Last night my husband and I emptied our gratitude jar — and to our surprise, we found notes all the way from 2022 and 2023. 🥹
Gratitude has always been important to us, but this year… it hit different. We’ve grieved deeply in the past twelve months. And when you’re grieving, loss can blur your vision. It’s easy to only see what has been taken from you.
But having a ritual of reflecting on gratitude gently redirects your focus. It reminds your heart of what is still here, still good, still worth holding onto.
This morning, I sat across from my husband at the breakfast table, tears in my eyes, and thanked him for being such a good man to me. Because the truth is — it’s so easy to take our spouse for granted. We rush past each other in the mornings, heading to work or meetings. We remind each other of chores that weren’t done. But how often do we pause… and acknowledge the things they did do?
According to Dr. John Gottman, expressing thanks, admiration, and appreciation helps protect marriages from one of the “Four Horsemen” — contempt — which often grows from feeling unnoticed or unappreciated.
So this holiday season, I want to invite you into a simple relationship reset:
- Share five things you appreciate about your spouse each week.
- Say it out loud, write it down, or tuck it in a gratitude jar.
- Watch how the emotional climate of your marriage softens, warms, and reconnects.
Gratitude won’t erase the hard seasons… but it will help you see the beauty still blooming inside them. ❤️