Excited vs. Grateful

I’ve had a gratitude practice for probably four years now—every morning and evening, I write down three things I’m grateful for. I’ve cycled through several containers for this—plain journals, gratitude-specific journals, and finally ended up with one that combined the gratitude practice with a fully functioning work journal. Bingo!

After a few years, though, I noticed I’d stopped paying attention to that journal, so I decided it was time for a change. I ordered up a new journal, which also had space to start the day with gratitudes. But beside that familiar list was another one. And, honestly, it completely stumped me:

I’m excited about

journal page showing blanks for "I'm grateful for" and "I'm excited about"

Grateful, yes, I can reel off a dozen things I’m grateful for: the people I work with; the little red dog I snuggle with; the yummy food I eat; the safe, warm, beautiful place I live. I can break that list down and find a good 25 or 30 different things for which I’m grateful. But “excited left me stumped.” And then depressed—because, after all, what is life without excitement?

But does my life really lack excitement? True, I’m not planning to board a rocket ship or surf Niagara Falls, but I do have  a TEDx Talk coming up in December. That’s pretty exciting. And I get to see my friends and go to the theatre and celebrate the holidays. All fun things that I’m looking forward to. (And when they happen, I’ll be grateful for them, too.)

I’m content with my life—I walk the dog, write, walk the dog, eat, walk the dog, sleep. Sometimes other events pop up to vary my schedule, and I’m happy when that happens. Perhaps daily contentment > occasional excitement?

What do you think? What are you grateful for and/or excited about this holiday season?

  • mindset
  • One comment on “Excited vs. Grateful

    1. Anne on

      Hmm…am I excited about something every day? Maybe not. It is the things that create an unusual experience that are, almost by definition, exciting. So I am grateful to be able to be excited every now and then, even if it is not every day.

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