YOGA: Blessings Jar 2017 Full of Gratitude.

BLESSING JAR 2017 gets on my holiday activity list for my yoga class as a part of the detachment from the year 2017. I love meaningful activities in which all can participate and use their time of reflection in expressing GRATITUDE for what life brought them in the year 2017. Even though you still remember being stuck in life for a brief moment, when it was challenging to be grateful, you moved forward.

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
― Maya Angelou

The Concept of GRATITUDE

Throughout the year, you deliberately make note of blessings as they happen. At the end of the year, set aside time to read through each piece of paper and remember the blessings of the past year. Take time to thank God for each of them.

How To Start Your Blessing Jar

1. Get a large jar or container. Preferable the jar is clear so you can see it fill up throughout the year.
2. Place your blessing jar in a visible location and keep it there all year long.
3. Place a pen and a stack of 3×5 cards or paper pad next to the jar. Also consider carrying some in your brief case, book bag, purse, etc.
4. As soon as possible after you experience a blessing, write it down. As soon as you are near your blessing jar, place the paper into the jar. Each blessing is written on its own card or piece of paper.
5. At the end of the year, set aside an hour or so to read through each blessing.
6. Bonus Tip: On discouraging days throughout the year, read a few of your blessings and be encouraged. Be sure to put the blessings back in the jar for the end of the year.

What is a blessing?

Anything that encourages you or brightens your day. It could be

• receiving a handwritten card,
• an encouraging phone call,
• an encouraging word from a friend,
• an answered prayer,
• a Scripture verse,
• a picture that means a lot to you,
• a friend who comforts you through a tough time.

You name it. These are your blessings. Record them and place them in your blessing jar.

For the tech savvy

If you are like “us” and you are tempted to digitize your blessing jar. Technically (pun intended) this could work well. We could use a tool like Every note, or we could even email each blessing to ourselves. However, there is something encouraging to visually see a physical jar fill up throughout the year. So, even if you use a tech tool to capture your blessings, I encourage you to print them out so you can put them into a physical blessing jar.

The Source of inspiration: https://www.steveperky.com/blessingjar/

Image credit: Google image data base