disease free s) I am in good physical condition- I am physically fit t) I have strong muscles u) I can do everyday tasks with ease 3) Skills, talents and knowledge a) I am good at: i) Sports ii) Reading iii) Singing iv) Playing an instrument v) Drawing vi) Solving puzzles vii) Talking to people viii)
Public Speaking
ix) Learning new things x) Making things xi) Fixing things xii) Growing things xiii)
Cooking
xiv)
Healing others
xv) Teaching others xvi)
Dancing
xvii)
Making people laugh
xviii) Building things xix)
Writing
xx) Poetry xxi)
Diplomacy
xxii)
Making others feel comfortable or cared for
b) I know a lot about: i) Computers
Thanksgiving Inventory ii) People iii) Politics iv) Plants v) Animals vi) Nuclear physics vii) Bridges viii)
Astrology
ix) Literature x) Nature xi) Spirituality xii) Business xiii)
Medicine
c) I have training, certifications or degrees in: i) Nursing ii) Teaching iii) Math iv) Language v) Accounting vi) Financial Management vii) Sociology viii)
Engineering
d) I have been recognized for my achievements in: i) Business ii) Research iii) Making Peace iv) Art v) Science vi) Music vii) Dance viii)
Athletics
ix) Heroism x) Bravery xi) Putting in extra effort 4) Things you Have or own a) Home b) House
Thanksgiving Inventory c) Car d) TV e) Boat f) Building g) Business h) Factory i) Sewing Machine j) Tools k) Farm l) Land m) Animals n) Bicycle o) Computer p) Books, Records, Videos, CDs, DVDs, Mp3s, Movies q) Cameras r) Audio Equipment s) Jewelry t) Nice clothes 5) Things you Have Access To a) Services i) Public Transportation ii) Electricity iii) Running Water iv) Internet v) Good roads vi) Good restaurants vii) Good hair dresser viii)
Good mechanic
ix) Good health care x) Good teachers b) Places i) Wonderful parks ii) Recreation Center iii) Pool iv) Quiet place v) Safe place
Thanksgiving Inventory vi) Private place vii) Place to get away from it all viii)
Vacation spot
ix) Resort x) Ski mountain xi) Ocean xii) Beach xiii)
Fishing place
xiv)
Hunting place
xv) Shopping c) Things that help you learn and grow i) An education ii) Library iii) Tutor iv) Mentor v) Professional organization vi) Church vii) Recovery Group viii)
Physical Therapy- physical trainer
ix) Coach x) Spiritual leader xi) Elected official 6) Things that are fun i) People that make you laugh ii) Bowling iii) Sports iv) Dancing v) Parties vi) Movies vii) Night Clubs viii)
Choir practice
ix) A place to play music or sing x) Art xi) Golf xii) Deep sea diving xiii)
Mountain climbing
Thanksgiving Inventory 7) Things that Give You Hope a) God b) A new job c) A scholarship d) A grant, or financial benefit e) A windfall f) A good doctor or health care professional g) A rescuer 8) Things that give you security a) Police b) Fire and ambulance service c) A good job d) Marketable skills e) A safe home f) A partner you can depend on g) A cupboard full of food h) A good watch dog 9) Things you are passionate about a) Theatre b) Dance c) Politics d) Helping Others e) Preserving history f) Building a school g) Making a difference h) Music i) Nature j) Raising a child k) Loving a partner l) Cooking 10) Peak Experiences You Have Had a) Solving a problem b) Climbing a mountain
Thanksgiving Inventory c) Helping someone d) Overcoming a challenge e) Winning an award f) Winning an election g) Winning a competition h) Going to the moon i) Getting married j) Having a child k) Discovering something new 11) Lucky Experiences a) Winning a prize b) Avoiding an accident c) Finding something unexpected d) Meeting someone unexpectedly e) Getting an opportunity f) Winning a bet g) Living in a democracy h) Being born wealthy i) Being born healthy j) Being born to great parents k) Being saved by someone or something l) Getting a lucky break 12) Other a) Being forgiven b) Being loved c) Being in power or empowered d) Being optimistic e) Being happy f) Being accepted as you are g) Getting a second chance
We feel gratitude when ever we appreciate something we are, or have, or know, or do, or receive. To live in gratitude is to live in a state of grace. Count your blessings regularly for a happy life!