“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

― Charlotte Bronte

 

We recently came across a study that showed that those who experience gratitude in marriage display fewer issues with anxiety and self-doubt and have a stronger attachment to their spouse!

This is great news and something that just makes sense. We’ve experienced it ourselves!

Focusing on the good things, the things we appreciate about each other, has allowed us to be more attentive to each other’s needs. We’re more connected and have a sense of strength as a couple, which has helped us to approach issues from the same side of the table.

But how did we get there? It’s simple but also not so simple.

Practice. We made an intentional effort to be grateful for what we have and for the giftedness of each other and of each of our children.

Each day, we would challenge ourselves to notice the little things, the ways our spouse and children would take care of and serve each other. We would write these things down, which helped us to be intentional, and then we’d let each person know that we were grateful.

This Lent (and as part of our Cana 90 program), we challenge you to do the same. It’s best to do it every day but once a week is a great place to start!

Below you’ll find a simple PDF that you can print and use to note the things around you that you’re grateful for. We encourage you to do this in the morning or as part of your prayer time. Starting your day in gratitude and prayer is one of the best ways to start!

Gratitude Challenge PDF