{"id":3545,"date":"2025-11-24T14:21:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T22:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/?p=3545"},"modified":"2025-11-24T15:40:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T23:40:11","slug":"counting-blessings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/blog\/counting-blessings\/","title":{"rendered":"Counting Blessings"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Words: Christen Hammons<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

Thanksgiving always feel extra special to me because my birthday usually falls near it. This year, however, it actually falls on holiday. Like many people, I get reflective and a bit more introspective as I step into a new age and take stock of my life so far. When I think back over the past 43 years, one overwhelming feeling emerges: gratitude. Though every life is filled with ups and downs, I can\u2019t help but feel so thankful for this life of mine that is filled with happiness and love. However, I recently realized that I don\u2019t express this as often as I should, both internally and to those around me. This year, my biggest goal for myself is to express my gratitude more often and I plan on doing so daily in a few small ways.<\/p>\n

Write a \u201cJust Because\u201d Note<\/h2>\n

A surprise note or postcard sent to someone unsuspecting often mean more to the recipient than you\u2019ll ever know.<\/p>\n

Give Thoughtful Thank-You<\/h2>\n

Grocery store clerks, baristas, and restaurant workers hear \u201cthank you\u201d countless times a day, often out of habit. Pause for an extra moment and let them know you truly appreciate them. Sincerity stands out.<\/p>\n

Spread Kind Offerings<\/h2>\n

One of the sweetest ways to show gratitude is through a small act of service. Run an errand for someone, bring over a warm drink, or surprise a friend with freshly baked cookies. These simple gestures let the recipient know you see them and are thankful for them.<\/p>\n

Take a Daily Gratitude Photo<\/h2>\n

You may not always have your journal handy when gratitude strikes. Snapping a quick picture of something you\u2019re thankful for \u2014 the morning light, a cozy corner, your pet\u2019s sleepy face \u2014 is an easy way to capture the moment before it drifts away.<\/p>\n

As I step into this new year of my life, I want gratitude to not just be a feeling, but a practice and a way of life. I hope these small gestures inspire you to do the same, and to notice just how much goodness is already filling your life.<\/p>\n

Discover gratitude journal prompts in Field Guide to Everyday Magic<\/em> Issue 16<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanksgiving always feel extra special to me because my birthday usually falls near it. This year, however, it actually falls on holiday. Like many people, I get reflective and a bit more introspective as I step into a new age and take stock of my life so far. When I think back over the past […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,28,131,129],"tags":[311,56,34],"class_list":["post-3545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-daily-gratitude","category-gratitude","category-inspiration","tag-blessings","tag-daily-gratitude","tag-gratitude"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}