By the end of this year, this plain glass jar should contain 365 small notes of gratitude that I have written each day. The idea for the jar was shared on Facebook by someone in my friends list, and I thought I’d give it ago. I also shared the idea on Facebook and have noticed a few others have decided to do that as well.

I’m sometimes a little cynical about all of the inspirational quotes and ideas that get shared on Facebook. It’s very easy to look at something online for 30 seconds, but much harder to live by it. Also, the things that get shared are often overly simplistic. Sometimes I think the inspirational quotes are just further encouraging what I’ve been thinking of as the ‘cult of me’. It’s an idea that has been jangling around in my head for a week or so and something I want to write more about. But in a nutshell, we live in such an individualistic society that we forget that a lot of joy and happiness actually comes from not satisfying our own direct needs but by helping others in their time of need.

And yet, despite my cynicism, I am obviously hoping that doing something like the good things note will have some sort of ‘pay off’. There will be the moment I need to be quiet and reflective about the day I’ve just had. Things will get put into proportion, the small annoyances will be set aside. The focus will be on things to be grateful for. That should not be too hard to do. Then, at the end of the year, there will be the incredible moment when I open the jar and read the notes. That should be pretty mind blowing! Though, I’m thinking there is probably a good chance I will sneak a read of them at different times during the year – we shall see.