Day 0: Introduction

This project, "Sam's Year of Gratitude," addreses two of my goals for 2021. The first of these goals is to hone my writing craft. Not only do I need to write more, but also I need to challenge myself and welcome some discomfort into the process. I hate daily journaling, and this blog is essentially that. The structure should (I hope) allow me to focus in a way that standard journaling doesn't. It also should help with my second goal, which is improving my stress management. 

I just finished Amelia and Emily Nagoski's powerful book Burnout: the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. The authors include a section on expressing gratitude as a way to relieve stress. While the idea isn't revolutionary, their explanation of its benefits resonated strongly with my pandemic-weary heart. The key, they write, is the connection that expressing gratitude creates between people. Their definition of gratitude is less about material posessions and more about moments that move us and the people who participate in them. I could keep a journal of of "Things I'm Thankful For", but if no one ever read it, then what purpose would it serve?

Right now we need to connect with others more than ever. This is not simply because we are physically separated from friends and family. On a global scale, our empathy for others and willingness to change our lives in the name of a greater good will save lives. 

2020 is finally over, and I've got a whole year's worth (if not more) people to thank for helping me through it.