This past weekend I was able to listen to numerous talks that were given by extraordinary men and women on a myriad of different subjects.  One of my favorites was a talk about taking inventory of the blessings that have come into our lives:

“As I have reviewed the past 49 years, I have made some discoveries. One is that countless experiences I have had were not necessarily those one would consider extraordinary. In fact, at the time they transpired, they often seemed unremarkable and even ordinary. And yet, in retrospect, they enriched and blessed lives—not the least of which was my own. I would recommend this same exercise to you—namely, that you take an inventory of your life and look specifically for the blessings, large and small, you have received.”   -Thomas S. Monson

What a great idea!  Taking an inventory of the blessings we have received in our life to date.  I am going to get a notebook and I am going to find a quiet place to sit and start writing down all of the blessings that I can think of that have ever come into my life.  I am going to write them in a list, in no particular order, just listing everything that I can think of as it comes to my mind in this notebook.  I am going to try and start in chronological order, but if something comes to me out of the blue then I will write it down, even if it is out of order.  My goal is to literally flood the pages with the lists of blessings I can recall.  I want to capture all of them, even the smallest blessing of finding something I have lost after saying a prayer, to meeting certain people, to having certain opportunities, to the miracles that I have had come into my life.  I am really excited to do this exercise this week and I am going to report back to you on how it goes.    My mind has already begun racing with memories even just in my planning to write it down this week.  It is amazing the things I have begun to notice were blessings when I first decided to start thinking about it. Once I finish my list with every memory I can possibly think of, I am going to keep the notebook by my bed so as new blessings happen in my life I can remember to add them to my list.

I have a feeling that one day, when my life is over, this notebook will become one of my children and grandchildren’s most precious possessions.  Just think of how meaningful it would be to you to find a notebook written like this from your own grandparents or great grandparents. Just think of the impression and influence it might have on your life.

Even more important, I have a feeling that this inventory book will become one of my own most valued possessions while I am still living.  I have a feeling that keeping this little book by my bed to look at on the difficult days that come will help me to keep things in perspective.  It will help to remind me that my life truly is blessed and that even though things may get difficult, there is still plenty to be grateful for.

I would challenge all of you reading this to make the same notebook this week.  And when you finish it, maybe take some of the most meaningful items from the lists and make little notecards that you can write one on each card to hang them on your cubicle at work or tape them to your mirror at home, or put them somewhere that you when viewed they can give you a pick me up to help you stay grateful and focused on all of life’s blessings.

Life truly is a blessing.  I stand in awe at the many blessings I have been given over the years:  my family, my friends, my life lessons…so much to be grateful for and so many more blessings still to come.

“A good life is when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot

and realize how blessed you are for what you have.”  

-unknown

 Smile today, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize you are BLESSED!  It is going to be a great day!

~Amy