Leading up to Thanksgiving, each day I will blog about what I’m doing to be more grateful. I invite you to join me, and to share your thoughts, observations, suggestions and ideas.
Day Five: The Love List Project
If you’re going to give thanks in a more meaningful way, I think it helps to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Earlier this week, I wrote about keeping a gratitude journal, and today’s exercise is similar — writing about the things you love.
As I think of things I love, it seems like a natural extension to be grateful for the joy they bring me.

Start making your love list. My writer friend Julie Hammonds, who introduced me to this concept, taped several pieces of paper together on her pantry door, where she could see her list grow (she also used crayons and color to express moods and themes). You might want to carry around a small notebook, or keep a list in your iPhone. The important thing, I think, is to add to the list as moments strike you, not to sit down and brainstorm or try to write as many things on it as you can in one sitting. Any time you feel completely filled up with the goodness of something you just did or something that happened—something you saw or heard, or an interaction—add it to the list.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sitting and brainstorming your list to get started. In fact, I invite you to spend some time today writing down at least a dozen things you love.
Please don’t feel that they need to be big and noble. I am grateful for the love of my husband, for my health and that we have a safe, warm, dry place to live. I also love my hot morning cup of coffee, flashy costume jewelry and repeated viewings of Old School. I love hand written notes in my mailbox, Arwulf’s jazz show on WEMU, big happy dogs, unhurried time in the kitchen and comments on my blog.
Once you’ve started your list, though, I love Kristin’s idea of just letting inspiration strike. For the next month, carry something you can take notes in — a notebook, cell phone, Post-Its, whatever — and whenever you feel love for something or someone, write it down. If you committed to keeping a gratitude journal yesterday, that’s the perfect spot for recording what you love.
What’s on your love list?