365 days of thanks.

A few days before we took time off for our week long church gig, I finished up my latest 365 project.
Writing down one thing that I was/am thankful for each day for a year.

Its a bit hard for you to see, but I wanted to put it up for proof.
I have deliberately made it impossible to read. I have always said that you should be accountable to someone when you do a 365 project, in this case, I broke my own ‘rule’. I did not share it with anyone, but the doc and the edit log will show that every day I wrote something in there.
Why did I not share it? Very soon after starting it (like within a few days), it became very apparent that it would very quickly become very personal. (That’s a lot of ‘verys’ in that sentence!!)
I did not expect this, I mean its just one thing from each day that I was thankful for, how personal can that be??
The reason I started the project was two fold. First up, someone I greatly respect suggested that I do the project as a way of trying to cope with some of the pressures I was under since moving here. Secondly, just as the reasons we had for moving here did not turn out like we expected, I found the things I was truly (daily) thankful for to be unexpected. I’m still trying to understand exactly whats going on in my life to cause such a result, and its just all a little too personal to be airing about the place.

Anyway, I guess I just wanted to share that its done.
I really want to do another project next year, but am unsure what. Freddy said I should give it a break, I see her point, but I am so impressed and pleased with my personal growth each time I do one that I feel there is some real value.
(That said, I am still stinging from the person that said I wasted a year doing the photo a day thing as it was done only for selfish reasons. I was so shocked at the time that I did not think to suggest they look at the photos I have taken for the church and how the quality of them has improved due to my ‘selfish’ project. So many church people have commented how pleased they are to have those photos…. I wonder what they would say about my latest, one thing a day that I am thankful for…. sounds a lot more selfish than taking photos?)

Anyway, all pettiness aside, its about 2 months till Jan 1st, if you have been thinking about a 365 project, get serious and start working out what exactly you want to do. You don’t have to start on Jan 1st, but it makes it nice and neat if you do.
No matter what you pick, try and be accountable to someone, make it something YOU want to do. Get the support of your family and go for it. It will change your life.

I’m thankful for both of my projects.